Joo Won calls 'The Firefighters' truly courageous people

Joo Won expresses his respect for firefighters at the press conference for The Firefighters.

On November 8, a press conference for the film The Firefighters was held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Attendees included director Kwak Kyung Taek, along with actors Joo Won, Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Yoo Young, Kim Min Jae, Oh Dae Hwan, Lee Joon Hyuk, and Jang Young Nam.

The Firefighters tells the story of firefighters who are dispatched to extinguish the fire and rescue everyone from the Hongje-dong fire. The film reimagines the incident which occurred at 3:47 a.m. on March 4, 2001, when an arson fire broke out in a multi-family residence in Hongje-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.

Joo Won (The Midnight Studio, Good Doctor) plays Cheol Woong, a rookie firefighter assigned to the Seobu Fire Station for his first post. The actor vividly portrays the passion and anxiety of a young firefighter facing life-and-death situations, while gaining professional and life experiences on the front lines. 

Joo Won shared that his perception of firefighters changed while filming the movie. "When I was young, I thought firefighters were so cool and remember loving to watch fire trucks. But as I grew older, I kind of forgot about it. Then, I came across this [movie's] script. Now, even just hearing the sound of a passing siren makes me appreciate more deeply the hard work and dedication of firefighters."

He went on to express his respect, saying, "Even though it was just a set, it was terrifying and intensely hot when I went in. I realized that firefighters face this kind of danger every day, battling these flames. It made me think that what we've considered bravery isn't true courage. Firefighters are truly courageous people."

He also shared his thoughts on working with director Kwak Kyung Taek for the first time: "Since high school, I've nurtured my dream [of becoming an actor] while watching his films, so working with him was an honor. Director Kwak is like a mother on set — very embracing, and he's great especially when it comes to giving acting direction. He acts so well when he demonstrates that I quickly absorb it. It was a very good set."

The Firefighters is set to premiere on December 4.

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