South Korean filmmaker Byun Sung-hyun has returned with his most audacious project yet, transforming a real-life 1970s hijacking into a biting black comedy called "Good News." The director's fourth collaboration with acclaimed actor Sul Kyung-gu draws inspiration from the notorious Japan Airlines Flight 351 incident, creating a satirical masterpiece that finds dark humor in historical tragedy.
The film centers around the 1970 hijacking when members of the Japanese Red Army seized control of a Boeing 727 carrying 129 passengers from Haneda to Fukuoka, ultimately forcing the aircraft to North Korea where the hijackers defected. Byun has used this dramatic real-life event as the foundation for his cutting social commentary, though he emphasizes that the story goes far beyond simply retelling historical facts.
"Good News" has already generated significant buzz on the international festival circuit, earning prestigious selections for both the Special Presentation section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival and the Gala Presentation section at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. These high-profile screenings have positioned the film as one of the most anticipated Korean releases of the year.
Sul Kyung-gu, known for his powerful performances in "The Whirlwind" and "Hyper Knife," takes on the enigmatic role of Amugae, a mysterious fixer whose name is as obscure as his shadowy past. Speaking at a press conference held in Seoul on Tuesday, Sul revealed that his decision to join the project came almost instinctively when Byun approached him. "Director Byun just handed it to me and said, 'Let's do this.' So I said, 'Alright,'" Sul recalled with characteristic directness.
However, Sul admitted that the script initially caught him off guard due to the unusual nature of his character. "Honestly, I was a bit taken aback when I read the script. The character didn't seem like someone who would exist in that era or in those scenes," he explained. "It felt like he had just been dropped there. No matter how many times I read it, he wouldn't blend in." This realization led Sul to embrace the character's outsider status, deciding to lean into rather than fight against Amugae's incongruous presence in the story.
"So I said, 'Let's try not blending in.' It was a strange character, and I spent a lot of time thinking about how to portray him," Sul added, highlighting the creative challenges that drew him to the role. This approach reflects the film's broader theme of characters who exist outside conventional expectations and social norms.
For director Byun Sung-hyun, working with Sul for the fourth consecutive time presented both opportunities and obstacles. The creative partnership, while comfortable and productive, also created pressure to avoid falling into predictable patterns. "When you work with the same actor on four consecutive projects, it inevitably gives you a lot to think about. I really started to have many thoughts," Byun acknowledged during the press conference.
The director revealed that he and Sul even questioned whether they should continue their collaboration, wondering if it was creatively beneficial to work together again. "Kyung-gu and I even talked about whether it was right for us to do this together again," Byun admitted, showing the thoughtful consideration both artists bring to their partnership.
This introspection led Byun to consciously break away from the visual and character archetypes he had previously established for Sul. "Outwardly, Kyung-gu has always appeared in a suit in my films, and even after 'The Merciless,' he continued to wear suits in other projects," the director explained. "To be honest, I started to feel a bit fed up with that image, because he's not that kind of person at all."
Determined to reveal different facets of Sul's acting abilities, Byun took an unusual step in his preparation process. "I wanted to draw out a different side of him, so I went back and studied some of his earlier works to research the character," he said. This reverse-engineering approach demonstrates Byun's commitment to continually evolving his artistic vision and challenging both himself and his longtime collaborator.
While "Good News" is set in the 1970s and inspired by historical events, Byun emphasized that the film is fundamentally a contemporary work that speaks to modern audiences. "It's a screenplay inspired by a true story that took place in the 1970s. However, it doesn't deal with the real events in their entirety," he explained, clarifying his approach to historical adaptation.
The director used the historical framework as a launching pad for broader social commentary that resonates with today's world. "Within that framework, I incorporated the stories I wanted to tell, stories that could still resonate in today's world," Byun said. "So the characters were not based on real people, but rather reimagined." This approach allows the film to function as both historical drama and contemporary satire, using the past to illuminate present-day absurdities.
Byun's reputation as one of South Korea's most distinctive filmmakers stems from his ability to blend dark humor with serious social critique, and "Good News" appears to continue this tradition. The film represents his ongoing exploration of how individual characters navigate extraordinary circumstances while revealing broader truths about society and human nature.
"Good News" will premiere Friday on Netflix, making it accessible to global audiences eager to experience Byun's latest satirical vision. The streaming release follows the film's successful festival run and positions it as a major addition to the growing catalog of Korean content on the platform.
