Kim Hyang Gi is trading the afterlife for a basement apartment.
The actress, who experienced two consecutive 10-million-viewer hits with the Along with the Gods films, returns in Breathless Love, a youth survival romance opening in Korean theaters on November 18. The film follows Hwa Ran (Kim Hyang Gi) and Lee Wan (Ahn Dong Goo), a couple in their 20s who have nothing but love and dreams, as they start a new life two floors underground after losing their lease deposit to rental fraud.
Ahn Dong Goo and Kim Hyang Gi in "Breathless Love"
Hwa Ran dreams of becoming a webtoon artist but works at a call center to make ends meet, while Lee Wan is an aspiring hip-hop musician. "At that age, it's such a blessing to have someone to lean on emotionally in that kind of situation," Kim Hyang Gi said at a press event on November 3. "Hwa Ran and Lee Wan lean on each other and get strength from each other without giving up on their dreams, so I played that naturally."
The role hit close to home for Ahn Dong Goo. "I wanted to be a rapper a long time ago, so I wrote lyrics and went to performances. I thought of it as a chance to live out my unfulfilled dream," he said. "In middle school, I bought home recording equipment and recorded for 10 hours at a time."
Real-life rapper Giriboy joins the cast under his real name, Hong Si Young, as Lee Wan's best friend Kyung Tae. "I'm not a good reader, but the script read easily, so I said I'd do it," he said, adding that he can hardly bear to watch himself on screen. Jung Yi Rang plays real estate agent Ahn Da Jung, saying the story reminded her of her own early days with her husband, when they started out in a tiny study room and a rooftop apartment.
Director Go Hyung Joo said, "I imagined the dramatic images and fun story that would come from the clash between the cold reality of housing problems and a sweet romance."
Source: (1)
