'The WONDERfools' director on whether Cha Eun Woo's tax-related controversy led to production change

On May 12, a press conference for the Netflix series The WONDERfools was held in Seoul. Director Yoo In Sik attended along with actors Park Eun Bin, Choi Dae Hoon, Im Sung Jae, Kim Hae Sook, Son Hyun Joo, Jeong E Suh, Choi Yun Ji, and Bae Na Ra.

Set in 1999, an era gripped by fears of apocalypse, The WONDERfools tells the story of a group of goofy townies who, after an unexpected incident, acquire superpowers and take on villains threatening the peace of Haeseong City.  

Regarding the concerns about the impact of Cha Eun Woo's tax-related controversy on the production, director Yoo In Sik said, "I learned about (Cha Eun Woo's tax evasion controversy) through news articles while editing and post-production were already in progress. This project had long been a dream of mine as well, and everyone worked really hard, even for shots lasting just one or two seconds. With that in mind, we carried out the post-production with the overall quality as the top priority." He added, "I ask for your understanding that I'm unable to comment in detail on the actor's personal matter."

Furthermore, regarding Cha Eun Woo's performance, he remarked, "Not only for Cha Eun Woo, but for all of the actors, the emotional acting and physically [demanding] acting would likely have been a new kind of challenge. The ensemble can only be achieved when executed with dedication, and [Cha Eun Woo] approached it with passion. So, I'm satisfied with the result."

Park Eun Bin also spoke about her chemistry with Cha Eun Woo, saying, "From the very beginning of preparing for this project, the director emphasized the importance of team chemistry. That was the thing [I] paid the most attention to," adding, "Please look forward to The WONDERfool."

The WONDERfools is coming May 15, only on Netflix.

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