Casting Call Rejection? Read This Script and Think Again!

Hollywood actor Byron Mann shared his thoughts on tackling his initial foray into South Korean cinema with the film “Soju Wars.”

On the 30th, Byron Mann met with Sports Chosun at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where he shared his thoughts: “Initially, I received an audition proposal and felt like something might have been amiss. However, after reading through the script, my interest piqued regarding the character.”

‘Soju War,’ released on the same day, delves into the events surrounding the 1997 IMF financial crisis. The film follows the journey of a soju company and its financial director named Jongrok, alongside a ruthless employee from an international investment firm focused solely on outcomes. This clash highlights the impact on ordinary Koreans through their connection with soju. In the movie, actor Byron Mann portrays Gordon, representing the Hong Kong-based global investment corporation known as Sol Queen.

Byron Mann arrived in South Korea the previous day to promote ‘Soju Wars.’ He mentioned, “Actually, in Hollywood, we seldom visit multiple theaters consecutively just to interact with viewers.” According to him, movies are created for an audience, so meeting people personally and building connections is beneficial. Additionally, he expressed his surprise at seeing attendees ranging widely in age, from young teens to senior citizens, all gathered in one cinema.

He mentioned becoming the pioneer to take on Korean cinema. Byron Mann stated, “My agent informed me that they got an offer from a South Korean production firm sometime in February of 2023.” He continued, “Initially, I believed the production company had incorrectly indicated that I needed to be based in Korea for approximately three months to work on this film project. However, after reading through the screenplay, I realized that my character was meant to portray a Chinese-American working at an investment bank, which piqued my interest. Following this, I engaged extensively with the production crew regarding the details of the movie.”

Primarily, extensive preparations were undertaken to perfect the character. Prior to shooting the film, Byron Mann mentioned, “Since I had limited knowledge of the IMF, I made efforts to research more about how Korea was at that time. Aren’t such occurrences common across numerous nations? Particularly in Korea, this is something many recall vividly; thus, I believe I gained valuable insights and evolved throughout this journey,” he stated.

“I’ve portrayed numerous heroes and villains throughout my acting career,” he stated. “While I’m not sure about the situation in Korea, the Anglo-American film industry does not shy away from villain roles. In fact, these parts can often provide richer opportunities for expressive performances. A lack of compelling antagonists might make a story seem flat. Personally, I find villains far more intriguing than protagonists.”