Life is full of twists and turns, and film “The Match” has certainly experienced its own. After one of its main cast members, Yoo Ah-in, was charged with illegal drug use, the film's release was indefinitely delayed, leaving its future uncertain. Now, on March 26, the film, which was originally slated for a Netflix release in 2023, is finally set to meet its audience in theaters.

A big question surrounding the film was whether Yoo was still going to appear in the final version or get taken out, or even be replaced with a new actor. The director confirmed he chose not to remove the actor from the film, as he “did not want to add any more wounds.”


“Re-editing a completed film didn’t quite make sense to me for the story structure and the film’s original intention,” director Kim Hyung-ju said during the film’s press conference held in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Friday. “I believe that people will fully understand those aspects once the film is released.”

“The film had to experience suffering even before it was out in the world, and as a director, I did not want to add any more wounds to that. I also felt that it was only right to present the film as it was originally intended to those who took time to come to the theater.”

Based on a true story, the film centers around the game of Go — better known as Baduk in Korea — and the matches between Go masters Cho Hoon-hyun and Lee Chang-ho. It follows Cho’s journey to regain his winning title after losing to his own student, Lee Chang-ho.

Directed by Kim, the film stars actor Lee Byung-hun, portraying master Cho, and Yoo as master Lee Chang-ho. Actors Ko Chang-seok, Hyun Bong-sik, Moon Jeong-hee and Jo Woo-jin are also featured in the film.

Cho, born in 1953, is regarded as a living legend in Korea's Go history, with a level of influence that, according to actor Ko, surpassed even that of figure skater Kim Yu-na or soccer player Park Ji-sung at the time. He was the first Korean to achieve the ninth dan — the highest rank for professional Go players — and also won many international Go competitions, an area that had largely been dominated by Japanese and Chinese players.

Proving Cho’s reputation at the time, actor Lee Byung-hun revealed that his father-in-law showed the most anticipation toward the new film, which, for him, was a rare occurrence.

“Every time I went to see him, he asked me when the film would be released,” Lee Byung-hun said. “For those who understand that era and know those people, I truly feel that their anticipation for this film is greater than that of any other.”

As the film is based on actual living characters, Lee Byung-hun studied a lot about Cho’s behavior and habits to be more accurate in his depiction, and he also met the master in real life.

“It made me think that perhaps it was these very experiences that led them to create such a remarkable history,” Lee Byung-hun said. “I felt that I had a lot to learn from his strong competitive spirit and personal philosophy.”

Regardless of Lee Byung-hun's concerns, director Kim had deep faith in the actor even before casting him, sharing that he believed Lee was the right choice for the role long before he began writing the script — mentioning its "very wide emotional range.”

The film often focuses on the hands and fingers of the actors as they place stones on the board, which, according to Jo, creates its own sense of action and intensity, despite being subtle in appearance.

“I believe the audience will experience the same level of impact and spectacle found in any sports film,” Jo said.

It is true that years have passed since its filming and original release date. However, its sincerity remains unchanged, something the cast and director hope will resonate with the audience, adding that it is a film for everyone, regardless of their knowledge of Go.

“'The Match' is a film based on a true story, which could also be considered a piece of history,” Jo said. “Just as the true meaning captured in that time remains unchanged over time, I believe the authenticity of the film that we embedded during the making of it will also never change, no matter how much time passes.”

“I really like the saying, ‘The most beautiful flower blooms after many twists and turns,’ and our film is finally being released after its own share of ups and downs,” the director said. “I sincerely hope that people will watch the film with a warm mindset.”


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]