There are three things to note before watching the upcoming sci-fi film "Mickey 17," according to director Bong Joon-ho. First, the director went soft on his protagonist for the first time ever. Second, he left a love story in the plot for the first time ever. Last, no — he didn't base his antagonist on U.S. President Donald Trump or any other currently serving politician.

“Looking back, I've realized that I’ve often been quite harsh on my characters,” Bong said during an interview with reporters at Conrad Seoul in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Wednesday.


"It felt fine to satirize and depict the bitter aspects of reality, but it was only up to a certain point, as my protagonists inevitably ended up in harsh circumstances. Mickey was also one of them. However, [in this film], I wanted to show the protagonist overcoming them and not being destroyed by them, despite being placed in such situations.”

Bong's latest film is an adaptation of Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel “Mickey7.” It follows the story of Mickey Barnes, a disposable employee who gets “printed,” or regenerated, each time he dies while completing extreme missions during a human expedition to colonize Niflheim, a faraway ice planet. However, things take an unexpected turn when Mickey 17, the 17th version of Mickey, encounters Mickey 18, who was printed under the assumption that Mickey 17 had died.

The film stars Robert Pattinson, who plays Mickey, alongside actors Steven Yeun as Timo, Naomi Ackie as Nasha, Mark Ruffalo as Kenneth Marshall and Toni Collette as Ylfa, Kenneth’s wife.

It will be released on Feb. 28 in Korea, a week before its North American premiere on March 7.

Warning: spoilers may be included.

First love

Known for sharp, unflinching social satire, Bong Joon-ho's previous works, such as the Oscar-winning “Parasite” (2019), “Snowpiercer” (2013) and “The Host” (2006), offered no room for romantic storylines. However, for the first time, the director introduced a romance — between Mickey and Nasha — which was originally in Ashton’s novel.

“As always, when I adapt a work, I tend to make a lot of changes from the original,” Bong said. “But the one thing I wanted to keep from the original was the love story between Mickey and Nasha.”

“I even remembered the chapter number, as my eyes welled up while reading that part, especially seeing how Nasha protects Mickey,” he added. “So, that was one part I never wanted to change, and I was determined to capture it well in the film.”

According to Bong, the love between Nasha and Mickey is important to the film’s main plot and message, as she keeps Mickey from falling to pieces.

“The one that keeps Mickey from being destroyed is actually Nasha,” Bong said. “Things were only possible because Nasha was there, watching over everything reassuringly.”

“In many ways, Nasha feels like a guardian, and this was present in the original work as well. I really loved how their love was portrayed, and I didn’t want to lose that aspect in my adaptation. So, for the first time in my work, I think love was introduced as a theme in the film.”

“That said, I’m not claiming it’s a romance film — it’s fundamentally an sci-fi movie,” he added.

Political parallels

Since its screenings in London from Feb. 13, one of the most fierce reactions from viewers has been the uncanny resemblance between Ruffalo’s portrayal of antagonist and dictator Kenneth Marshall and certain real-life politicians, such as U.S. President Donald Trump. However, Bong rejected any speculation, noting that he began writing the script in 2021 and started filming in 2022 — well before any of the current political events took place.

"I talked a lot [with Ruffalo about the role],” he said. “We would show each other pictures of politicians on our phones — and he’d say, ‘This guy used to be a governor in some U.S. state back in the day,’ and I’d say, ‘And this person was a politician in Korea in the late 1990s.’”

“But none of them were current politicians."

And it wasn't just Trump, but a slew of other infamous dictators that Ruffalo's character was likened to. Reviews from around the world mentioned names such as Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

When commenting on viewers' reactions, Bong said, “It seems like they projected a lot of the political stress they’re currently experiencing [onto the character],” adding that he was even asked several times by the press if he had a “crystal ball in his back room.”

“Especially in the scene when Kenneth gets shot, and, of all the things that could've happened, the bullet just grazes his face,” Bong said, referring to the attempted assassination of Trump during his election campaign last year.

The director praised Ruffalo for bringing out such reactions.

“I think Ruffalo did a great job portraying a complex character, allowing a wide range of people to project their own situations and political stresses onto him," he said.

In the film, Kenneth's wife Ylfa appears, but she is not a character present in the original novel. Bong once again emphasized that the character was created long before any current political situations arose, and he referred to past dictator couples, such as former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and former Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu.

“Dictators need to be terrifying yet also oddly charismatic — even a bit ridiculous,” the director said. “And when a couple rises to power as dictators, they create a strong synergy.”

Creature feature

Bong has a reputation for helming creature-driven films, like “The Host” and “Okja” (2017). This time, he introduces another type of creature called a Creeper, which is indigenous to the planet Niflheim and was inspired by a croissant, according to the director.

"When I look at a croissant, it almost feels like it could move,” Bong said. “Its layers resemble an accordion, stretching and folding, and it seems like it could crawl the way a bug would, while also having a strange type of volume."

The director also explained that the team designed three types of Creepers, which they refer to as baby Creeper, junior Creeper and mama Creeper.

"Baby Creeper is in charge of the cuteness [in the film], and its movements are actually based on a puppy’s," Bong said. "I figured that as long as it moves like a puppy, everyone watching would just melt."

He also shared the hidden meaning and reason behind using these creatures, saying, "They often serve as a mirror, revealing just how pathetic humans can be."

Similar, new, strange

Having debuted his first feature film in 2000, Bong has now been in the industry for almost 30 years and is regarded as one of the most acclaimed directors in Korea. He has released eight feature films, including "Mickey 17," seven short films and has an animated film in the works.

Bong says that he feels a sense of "déjà vu" when starting to film a new project, noticing similarities to previous works that he has penned. By that point, however, the script is already complete and there's not much that can be changed. But this is nothing to be ashamed of or stressed over, according to Bong.

“These days, I try to take a more relaxed approach,” he said. “If there’s something new or different, I’m happy because I tried something new. And if there’s something familiar or repetitive, I just think, 'Of course. It’s my work.'"

Keeping cool is important because writing a screenplay for a film is "like trying to herd about 30 wild rabbits toward a single point," he said.

With still much more to show in his career, Bong wants to keep his iconic, "weird" edge in his films, regardless of how much a new work does or doesn't resemble his past works.

"I actually want to be remembered as a director who makes somewhat strange films, someone who, no matter the environment or circumstances, can consistently maintain that unique tone,” he said. "That’s why Mickey 17 is a warm and bright film, but at the same time, it has plenty of odd elements as well."

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