Director Park Gyu-tae on casting Netflix comedy 'Namphyeondeur': 'Heaven helped, they joined one by one'

Seven actors on one call sheet — and director Park Gyu-tae still can't quite believe it worked out.

The production press conference for Netflix film Namphyeondeur (남편들) was held June 15 at Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Jin Sun-gyeo, Gong Myung, Kim Ji-seok, Yoon Kyung-ho, Kang Han-na, Lee Da-hee, and Jeon So-min all showed up alongside director Park Gyu-tae.

The film is a comedy action piece about an ex-husband and a current husband who unexpectedly team up to rescue a wife kidnapped by a crime organization. Jin Sun-gyeo plays Chung-sik, the ex-husband and drug squad ace. Gong Myung plays Min-seok, the current husband—a young, handsome veterinarian.

Park said the ensemble came together almost improbably. "Casting is very difficult work. Even if I have an actor I want, they need to have the schedule to participate," he said. "But it was like heaven helped, and they joined one by one." Each confirmation left him stunned. "Every time casting was confirmed, I thought 'Is this really happening?' with gratitude."

The three female leads produced the press conference's best moment. Park admitted he initially had no idea that Kang Han-na, Lee Da-hee, and Jeon So-min were all regulars on the variety show Running Man. When he told his child he was making a film with the three of them, the kid shot back: "Dad, are you making Running Man?"

Their familiar, well-liked public images made them a natural fit for the film's tone.