Park So-dam returns as professional driver in car chase film ‘Special Cargo’

From left: Actors Han Hyun-min, Song Sae-byeok, director Park Dae-min, actors Jung Hyeon-jun, Yeom Hye-ran, Kim Eui-sung, Yeon Woo-jin pose after a press conference for the upcoming action film “Special Cargo” held at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in Seoul on Thursday. NEW via The Korea Herald/Asia News Network

SEOUL — Park So-dam, one of the stars of the Oscar-winning “Parasite,” is returning to the big screen as a driver in the upcoming car chase film “Special Cargo” directed by Park Dae-min.

“Special Cargo” is a crime-action film that centers around a special professional delivery driver Eun-ha (Park So-dam). She delivers anything that cannot be delivered legally. One day, Eun-ha receives a mission to deliver a young boy Seo-won (Jung Hyeon-jun) that a criminal group is chasing after. When she decides to save him, she becomes a target of not only the crime group but also associated corrupt police officers.

“I started this project to create an action film with a female lead,” director Park said during a press conference held at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in eastern Seoul on Thursday. “I wanted to show a professional driver fiercely racing in the film and tried to think of in which situation the main character will be forced to do that. That is when a story about protecting a child came to my mind.”

The director added that although Eun-ha is protecting a kid in the movie, he did not want the arrangement to look like a mother and child relationship.

“I didn’t want it to show maternal love. Rather, I wanted them to look like they are becoming friends,” he said.

Park So-dam could not appear at the press conference on Thursday as she is recovering from surgery for papillary thyroid cancer, according to her agency Artist Company.

The director also talked about why he cast Park So-dam.

“After I finished writing the script, I gave it to So-dam right away. I am her fan and knew that she would pull it off,” the director said. “This is her first action feature and she has the power to make everything believable.”

Child actor Jung, 10, who also appeared in “Parasite” as the son of a rich family, shared his experience working with Park So-dam again.

“I relied on her a lot and focused on performing a kid who does not want to pard from Eun-ha,” Jung said.

Jung also expressed his disappointment during the press conference, since he cannot watch the film as it received a rating intended for the audience aged15 and over.

“I want to find out how I performed and it is too bad that I cannot watch it. The first thing I will do when I reach 15 is to watch ‘Special Cargo,’” the child actor said firmly, which made everyone in attendance laugh.

During the conference, the director also talked about the film being selected to be screened at the 2022 International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Harbour program.

“I was so happy to hear the news. I was excited to attend the festival in person, but due to the spread of Omicron I heard that the fest has turned into an online event,” he said.

The film festival will be held from Jan. 26 to Feb. 6.

“I hope the virus situation gets better soon so that we can watch films (in theaters) without worries. I want to show my film to global audiences,” the director added.

Park‘s film has been sold to 47 countries across the globe and will hit theaters in five Asian countries this month, according to its distributor NEW. “Special Cargo” will be released in Hong Kong, Singapore and Mongolia on Jan. 13 and 14, followed by Indonesia on Jan. 19 and Taiwan on Jan. 28 after hitting local cinema theaters first on Jan. 12.