Comedy film 'About Family' set to warm hearts this winter

Family comedy film “About Family” is ready to warm up the chilly winter season like a comforting bowl of manduguk, or dumpling soup.

From left, actors Kim Yun-seok and Lee Seung-gi attend a press conference for the upcoming comedy film ″About Family″ held in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Family comedy film “About Family” is ready to warm up the chilly winter season like a comforting bowl of manduguk, or dumpling soup. Set for release on Dec. 11, the film follows the story of a dumpling restaurant owner who is worried that his family line might be coming to an end when his son becomes a Buddhist monk. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when two children claiming to be his grandchildren — whom he never knew existed — suddenly appear.

Directed by Yang Woo-seok, who also took the helm of hit films “The Attorney” (2013) and “Steel Rain” (2017), the film features actors Kim Yun-seok, Lee Seung-gi, Kim Sung-ryoung, Kang Han-na and Park Su-young.

Actor Kim Yun-seok stars as Ham Mu-ok, the owner of the 38-year-old dumpling restaurant, with Lee Seung-gi portraying his son, Moon-seok. Kim Sung-ryoung plays Mu-ok's love interest, Ms. Bang. Kang takes on the role of Ga-yeon, Moon-seok's ex-girlfriend and current best friend, while Park appears as In-haeng, a monk in training.

Still from upcoming comedy film ″About Family″ [LOTTE ENTERTAINMENT]

The film first garnered significant attention due to Lee Seung-gi’s shocking new look — a shaved head. This was required for his role as a Buddhist monk. Though Lee frequently mentioned not minding the transformation, he did admit there was one moment when he slightly regretted making the change.

“Before doing the project, I didn’t feel much pressure about shaving my head,” Lee said during the film's press conference held in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on Tuesday.

“But the moment I shaved my head, I felt a bit panicked, thinking, ‘This is not what I imagined,’ when half my hair was gone. Once it was all shaved off, it ended up being much shorter than I expected. After that, I had to do other work simultaneously, so I think I wore a wig for about three or four months.”

The upcoming film also marks a shift in tone from director Yang’s previous works, which often featured darker themes and heavy messages. He admitted that taking a brighter approach was something he had always wanted to explore.

Still from upcoming comedy film ″About Family″ [LOTTE ENTERTAINMENT]

Despite the film seeming comical and light, Yang stressed that it also contains depth, referring to its storyline as following “the resolution of karma”

“This film is lighthearted, yet it also captures the conflicts and struggles that everyone experiences in their own way,” director Yang said. “While watching the film, the audience can witness various layers of concerns and how those concerns unfold.”

It has been a while since a family comedy film has hit theaters, especially in the age of streaming platforms, with actor Kim Yun-seok even saying that the film’s narrative is “rare.”

“About three years ago, during the pandemic, streaming platforms began to rise, leading many content pieces to become faster-paced, genre-driven and more intense. There was a shift toward works where the characters were swept up in the drama, rather than focusing on the characters themselves,” the actor said. “Among these pieces, ‘About Family’ is a rare one.”

The cast members of film ″About Family″ pose for a photo during the film's press conference held in Gwangjin District, western Seoul, on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

He also added that the film raises a question about the concept of family, which separates the film from other typical family comedy works.

“It questions how we define family,” Kim said. “Is it limited to just blood relationships, or can the idea of family extend beyond that? It delves into where we draw the boundaries of what makes someone truly family."

The veteran actor also expressed strong confidence in the film, saying, “I truly believe that ‘About Family’ is the perfect film for this winter — warm and comforting, like a bowl of manduguk, and a film that’s ideal for a family outing to the theater."

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