‘Busan Stone Kicking Incident’ will be made into a movie… starring Jeon Hyo-sung.

[OSEN=Ha Sujeong Reporter] The movie ‘Can’t Help But Be a Devil’ based on the infamous ‘Busan Kickback Incident’ that caused a nationwide outrage is set to be released. Singer and actress Jeon Hyo-sung has been cast as the lead role, marking her first lead role on screen in 15 years.

According to OSEN on the 1st, the movie ‘Can’t Help But Be a Devil’ (director Lim Yong-jae, production company Bandit Firefly), inspired by the Busan Kickback Incident that occurred two years ago, has completed pre-production and is gearing up for filming. The lead role in this movie is Jeon Hyo-sung, a former girl group member turned actress, who received the script proposal and recently confirmed her appearance.

The Busan Kickback Incident took place in May 2022, when a man in his 30s, Mr. A, kicked a woman in her 20s, Ms. B, down at the entrance of an office building in Seomyeon, Busan, and indiscriminately assaulted her. Mr. A had followed Ms. B from the street that day and the act of kicking her at the entrance was captured on CCTV, sparking national outrage.

Mr. A was charged with attempted murder and sentenced to 12 years in prison in the first trial. However, the charge was changed to attempted rape and murder in the appeals court, and the Supreme Court confirmed a 20-year prison sentence. Mr. A had persistently denied the crime and instead of showing remorse, he had threatened revenge against Ms. B, leading to his confinement in a solitary cell.

During this process, criticism was directed at the initial police investigation for being inadequate, and the actual victim of the incident suffered psychological damage due to the poor investigation and even filed a lawsuit against the state for compensation.

‘Can’t Help But Be a Devil’ will address the Busan Kickback Incident but will not only focus on specific criminal acts, but also touch on societal issues such as hidden-camera assault, revenge problems in Korean society, and more. In particular, Kim Jin-joo (pseudonym), the actual victim of the incident, will participate in the movie as a script consultant. She recently published a book depicting the difficulties faced by crime victims earlier this year, making her debut as an author, and will assist the director as a script consultant in this film.

In addition, Jeon Hyo-sung will make her debut as the lead in ‘Can’t Help But Be a Devil’ after 15 years in the industry. Expectations are high for her portrayal of a victim of hidden-camera assault, showcasing new acting skills and expressions that have not been seen before.

Jeon Hyo-sung debuted as a member of the girl group Secret in 2009, receiving much love for their hit songs. She later transitioned to acting and made her acting debut in the SBS sitcom ‘Rooftop Prince’ in 2012, and showcased growth through various roles in dramas such as OCN’s ‘Cheo Yong’, SBS’s ‘Wanted’, tvN’s ‘Introverted Boss’, ‘Memorist’, web drama ‘Draw My Heart’, Netflix series ‘Celebrity’, and more. Notably, she received praise for her outstanding performance in ‘Celebrity’ last year.

Meanwhile, ‘Can’t Help But Be a Devil’ is scheduled to begin filming in mid-August with a goal of release next year.

/ hsjssu@osen.co.kr

[Photo] OSEN DB

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