Kang Dong Won recalls being drooled on by zombies while filming 'Peninsula'

In light of the upcoming premiere of South Korea's latest blockbuster zombie action film 'Peninsula', lead actor Kang Dong Won sat down for an interview where he looked back on the hard work of countless crew, plus more!

During this interview, Kang Dong Won revealed, "I wasn't a fan of zombie films in the past. I like horror films, but more of the occult genre rather than zombie thrillers. Horror is one of my favorite film genres. But as an actor, you can't just act in genres you like, so I wanted to try this one." 

He then added on, "It turns out, watching a zombie movie and making one is very different. While working on an actual zombie film, I realized why people like it so much. It's actually a very commercial genre, with less of the psychoanalytical stuff from occult films and more action. I started liking zombie movies after I filmed one."  

How was Kang Dong Won's action chemistry with the zombies on set? "I didn't exactly imagine how filming action scenes with zombies might turn out before I arrived on set. I just thought of them as any other villains, but when I actually started filming, it turned out that zombies can't dodge or protect themselves. So we had to make sure no one got hurt. That was difficult. All they can say during filming is 'Ah...' When they get on top of me, they drip drool on my face. I know that it's just the way it is, and they know it too, and there's nothing we can do about it. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, for both sides. When they called 'cut!', we would apologize both ways and wipe stuff off of one another," the star explained. 

Finally, Kang Dong Won gave his personal thoughts on 'Peninsula' and its appeal. He remarked, "It's an action genre nestled into the horror category. There are aspects of it which come very close to reality. That's what I've learned about the appeal of zombie movies." 

Meanwhile, 'Peninsula' is the highly-anticipated sequel film to director Yeon Sang Ho's hit zombie thriller 'Train To Busan'. The story takes place on the Korean peninsula approximately 4 years after the events of 'Train To Busan'. The production premieres in Korea this July 15.