"People often misunderstand Song Jae-rim because of his naturally cool and distant aura, but in reality, he was incredibly warm-hearted and had the best comedic personality. I miss him so much." – Director Harry Hyun
The late actor Song Jae-rim’s final film, Crypto Man, is now fully prepared to meet audiences.
On the afternoon of January 6, a press screening and media conference for Crypto Man were held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. Director Harry Hyun, along with actors Ahn Woo-yeon, Min Sung-wook, So Hee-jung, and Cha Jung-won, attended the event.
Crypto Man, Song Jae-rim’s final film, is a crime drama based on the real-life collapse of Luna Coin in 2022, a crash that wiped out 50 trillion KRW and shook the global financial market. The Luna Coin crash led to the bankruptcy of major platforms, and in South Korea alone, approximately 280,000 people suffered devastating financial losses.
Director Harry Hyun, who was personally affected as a Luna Coin victim, candidly shared, "Since I was also a victim, I had a lot to say. However, I tried my best to direct the film with neutrality."
During the production process, while tracing the story’s inspiration, Hyun found many intriguing aspects. "The real-life figure behind this story was from Daechi-dong, attended a prestigious foreign language high school, and graduated from a renowned university abroad before launching a startup and suddenly creating a cryptocurrency. The process itself was fascinating," he revealed. "There were many elements of black comedy. However, given the severity of the crime and the immense suffering of the victims, I didn’t want to diminish the weight of the perpetrator’s actions or trivialize the victims' pain with humor. As a result, the film took on a somewhat darker tone."
Regarding the Luna Coin crisis, Hyun reflected, "In early 2022, people used to say that anyone who didn’t invest in Luna Coin was a fool. It was a time when it seemed like a guaranteed way to make money, with promises of 10x or 20x returns. But in the end, it crashed. When we began filming Crypto Man, I told myself, ‘Never invest in crypto again.’ But by September 2023, Bitcoin had dropped below 20 million KRW, and now it’s over 100 million KRW. Seeing such drastic fluctuations, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted. When making this film, I said that crypto was unpredictable. But seeing these wild swings, I don’t know if I should call it fascinating or a potential future asset. It’s truly perplexing," he said, leaving the scale of his personal losses undisclosed.
Actor Ahn Woo-yeon shared his personal investment struggles: "Actually, I wasn’t a crypto victim—I was a stock market victim," he admitted. "I don’t know much about crypto, but I suffered a major stock crash. While preparing for this film, I read a lot of articles about Luna Coin and kept researching. However, my character's arc in the film wasn’t directly tied to crypto, so I didn’t focus much on analyzing cryptocurrency news for my role. Instead, Crypto Man tells the story of the protagonist Yang Do-hyun’s personal journey. My character provides a small dose of optimism in the midst of his emotional turmoil, and I exit the story before the crypto collapse truly unfolds."
Beyond its connection to the Luna Coin scandal, Crypto Man is also widely recognized as the late Song Jae-rim’s final film. Director Hyun, moved to tears when remembering the actor, shared why she cast him: "He had a face that revealed nothing about his true emotions, which made him perfect for the role."
Recalling their time working together, Hyun continued, "Song Jae-rim was extremely knowledgeable about cryptocurrency. I vividly remember how much fun our conversations were. He even knew a lot about stock trading. Throughout the filmmaking process, he contributed so many creative ideas. People often misunderstood him because of his cool and reserved appearance, but in reality, he was incredibly warm-hearted and had an amazing sense of humor. I miss him so much. I really wish we could have completed this journey together."
Min Sung-wook also reminisced about his time with Song Jae-rim. "He had this naturally cold and distant image, but while filming, we became very close. We had deep discussions about acting and shared many stories about life and theater. There was a scene where Yang Do-hyun spirals out of control, and Song Jae-rim personally suggested changing the dialogue. That moment made me realize just how expressive and talented he was. He was truly underrated. I believe Crypto Man is his best work. He delivered an incredible performance, and I was constantly in awe while filming. I miss him dearly," he shared.
Actor Ahn Woo-yeon, who shared a strong bromance with Song Jae-rim in the film, said their bond extended beyond the screen. "While working on this film, we became like real brothers," he revealed. "Our characters were friends in the movie, and even though there was a six-year age gap, he treated me like family. Song Jae-rim was incredibly kind, playful, and had such a pure heart. I remember laughing during our first shoot because we improvised so many lines. It was such a fun time."
Reflecting on their growing friendship, Ahn continued, "It’s not easy to form genuine bonds while filming, but we really became close. We spent a lot of time together, even outside of filming. We’d go out for drinks and even joked about starting a business together. I don’t have much influence, but I want to do everything I can to promote Crypto Man for him. I’m committed to making sure this film gets the recognition it deserves. If I could send him a message, I’d simply say, ‘Hyung, just watch over us as we push through to the very end.’"
Cha Jung-won echoed similar sentiments, saying, "At first, Song Jae-rim seemed a bit distant because of his cool exterior, but he was actually really funny and playful. He was also incredibly knowledgeable about finance and investing. I learned so much from him. Every moment with him was enjoyable, and we had so many great conversations. I know he would have loved to watch this movie with us. While watching Crypto Man, I kept thinking that he was right there with us. I just want to say that I miss him so much."
Actress So Hee-jung, who played Song Jae-rim’s mother in the film, shared touching memories of their time on set. "In our first scene together, he wore a short-sleeved school uniform. Since he was older, wearing a uniform could have looked awkward, but he worked out so much that his arms were actually too muscular for the sleeves. I remember all of us laughing about it," she recalled.
She continued, "There was a scene where we ate fish together, but it was cut from the final film. Song Jae-rim was like a chef, teaching us how to properly debone the fish. It was such a fun experience. Working with him made me realize what an incredible actor he was. I was truly surprised and learned so much from him. He lived his life with such passion. I will always remember him."
Meanwhile, Crypto Man, the film depicting the catastrophic collapse of Luna Coin that shook the global financial markets, is set to premiere on January 15.
[금빛나 MK스포츠 기자]
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