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Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-woo Team up for Disaster Blockbuster

Lee Byung-hun (left) and Ha Jung-woo attend a press event for their new film in Seoul on Tuesday.

The upcoming disaster blockbuster "Ashfall" is creating a lot of hype thanks to a star-studded cast including Lee Byung-hun and Ha Jung-woo as well as Bae Suzy.

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Its W26 billion budget is the biggest for a South Korean movie so far this year (US$1=W1,171). The film is set against the backdrop of a volcanic eruption of Mt. Baekdu in North Korea.

Lee plays a North Korean agent who goes undercover as an embassy worker in Beijing. Lee spent some time practicing North Korean dialect for his character, who also speaks Chinese and Russian. "It wasn't as difficult as I feared because a dialect coach joined me on set for months to help me sound more like a North Korean", Lee said at a press junket for the film in Seoul on Tuesday ahead of its release next month. 

Ha plays a South Korean soldier who leads a bomb disposal squad and teams up with Lee's character to prevent the catastrophic event. It is the first time Ha has starred alongside Lee in a film, and the two were keen to emphasize their budding bromance.

"We had talked about working together for years and we finally made it", Lee said. "Ha knows how to enrich even an ordinary scene by adding humor in it. I also like how bold and decisive he can be".

Ha said he "really enjoyed working with Lee. He sometimes makes a joke out of the blue and his deadpan manner makes it so hilarious. I think he is a perfect fit for black comedies".

As for Bae Suzy, Ha said, "We all call her the boss. She is younger than most of us, but she often foots the bill for food and drinks. So we've all decided we work for her".

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"Ashfall" is directed by Kim Byeong-seo, Lee Hae-joon, and features Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-woo, Ma Dong-seok, Jeon Hye-jin-II, Bae Suzy, Jung Yun-ha. Release date in Korea: 2019/12.

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