Yassi Pressman will be joining K-pop idol, actor, and Infinite member Nam Woo-hyun in the upcoming Filipino-Korean-helmed film “The Guardian” where she’ll take on the role of aspiring K-pop idol named Sandara.
During a press conference for the film, Pressman said she underwent an audition to fulfill the physical demands of Sandara although she noted that she can only disclose limited details to the press for now.
“Isa po itong project kung saan tinawag akong mag-audition. Humarap ako sa kanilang lahat and sinabi nila sa’kin to ‘do your best.’ And then [eventually] nalaman ko na Sandara wants to be a K-pop star,” she said. (This is a project where I was called to audition. I faced everyone and was advised to “do your best.” And then eventually, I found out that Sandara wants to be a K-pop star.)
Pressman will be joined by Filipino actors Jeric Raval, Joko Diaz, and Wilbert Ross, while Nam will take on the role of a “loving son” in the action-drama film. Other Koreans part of the cast include Han Jae-seok, Park Eun-hye, and Jeong Jang-hwan.
The actress admitted that Sandara is a character that she “prayed for” because it’s a rare opportunity to be chosen for a collaborative film made by Filipino and Korean production companies.
“This is one of the firsts for our country. We Filipinos admire Korean artists, films, and their culture,” she said. “It was very nice to meet them here. We simply had a meeting and then a storycon. It was nice to meet everybody involved. Even if there’s a language barrier, they were all always smiling. They were open to communicating with us.”
Pressman also noted that Korean production staff are “very strict” with the actors, but ensure that everyone is protected at all times.
“They are protecting them while they’re here. While the Filipino cast, grabe din kaming alagaan ng mga tao (They also make sure to properly take care of the people) around us, as well as the management,” she added.
The movie — which is a collaboration between Viva Films, Ovation Productions, Parallax Studio, Robosheep Studios, GV Labs, and Will Studios — will be shot in the Philippines for 17 days while post-production will be done in South Korea. Details about its premiere date are yet to be revealed.
Nam, who is one of the biggest names in the film, debuted as the main vocalist and lead dancer of Infinite in June 2010. The K-pop group emerged into the limelight as a seven-piece act until Hoya left the group in August 2017.
