[Busan = E-Daily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Japanese actor Sho Kasamatsu revealed the behind-the-scenes story of how he came to star in the film "Shaving."

Shō Kasamatsu shared his thoughts on participating in the film during a press conference for “Shaving,” a competition entry at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), held on the 9th at BIFF Hill in Haeundae-gu, Busan.

Shō Kasamatsu began by saying, “‘Shaving’ was a big challenge.” Regarding how he came to star in the film, he said, “My agency’s CEO had described ‘Shaving’ as a romance,” adding, “I’m not really an actor who does a lot of romances, am I?” which drew laughter.

He then added, “I thought that reuniting with the director and actor Noh Jeong-eui on such a great stage might actually lead to an even deeper romance,” drawing attention.

Noh Jeong-eui also revealed that this project was a new challenge for her. “It was my first time trying a new genre and action scenes,” she said, adding, “I think I always approached it with enjoyment.” She continued, “Actor Shō Kasamatsu and I were considerate of each other, and we approached the filming while thinking about how to best convey the situations and elements specific to each character.”

“The Shave” tells the story of Soo-yeon (Noh Jeong-eui), a novelist carrying the scars of her past who is building a new life in a rural mansion. The story begins as she spends time in the isolated mansion with her affectionate boyfriend Shin-ji (Shō Kasamatsu), who has come to visit during the holidays. It is a film with strong genre elements, including action and thriller. The cast includes Noh Jeong-eui and Shō Kasamatsu, as well as Byun Yo-han and Shin Ryu-jin, a member of the group ITZY.

Director Kim Jeong-hoon also explained the reasoning behind casting the two actors. Regarding Noh Jeong-eui, he said, “I’ve been watching her closely since she appeared in *Detective Hong Gil-dong*. Seeing her come in for an audition and ultimately get cast, I thought she was a truly captivating actress.”

He added, “While reading the script for *Shave*, I thought that if Noh Jeong-eui took on this role, she might be able to showcase a strong side of herself that we haven’t seen before.”

Regarding Shō Kasamatsu, he said, “I first saw him in *Tokyo Vice*, a film by a director I admire,” and added, “I was surprised to see him later appear in *Good News*, a film produced by the head of our production company.”

In the original script, the two characters were set up as a long-distance couple. Director Kim conceived a plan to change this into a relationship where they speak different languages. “I wondered what it would be like to set it entirely in a foreign language,” he explained. “I thought it would allow me to differentiate between the characters of the ex-boyfriend and the current boyfriend, and that the dangerous sense of alienation could be well conveyed through acting.”

Director Kim Jeong-hoon’s *Shave* has been selected for the competition section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. This competition section, newly established last year, will feature 13 films competing this year.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held throughout Busan until the 15th at venues including the Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, Lotte Cinema Centum City, the Korean Film Council’s Standard Screening Room, the Sohyang Theater Woori Bank Hall, and the Busan Viewers’ Media Center Public Hall.