Song Joong-ki Addresses Concerns Over Negative Portrayal of Colombia in 'Bogotá'

On December 19, a press screening for the film 'Bogotá: The Land of Last Chances' was held at Megabox COEX in Seoul, featuring lead actors Song Joong-ki, Lee Hee-joon, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Ji-hwan, Kim Jong-soo, and director Kim Sung-jae. The film, which depicts the struggles of Koreans who turn to the smuggling market in Bogotá, Colombia, was shot over five years, starting in 2019, and was officially invited to the 29th Busan International Film Festival in the 'Korean Cinema Today - Special Premiere' section.

In the film, Song Joong-ki plays the character Guk-hee, a young man who dreams of rising from the lowest to the highest echelons of society. After fleeing to Bogotá with his family post-IMF crisis, he becomes involved with a powerful figure in the Korean community, Park Byeong-jang, who is a major player in the smuggling market. Guk-hee's strong survival instincts help him establish a foothold in the Korean community in Bogotá as he seeks to return to Korea.

The film portrays Bogotá as a hub for illegal smuggling, raising concerns about the negative representation of Colombia. This echoes past controversies, such as the backlash from the Suriname government over the Netflix series 'Suriname,' which depicted the country negatively as a 'drug nation.'

In response to these concerns, Song Joong-ki shared, "I remember some people asking similar questions. My mother-in-law is Colombian, and my wife and family have lived there for a long time. I’ve heard that in the past, there was an effort to shed the negative image."

He continued, "However, my experience in Colombia was filled with warmth and joy, and the food was absolutely amazing. The people are very friendly. I also witnessed efforts to move away from the old image, and I have many fond memories from filming there. It felt like a familiar place, especially with my family being there."

Song Joong-ki noted that while YouTube was not as developed during filming, today, travel vloggers provide a wealth of information that can help reshape perceptions of Colombia. "I believe the negative image has faded, and I feel less concerned that our film will be viewed negatively because of that," he explained.

'Bogotá: The Land of Last Chances' is set to be released on December 31, 2024.