'Crypto Man's director reveals she was also a victim of Terra-LUNA crash

On January 13, director Hyun Hae Ri met local reporters at a café in Seoul, during which she said, "I am one of the victims who lost money from the Terra-LUNA crash," adding, "Looking back, I trusted myself too much and became arrogant."

Crypto Man is a crime drama inspired by the 2022 LUNA Coin Crash that shook the world and led to the disappearance of 50 trillion won. Hyun Hae Ri, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film, is a former PD known for directing numerous current affairs and educational programs and receiving acclaim at the Canneseries Festival for The Woman Who Worked Nine Contract Jobs (literal title). 

Director Hyun revealed that, like the victims in the movie, she too had suffered losses from cryptocurrency investments in the past. She said, "I also invested in cryptocurrency a bit seriously. It was around 2019 to 2021, and at that time, most of my peers were into cryptocurrency. Even if they didn't do cryptocurrency, they were doing stocks. It was impossible to find anyone who wasn't investing." She continued, "When I call myself a victim, people who are into cryptocurrencies criticize me by saying, 'You invested [at your own will] and now you're saying [you're a victim].' At the time, the media and financial authorities were all hyped up about the LUNA Coin's asset value that I never expected it to be a scam. That's why, even though I invested my money according to my own will, I can still call myself a victim."

Having suffered losses, director Hyun also shared the emotions she experienced while enduring those difficult times. She said, "It wasn't just that I lost money from LUNA Coin. I lost money from cryptocurrencies, but I also made some. As I made money, I started thinking, 'If I just hold on without getting greedy, I'll make money, right?' People don't always continue succeeding just because they did well once, and I regretted thinking, 'I trusted myself too much.' After that, I decided not to be conceited and be the kind of person who, when everyone else agrees, can still say 'NO'. Now, I've become someone who thinks the opposite of what people say is right."

She also explained the reason behind casting the late actor Song Jae Rim as the lead. "I heard that Song Jae Rim had kept a household ledger for 18 years," and added, "Seeing that, I wanted to work with him on this project." 

In the film, late actor Song Jae Rim played the role of Yang Do Hyun, a young businessman who tried to conquer the world. The character was inspired by the former CEO of Terraform Labs, Do Kwon, who was a key figure in the Terra-LUNA Coin crash. It is reported that investors from around the world suffered losses of over 50 trillion won in total. In March 2023, the Southern District of New York indicted Do Kwon on eight charges, including securities fraud, wire fraud, consumer fraud, and conspiracy to manipulate market prices. 

Director Hyun explained the reason for casting Song Jae Rim, saying, "I wanted to cast someone who looked similar to the real-life figure... Song Jae Rim's usual image was that of a bright and lovable [person], but as he reached his mid-30s, his image became [like that of a] cold person. He was like a different person altogether."

Director Hyun also shared, "I happened to watch New Release - Convenience Store Restaurant, where Song Jae Rim mentioned that he was very interested in coins and stocks and that he had been keeping a household ledger for 18 years. Among celebrities, he was like a mentor, someone with a strong grasp of financial knowledge. When I actually met him, his MBTI was exactly what I had expected — INTJ (Strategist). As soon as I saw him, I immediately thought, 'It would be great to work with him on a project.'"

Crypto Man is set to premiere on January 15, 2025.  

Sources (1)(2)