Hallyu actor Song Joong Ki and the rest of the cast and crew of his upcoming movie Bogotá have decided to stop filming in Colombia because of coronavirus concern. The production team is expected to return to South Korea this weekend.
According to the Bogotá production team, the decision to halt filming was made after careful consideration of the situation in Colombia and around the world. The team decided to follow the strict measures that the country has imposed to protect its citizens from the disease as well as the Korean government's recommendations amidst the worldwide pandemic.
The production team said they are not securing the safe return of the cast and crew in Korea. It added that they are also finding alternative ways on how to continue filming when they return to Korea.
"We are fully preparing to try and prevent any disruptions in the movie's production. Since this is a difficult situation for everyone involved, we are planning to try and find an alternative so we can wisely solve the problem," it said.
The decision of the Bogotá production team came after the Colombian government suspended all incoming international flights for 30 days. The country also closed its land, sea and river borders.
Colombia earlier barred all foreigners, except for residents and diplomats, from entering the country. In the recently-released order, it bars even Colombians who may be abroad from returning.
Song Joong Ki's Bogotá is one of the most anticipated Korean films this year. It garnered media attention for its ambitious plan to film the entire movie in a foreign country. Reports have it that the production team took a long period of time to prepare for the movie.
It finally began filming in January. It was earlier announced that the cast and crew of the movie are expected to stay in the Latin American country for at least three months to finish filming. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak in many countries around the world, the production of Bogotá has been greatly affected.
Bogotá is a crime thriller movie set in Colombia. It tells the story of a Korean man in his 30s who emigrated to the country in the 1990s and lives in a strange land. Aside from Song Joong Ki, Bogotá also stars Legend of the Blue Sea actor Lee Hee Joon, Winter Sonata star Kwon Hae Hyo, and Colombian actress Juana del Rio.
Bogotá is originally set for release in cinemas in the second half of 2020. However, since the production of the movie has been disrupted, it is expected that its premiere could be delayed as well.
