Director Kim Yong-hwa, whose two movies “Along with the Gods” in 2017 and 2018 notched up more than 10 million admissions each, returns with sci-fi film “The Moon.”

Starring actors Sol Kyung-gu, Do Kyung-soo and Kim Hee-ae, the movie was motivated by director Kim’s long-yearning to set story around the moon and backed by Korea’s sophisticated visual effects.

“While I was shooting the ‘Along With the Gods,’ I thought that even a fantasy story should be based on a realistic setting. After venturing into the story in hell in my previous work, I thought that I could make a movie about the Moon, which I have yearned for a long time, since when I was young,” director Kim told reporters during a press conference held in CGV Yongsan in Seoul, Tuesday.

“The Moon” revolves around Sun-woo (Do), a spaceship crew member who, after completing a mission, is left abandoned on the Moon due to an accident. Jae-kook (Sol), a former head of the space center, discovers Sun-woo and joins efforts with NASA main director Moon-young (Kim) to rescue him.

To add realism to the film, Kim used an iMax camera and 4K lens. “The Moon” is the first Korean film to do so.

Using 45 different camera lenses and using different category of lens when shooting the scenes on Earth and outer space scenes, director Kim said he spent a significant amount of time in preproduction stage.

“I felt bad for letting actors do the acting in front of the blue screen in my previous works. So I decided to put more time and effort in creating realistic filming sets. The lunar revolving vehicle, which Do rides on the moon, is so detailed that it can actually operate on the Moon,” said Kim, adding that all filming sets were built based on advice from space experts in Korea. To build a realistic set, the staff even brought materials and equipment that are actually used by NASA.

“I grew up watching films that allow the audience to experience. While writing the scenario, the filmmaking industry went through a variety of changes and some cinematic experiences became worse than with streaming. After ‘Along With the Gods,’ I felt that it was my turn to give back to the audience, to give them an opportunity to experience satisfactory audiovisual pleasures at the cinema,” Kim said.

Actors Sol Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae, as well as Do Kyung-soo, who worked with director Kim on “Along With the Gods,” said they were attracted by an unknown story that unfolds in outer space.

“At first, it was amazing to read the scenario and learn about such story because I didn’t know this kind of movie could be made in Korea,” Do told reporters.

“I’ve mostly appeared in drama projects until now, and it was so thrilling to read the scenario in the sci-fi genre. The best cast and the best director upped my expectation for the film and the shooting was just fun and happy,” said Kim.

Sol Kyung-gu had talked with director Kim about doing a project together, but it took 17 years for them to finally make a film together.

“Even as an actor with a 30-year career, it’s surprising to see director Kim’s directing style. He looks beyond the point where an actor is struggling. I felt like I got punched in the head,” Sol told reporters.

Director Kim was confident that the high quality of his film sets it apart from other Moon-themed sci-fi movies from around the world such as “Interstellar” and “Gravity.”

“I have put a particular focus on showing a high resolution film, something that can surpass the quality of such foreign sci-fi films. The last 40 minutes of our film will show the rescue operation from an angle that is different from that of foreign films,” said director Kim.

“The Moon” opens in local theaters on Aug. 2. The film will be available in 155 countries as well with opening dates yet unconfirmed.