Song Joong Ki and “Bogotá” Staff To Evacuate Colombia Due To Coronavirus (COVID-19) Concerns

It’s for the safety of the cast and crew.

Song Joong Ki and the entire production team and cast of the movie Bogotá will stop filming in Colombia, South America and return to Korea in consideration of the safety of the cast and crew.

The decision was made by the production team after careful consideration, not only following Colombia’s policy but also the Korean government’s recommendations in the wake of the worldwide pandemic.

All of the staff who are in Colombia, South America will return home in consideration of the situation in the continent. We are looking for ways to make sure the staff and cast members can return home as safely as possible, by arranging a flight as soon as we can.

— Bogotá production team

Bogotá has been considered as one of the most anticipated Korean films of 2020, as it tells the story of a Korean who emigrated to Colombia and settled down, living in a strange land. The movie also garnered attention for it’s unusual attempt of filming the entire movie in one location. After a long period of preparation, the movie began filming in Colombia in January with the assistance of local officials. However, with the Coronavirus outbreak, the production team was reviewing whether to continue with the production process.

Following the continued spread of Coronavirus throughout South America and the world, the production team decided to return to Korea to monitor the situation and discuss future scheduling, even though they were taking risks regarding the movie’s production. The team is scheduled to return to Korea as soon as this weekend, as soon as their flights are arranged.

We are fully preparing to try and prevent any disruptions to 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.

— Bogotá production team

Bogotá was expected to be released in movie theaters in the second half of 2020. It stars Song Joong Ki, Lee Hee Joon, Kwon Hae Hyo, and Juana del Rio.

Source: Sports Donga