KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — Malaysian thriller Tiket Sehala — Dibunuh atau Membunuh, which explores the dark world of overseas scam syndicates, is set to hit cinemas this August with a cast blending local and international stars.
The action-thriller survival story follows characters caught in the dangerous web of cross-border scam operations, where survival often means choosing between becoming the victim or the perpetrator.
South Korea’s representation includes Seok Hyun-jun as Park Ha Joon, Ha Ju-young as Park Jae Soo, Shin Hyeon-kyu as Lee, Si Yeol as Park, and Tak Teu-in as Bong.
From Thailand, SuperThai boyband member Aphisit Usadee — widely known as Ninja — plays Dao, while Indonesia’s Naufal Samudra takes on the role of Indra.
The film’s official launch at Confetti KL on Monday saw three of the international stars attend the event, where they shared their experiences filming a Malaysian production with Malay Mail.
Ninja, for whom the film marks his first-ever acting role, described his character Dao as someone who dreams of becoming a K-pop idol and has pursued that ambition since childhood.
Speaking about his expectations for the film, he said: “I hope that when people watch this movie, they will enjoy the moments and the characters.
“I also hope everyone becomes more aware of overseas scam syndicates.
“The world moves so fast, and I want everybody to be more conscious about safety.
“I hope this movie will be a success and reach audiences around the world.”
Reflecting on his time working with the Malaysian crew, Ninja said the production team made him feel welcome from the start.
“When it was my first day in Malaysia, the whole team warmly welcomed me,” he said.
“When we were shooting in Korea, and I didn’t have my manager with me at that time, the entire Malaysian team took care of me.”
He added that language was the main challenge on set, but the local cast supported him throughout the process.
“We worked together and always cheered each other on — that’s the best part for me,” he said.
During his time in Malaysia, he tried traditional dishes such as nasi lemak and noodles, adding that he absolutely loves Malaysian food.
Ha Ju-young described his character Jae Soo as the most cruel and brutal figure in the movie, portraying a merciless individual who enjoys scamming and assaulting, and even takes pleasure in it.
He also noted the stark weather contrast between the two countries, describing Korea’s extremely cold temperatures as very different from Malaysia’s warm climate.
Praising Malaysia, he added: “The best moments for me were working with the actors and the production team here in Malaysia — every single day was special.”
Expressing his hopes for the film’s success, he said: “It’s an action-thriller survival story, but it’s also filled with love and the struggles of people fighting to live for their friends and family.
“I hope audiences will understand and appreciate the message of the film.”
Seok Hyun-jun, whom viewers might recognise from the Netflix reality show Physical: 100, said Ha Joon is his first major role, describing the character as a boss-like figure.
“At first, I struggled with the role,” Jun admitted.
“It was a valuable experience for me, especially using English and portraying a character like this, which was something new for me.”
He also highlighted differences in how Malaysian and Korean actors approach emotional scenes.
“We have different perspectives on how to express emotions during filming,” he said.
“It is truly an honour to be part of this project, and I hope that when the film is released, it will do well.”
The Malaysian cast includes Noki K-Clique as Alif, Jaa Suzuran as TaQy, Ainee Mustafa as Putri, Zaki Yamani as Boy and Sharifah Sakinah as Kak Sal, alongside other talents such as Hasnul Rahmat, Sheila Hassan, Ardell Aryana, DC, Fancy Goh and Shaharudin Jamaludin.
Tiket Sehala was filmed in both Malaysia and Korea. The film is directed by Rahila Ali and produced by Key Billions Sdn Bhd.
