So Ji-sub, Moon Sang-hoon: Stars stepping behind the scenes for indie films

"Give Me a Ride" follows Colin (Harry Melling) — a young man with little going for him beyond a gift for song — and Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), whose looks alone draw people in, as the two navigate an unfamiliar and unconventional romance.

"Nirvana the Band: The Story of a Legendary Band…" (hereafter "Nirvana the Band") centers on two friends who dream of performing on stage and hatch an absurd, reckless plan to get there.

The two films share something beyond their recent dominance of the domestic independent and art-house box office: a familiar name in the credits.

According to industry sources, "Give Me a Ride" is an import backed by actor So Ji-sub, whose name appears in the film's import credits.

So has been consistently importing independent and art-house films for more than a decade, earning him a reputation as a pioneer of indie film importing in Korea. His eye for quality has been recognized repeatedly by critics and audiences alike. His notable imports include "Hereditary" (2018), "Midsommar" (2019), "The Substance" (2024) and "The Zone of Interest" (2024).

In an interview last year, So spoke about his motivation. "I think it's been just over 10 years since I started helping with films," he said. "Importing films is my way of giving back what I've received. Seeing a film I've brought in actually showing on screen is deeply satisfying, and as long as I'm able to, I'd like to keep doing it while I'm still working as an actor."

His latest pick, "Give Me a Ride," has proven its appeal despite the barriers of its queer genre and adults-only rating, surpassing 10,000 admissions within five days of opening.

"Nirvana the Band" was imported by Moon Sang-hoon, the comedian behind the YouTube channel "Bba-deo-neo-seu," which has 2.4 million subscribers. Moon personally selected the film at the Cannes Film Market last year. The film won the audience award at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival and holds a 98 percent freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film's comedy has driven consistent word of mouth since its May 20 opening, keeping it at No. 1 on the independent and art-house box office. As of Tuesday, it had drawn a cumulative 49,532 admissions and was on the verge of crossing the 50,000 mark.