'Miracle in Cell No. 7' Director Lee Hwan-kyung Shoots Indonesian Drama 'Gasigogi'

By Grace Kim

Korean director Lee Hwan-kyung, the filmmaker behind "Miracle in Cell No. 7," is now in production in Indonesia on "Gasigogi," a father-son drama led by Vino G. Bastian, Pevita Pearce, Faradina Mufti and Indra Jegel. Falcon Pictures unveiled the cast together with Hwantasy Entertainment.

The story is blunt in its stakes. Jiwa, a father, sacrifices everything to save his son Juna, who has blood cancer. Bastian plays the lead, Pearce is co-lead and Mufti plays Chitra.

Bastian knows this director's material from the inside. He starred in the Indonesian remake of "Miracle in Cell No. 7." Pearce is known for "5 cm" and Mufti for "Impetigore."

Who else is in the cast?

The supporting ensemble spans several generations of Indonesian screen talent:

• Altaaf Akavi ("Tunggu Aku Sukses Nanti")
• Indro Warkop ("Miracle in Cell No. 7")
• Dea Panendra ("Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts")
• Sadana Agung ("Agak Laen")
• Irma Novita Rihi ("Women From Rote Island")
• Luisa Adreena ("Na Willa")
• Pritt Timothy ("Ayah, Aku Mau Cerita")
• Verdi Solaiman ("The Raid")
• Kiki Narendra ("Ghost in the Cell")

What does the title mean?

"Gasigogi" is Korean for the stickleback fish, and the metaphor is not gentle. The male stickleback stays alone with the eggs and fights off predators until his body gives out — at which point his flesh becomes the hatchlings' first food. Lee uses the image as a metaphor for fatherhood and the sacrifices parents make for their children.

The project also marks a personal turn for the director. It's his return to directing after the success of the Indonesian version of his earlier hit, and he has called it the most emotionally taxing film he has taken on. He made "Miracle in Cell No. 7" as a gift for his daughter; "Gasigogi" is dedicated to his son.

Shooting in Indonesia is a deliberate choice. Lee said he wants to draw on the country's strong attachment to family, faith and community, and he describes the film as an original work rather than a transplant of Korean feeling — one that "breathes with Indonesian lungs."

"Just as a father gives everything to his child, I want to pour everything I have into creating a precious gift for this family," Lee said. "The name of that gift is 'Gasigogi.' The goal is simple: I want to create a film so honest and resonant that when the credits roll, the first thing the audience wants to do is call their father."

"To be trusted with a story of this magnitude is both an incredible honor and a tremendous emotional challenge," Bastian said. "Director Lee has crafted a raw, devastating, and beautiful narrative about what a father will endure for his child."

Mufti, speaking about her role as Chitra, said: "As a mother myself, this story feels very close to my heart. It reminds me that love isn't always expressed through words, but often through the things we do and the sacrifices we make for our children."

What does this change for Indonesian cinema?

Falcon producer Frederica frames the stakes in industry terms. "The unparalleled dedication of our brilliant cast and crew, combined with Director Lee's masterful storytelling, makes 'Gasigogi' a truly special project," she said. "We believe this film will leave a lasting, emotional legacy for Indonesian cinema and audiences everywhere."

If the Indonesian "Miracle in Cell No. 7" proved that Lee's emotional formula travels, "Gasigogi" tests the next proposition: whether a Korean director can build an Indonesian story from the ground up — and whether local audiences answer his call to phone their fathers.