Director Lee Sang-geun of 'Exit' has reunited with actress Im Yoon-ah for the upcoming comedy "Pretty Crazy," aiming to replicate the box office success of their previous collaboration.

At a press conference for the new film on Wednesday, the director said the K-pop idol-turned-actress was his first choice for the role of Sun-ji, an ordinary baker by day who turns into a demon at night.

"More than anything, we had great chemistry when we filmed 'Exit.' Also she is an incredibly versatile actress with a wide acting range," he said.

The comedy film centers on Kil-gu (Ahn Bo-hyun), a jobless young man who takes on a part-time mission to monitor -- or rather protect -- Sun-ji when she transforms into a strange being, a change she is completely unaware of.

For her dual-role, actress Im put a lot of effort into her visual transformation to convincingly portray two completely different personas.

By day, she wears neat attire with long, straight hair, while at night, she features a wild disheveled hairstyle and sports outfits in vivid colors.

"I discussed everything in detail with the director, from the character's physical styling to the vocal tones and facial expressions," the actress said.

"I think this is absolutely the most bizarre character I've ever played," she added.

The director's debut feature, "Exit," drew more than 9.4 million moviegoers in 2019. For Lee's second feature film, the production team from "Exit" has teamed up again to create another potential mega-hit comedy timed for the summer holiday season. The veteran team includes award-winning art director Chae Kyoung-sun of "Squid Game."

Lee said "Pretty Crazy" was originally the film he had worked on for his debut, but he ultimately retooled it from scratch to present it as his second feature film.

"After going big on scale with 'Exit,' I thought, 'This time let's focus more deeply on the characters and the people.'" he said, describing the characters as "ordinary, common-sense people who can muster a little courage in their everyday lives."

'Pretty Crazy' is set for release on Aug. 13.

By Woo Jae-yeon