Actor Yeo Jin-goo takes up the role of an innocent young North Korean soldier in the upcoming film “The Long Way Home,” which centers on the tension and brotherhood that develop between two soldiers from opposite sides during the Korean War.

“I had to learn the North Korean accent from a dialect coach,” said Yeo at a news conference for the film on Tuesday. “I think it really clung to my tongue during shooting. But I’ve lost it all now.”

Yeo Jin-goo at a news conference for “The Long Way Home” in Seoul’s Lotte Cinema in Gwangjin-gu on Tuesday (OSEN)

Acclaimed actor Sol Kyung-gu, who plays alongside Yeo as a South Korean farmer and soldier, praised Yeo’s accent, calling it “excellent.”

On acting alongside the young, rising talent Yeo, Sol said: “He was the best female lead I ever worked with.”

“There are very few female roles in our movie, so I called (Yeo) my female interest on set. And he was the best,” said Sol.

Sol Kyung-gu (OSEN)

The 18-year-old Yeo also revealed that he used nicotine-free cigarettes for his smoking scenes in the film.

“The Long Way Home” is set to open in local theaters on Sept. 24.

By Rumy Doo (bigbird@heraldcorp.com)