[INTERVIEW] Ugly Alert’s Im Joo Hwan: "The 'Staff' Were Against My Casting…”
*note: I’m not sure of the last few characters in the title…*
(*): means unsure of translation
--13-12-08--
SBS’s daily drama <Ugly Alert> (Writer Jung Ji Woo, Director Shin Yoon Sub & Min Yeon Hong) which ended last month on the 29th, was stuck in between MBC’s “Princess Aurora” and KBS2’s “Ruby’s Ring”, dramas with the more conventional makjang elements, but stood out to rise as a ‘nice drama’. Although there were no ‘exciting elements’ (aka: typical makjang elements), the message of forgiveness and reconciliation was shown. The drama’s main character ‘Gong Joon Soo’ who was played by Im Joo Hwan is here today.
Im Joo Hwan’s name was known through the 2004 drama <Magic>. After, he appeared in <A Love to Kill>, <Boys Over Flowers>, <Tamna the Island> and other dramas along with the movie <A Frozen Flower> and others, but he didn’t leave any ‘representative works’. Under this condition, he entered the army in May 2011 and after that it seemed like existence was slowly forgotten.
“Before I was set to discharge from the army in February, I was filled with endless unease. I didn’t know what I was exactly going to do. Younger sergeants around 23 years old came to talk to me and were troubled as to what to do after they got out of the army. Compared to them, I was the one that actually felt more worried. I wasn’t young anymore, (*) besides studying acting I had nothing else to do...”
Right when he set his mind to go to Daehakro (University Road in Seoul) to start over again on the theatre stage, a ray of light appeared in front of his eyes. From Shin Yoon Sub PD who was preparing for the drama <Ugly Alert>, he heard “I had been observing you for a long time now” and thus was invited to appear in the drama.
“Although it felt like I was walking inside a dark tunnel at that time, when I heard that news, I was quite taken back. While I was going to get discharged in February, I had to immediately get ready for filming. With the fighting spirit of a soldier, I worked hard. Truth is, besides the PD (Shin Yoon Sub) and the director (Min Yeon Hong) the other ‘staff’ objected to my casting and when I heard that, I gritted my teeth even more (idiom: to grit’s one teeth is the same as saying ‘to endure’).
The drama that was originally planned at 120 episodes, got extended and finished at 133 episodes. And with that, for 5 days every week it ran on for 6 months. He played the role of Gong Joon Soo, an immensely nice character. For his brother, he spent 10 years in jail, and because he didn’t want the woman he loved to become a convict’s wife, he willingly gave her up (this is probably referring earlier on when he wanted to let go of Do Hee before she found out about his past?) Living as Gong Joon Soo for 6 months, this character naturally would have influenced Im Joo Hwan.
“After I became an entertainer (artist/celebrity) I didn’t know that my family and I would become distant. Because of that, my father felt sad saying, “I don’t know why Joo Hwani has become such a cold child”. Before, I didn’t know the meaning of family, but after living as Gong Joon Soo, I became closer to them again. I previously gave my sister a coat, and my whole family was surprised (in another interview he said he also gave her a pair of boots). After getting discharged I immediately started filming for my drama, so now it finally feels like I ‘properly’ got discharged (laughs).
Most recently, the movie <The Face Reader> had left a deep impression on him. What greatly impressed him was Lee Jung Jae’s acting who made one feel nervous whenever he committed an evil deed. “I want to take on the challenge of acting an evil character who for example, holds a ‘surgery knife’ but has a deadly side to him" (IOW: appearing normal on the outside, but actually evil in the inside).
He will be also meeting with his fans who he has not seen for 2 years, on the 14th of this month. Today, he has confessed his troubles and shared his thoughts on the results of his inner growth.
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The interviews are slowly starting to have the same content, but there's always a new piece of news or tidbit that is worth translating for ^^
Firstly, I remember he mentioned the 'staff' was against his acting in a previous interview and he mentioned it again this time. I believe this 'staff' he is referring to is actually SBS. He can't mean the 'Ugly Alert' staff because they can't possibly have the 'power' or voice to say so right? So I'm thinking it has to do with SBS/SBS production. And call me sensitive if you want, but I think this might be the partial reason for him not getting an award =.=.... ( I speak from experience in reading/following news about TV station politics! or again...I may just be overly sensitive...)
But, to set that disheartening news aside, I can't keep feeling grateful towards Shin PD. I was very moved when he said he had been 'observing' Im Joo Hwan for a long time and he convinced Joo Hwan that he was THE ONE to play Gong Joon Soo. So, thank you Shin PD for seeing Joo Hwan for his potential!!!
note: I didn't really like this reporter...he/she was very blunt at times...and I had to 'rephrase' to the best of my ability....
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