The Joo Won who is standing in front of the camera is an actor whose eyes can speak. With a cigarette in his hand, he is also a sexy man. But when the camera lights are off, he turns into the 27 year old Moon Jun Won who has 200,000KRW left over from his 1 millionKRW (approx. USD939) monthly allowance.
“Oh, it’s sister-in-law’s name, Tae-Woong hyun’s wife. If you look up your name (editor’s) on the web, will it appear? (note: he meant if news related to Uhm Tae Woong’s wife will appear)” Joo Won said to me this when he looked at my name card. I should have seen it. Throughout the interview, Joo Won consistently maintains his sincerity; he is so sincere to the point which I find it very interesting.
Just when I finished collecting my notes and read the contents of the interview once again, I was in a quandary. Should I portray the sincere side in accordance with the suave actor in the posters or should I reveal the Joo Won who has charms beyond anyone’s imagination? It was not easy for me to decide. Thankfully, Joo Won’s words gave me a cue. Joo Won said he hopes to be like to be a blank sheet of paper. After scribbling on it with a pencil, it can be erased as well. He wants to leave an impression that he is the type who is suitable for any kind of roles. So, I decided to leave the interview dialogue with Joo Won untouched. Whether he is the sincere Park Si On in the popular drama <Good Doctor> or the maknae who could not stop crying on his last episode of <1N2D>, whoever you may like, they are one and the same Joo Won.
Q: How is your current situation?
JW: Every morning from 10am till night, I will be at the musical rehearsal. Because I had to film <Good Doctor>, it was delayed. This morning I had an autograph session in Chunan. At the event when the children saw me, they all cried out “Animida” imitating <Good Doctor> Park Si On’s intonation. It was so funny.
Q: <Good Doctor> became very popular; Park Si On the autistic savant doctor you portrayed was a very special character, what were your thoughts at the end of the drama?
JW: I felt a lot more relaxed but also reluctant. The part I find most difficult to let go was parting with the cast and staff whom I saw every day. If the atmosphere wasn’t so harmonious, I wouldn’t have felt so reluctant. But the atmosphere was really very good; it made me think that even though I was very tired, if I could work in such an atmosphere, there is no problem keeping at it for years. (Laughs) Furthermore, when I thought “Now, I will not have a chance to play Si On anymore” I also felt unwilling to let go. It was an interesting and very happy filming experience.
Q: I heard that Joo Sang Wook was a mood maker on the film set?
Sang Wook hyung is candid and eloquent person. We always joke around imitating each other’s speech. There are many difficult dialogues in a medical drama, whenever Sang Wook hyung said the wrong thing, he would say to himself “Aye, I should have said this!” maintaining the harmonious mood.
Q: You were so well suited with Joo Sang Wook that the moniker “Joo-Joo CP” came about. Which do you think is better? Joo CP with Moon Chae Won or Joo Joo CP?
JW: No matter what, the relationship between a man and woman is better than between a man and man, right? The romance between Si On and Dr Cha Yoon Seo, played by Chae Won, was something that’s really awesome. During the filming of dream date scene, we were quite vexed as to how to do it. The PD said the scene gave him quite a lot of headache.
Q: The two of you work well together?
JW: Before we started filming, everyone said I am the type who is compatible with any actress. Because I don’t stand out, I blend very well into the environment. But Chae Won is also this type of person so I was curious what will happen when both of us come together. Fortunately, everyone said we were very compatible, I am dark and Chae Won is especially fair. It’s very interesting.
Q: I had originally thought that after Cha Yoon Seo confessed to Park Si On, it will be a Happy Ending. I really had a deep impression of the scene where Park Si On objected to going public with their romance, should I say the response was very realistic?
JW: It was indeed a very realistic drama. In the scene where Yoon Seo hugged me, originally it was to be Yoon Seo and Si On’s kiss scene. But both of us felt that it shouldn’t be like that and requested to change it to a hug scene. It is already rare for a girl to confess first and then kiss the guy. Moreover I am an autistic young man, if we were to act like that; it will not be in line with reality. As a matter of fact, with regards to how the story developed after the hug, acting that part was heartbreaking. Watching how hard it was on Si On bearing the brunt of being teased made it even more difficult for me to bear. Especially the scene where the residents from another department gossiped saying “Yoon Seo is so haughty but still she ended up going out with that kind of guy.” I was really angry at that moment.
Q: Perhaps it has got to do with the role, when I was watching I felt that it must have been difficult for you to act.
JW: Yes, during the second half of the filming, my waist began to hurt more and more. After the filming ended, I felt as if Park Si On the character is still inside me. When I sit, I will hunch unconsciously and my two hands always clasped together, ha-ha. But <Good Doctor> to me is a drama which really heals. The script was so excellently written. Whether it is its perspective on love or saying to the children “Doctors are just like this”, time and again it awakens that part of my life which I have forgotten. I should say the feeling is like I have gone back to my childhood.”
Q: Following <Baker King Kim Tak Gu>, <Ojakgyo Brothers>, <Bridal Mask> and <7th Level Civil Servant>, <Good Doctor> has also garnered very high ratings. What is the secret to getting such widespread response?
JW: Secret? I don’t know…The biggest trick to it is that the script must be interesting. The script was outstanding. After that, it hinges on how the director and actors interpret and next, it should be the mutual understanding between each another? Director Ki Min Soo never ignored any of my opinions. Most of the time, he adopted my ideas or makes other suggestions to me. So, because of the understanding from the Director, that’s why the drama got even better.
Q: In <Good Doctor>, this is your 2nd time working with Director Ki Min Soo after Ojakgyo Brothers>? The Director has praised you.
JW: Did he? Ha-ha. I like Director’s personality very much; I have never seen him angry. Actors who have strong personalities are not easy to get close to, when I go to “B” group for filming I will say “Goodbye Director” in banmal, then the director will laugh “Ha-ha” at me. He was also very comfortable to be with when we were not filming so during filming I involuntarily place my trust in the director.
Q: Ha-ha, it was like that. Actually, when I went to your debut drama film set to do an interview, I have seen how the director got angry with you.
JW: Yes at that time, I got scolded very badly.
Q: Comparatively, hasn’t it changed a lot?
JW: Of course, it is different now. Now, my frame of mind has become one which deals with such situations easily and compared to then, I am now more adapted to the environment on a film set. At that time, filming a full 30 episodes, I was always very nervous. Perhaps because of it, I cannot remember much of things that happened then, it’s like being erased off. But if I see the interview that was being done at that time, I might just remember, ha-ha.
Q: Then, at what point did you feel that you have improved?
JW: Up to now, every time I start on a new project I will feel that it’s very difficult. Yet, as I go along, I would find it fun. Unconsciously, the cast gets closer to one another; the whole process repeats every time.
Q: Now that the filming has ended, how do you plan to fulfill the promise you made about the ratings? Didn’t you say that you would dance Crayon Pop Bar Bar Bar with Moon Chae Won?
JW: It was only after I read the news that I realized what I have said. During the press conference, I was unusually nervous. It was also my first time that I watched the press conference interview, I am usually not that nervous but when I was talking in front of the reporters, I was very nervous.
Q: It seems like when you are nervous, you have no recollection whatsoever (laughs).
JW: Whoa, it does seem like this. During my first performance I was also like this, once it came to a close I could not remember what had transpired.
Q: Aren’t you are approaching that type of nervous state soon? With <GHOST>, you are returning to the musical theatre, right?
JW: I am in midst of frenzy practices. Because I have not performed in a musical for too long a time, I am having a hard time preparing.
Q: Aiya…you will do every well. In 2009, Spring Awakening you stood out as the main lead.
JW: Actually the story content of Spring Awakening is a very heavy one. It is the kind of work which gives prominence to the lead character. Although I am not sure if it will be as sensational, <GHOST>’s story and the sets are gorgeous.
Q: I heard you are taking singing classes?
JW: Yes, because there is a need. At first, I thought I could adjust easily. I had performed before but I do not know why it didn’t come naturally, haha. When I returned to the musical theatre after filming dramas and movies, the way I perform and present in the musical have become a little different. Because the original movie <GHOST> was very famous, I was vexed as to how I should act the lead character Sam Wheat. Should it be the Sam in the movie or should it be according to how Joo Won interprets. Now, I have decided to use Joo Won’s acting to interpret Sam but I am not sure if the audience is able to accept something that’s different from the original.
Q: Ah, you are playing a cop again in your movie “Catch Me” with Kim Ah Joong. With regards to playing policeman, crime investigator and national intelligence agent, you are the expert. In order to make each character appear different, you must have been vexed during this filming.
JW: I joked with my agency representative saying no matter how good a role is, I will never play a policeman again. Thankfully this time, it is only at the beginning that it focused on the policeman role, afterwards it centers round the development of the character. It is vastly different from those policeman roles which I have played in the past.
Q: The movie is slated to premiere in December so undoubtedly you have to perform in the musical and at the same time, carry out the promotional activities for the movie, how do you cope with such a schedule?
JW: Of course, it is physically exhausting. Moreover, as I have been taking lead roles consecutively, the pressure is tremendous. But what to do? I have already signed on so I must fulfill my duties. Although I am very exhausted, the management has also suffered a lot trying to work out my schedule. They have also considered my needs from my standpoint in various different projects. Everyone should know well how dramas in Korea are produced. However, those on the production set suffer a lot in the way things are being done. Ah, but my luck is good. At those times when I thought the completion would be delayed, it was amazing how we managed to finish within the time frame as we go along. Every time my manager will say “See, I told you we are able to do it.”(laughs) My luck is really very good.”
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Source: The Star
Chinese Translation: answnsdnjs | 中國百度周元
English translation: mrdimples on joowoncutie.wordpress.com
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