Jang Geun Suk in ‘Hot Chili Pepper’ Magazine – Part II

In this second part of the interview, Jang discusses his more recent roles in Hwang Jin Yi, Hong Gil Dong, Beethoven Virus, and You’re Beautiful. He even reveals his relationship with a girlfriend that influenced his acting for Hwang Jin Yi, which I think is a blessing in disguise.

I loved this interview because he was super frank, and there is definitely a flow in the questions that allowed him to discuss each drama and makes me suspect he was prepared to answer each question. Nevertheless, it was nice to read an interview that does not involve a lot of girlfriend rumors either.

In 2006, Jang Geun Suk finally met the role he was destined for and that is Hwang Jin Yi.

In Hwang Jin Yi, he acted as Ha Ji Won’s first lover Eun Ho. They adore each other, but their love ends in tragedy due to their gap in social status. At that time, South Koreans had different opinions about this role – they worry about the age gap between Geun Suk and Ji Won, and there were a lot of criticisms on his acting skills.

Q: How do you feel about people’s opinion of this role?

A: To me, this role was a wall which I had to breakthrough. People were thinking why Ha Ji Won was paired with Jang Geun Suk. But I feel that they can say all they want but I will subvert their opinion of me; I will show them! Compared to now, I was more hot blooded, young and crazy then (laughs) But it’s because of this enthusiasm which allowed me to put myself fully into the role of Eun Ho.

Q: How did you get into the grieving role of Kim Eun Ho?

A: The truth is, I just broke up with a girl whom I really liked. She’s the one who initiated the breakup. I didn’t comprehend her intentions for breaking up and kept apologizing to her but even so, she did not relent. I waited in front of her house but all I got from her was “Do not wait for me”… I even wrote a letter to her everyday but she told me to stop it. I had unintentionally suggested that we break up during our fight over some trivial matters and that was the cause of our break up. I was willful and selfish.

Even till now, I have wondered if we can still stay together. I liked her a lot and can’t live without her… but she left me. I was heart-broken. For a month, I did not go out nor eat well. I was cooped up in my house. I lost a lot of weight and became very thin. I did not have any energy. It was in this painful period that I received the “Hwang Jin Yi” script. “All this will be my story. I have to interpret it properly.”

Q: During the filming, did you feel sad when you thought about the girl?

A: I had this feeling not as Eun Ho but rather when Eun Ho became me. I only wanted to cry during that period as it was very painful. I even secretly cried in my car when reading the script as I saw my girl’s face in Ha Ji Won unni’s face. Although I want to do more for my girlfriend still, that dream will never materialize. My heart and Eun Ho’s heart are on the same page. After the end of the shooting, It took me awhile before I found myself again.

Q: It was painful, … but as an actor…

A: Although it’s very cruel, but we can say that my sorrow helped my acting skills a lot.

Q: The marriage proposal scene is very romantic. Do you prefer romantic also?

A: To be exact, I like to create romantic gestures. For the sake of H.C.P readers, I will narrate a few childish stories (laughs) I have put a lot of balloons and an ‘I LOVE U’ banner inside the car trunk, so that they will fly out from of the trunk when it was opened. I have also tried writing a letter in a diary everyday for three months and gave it as a gift during our anniversary. But the most romantic of all was taking her out for a ride in a limousine which I had rented.

Q: Limousine? It must be very expensive!

A: It’s not as expensive as you think! It is only 200,000 won (around 1100RMB) and the car came with a driver. (laughs). I borrowed the limousine for two hours and we drove around the Han River. We even drank red wine inside the car.

Q: Do you like this side of you which keeps doing romantic gestures/actions? If not, was it because you like to watch the other party’s reaction?

A: En~ I like to do various planning. I feel proud to be putting in great efforts for my girlfriend. I think it’s very cool to show her that I love her through actions and not just words only.

Q: What other [romantic] gesture would you like to try?

A: Because I am an actor, and I have great confidence in my video editing skill. So firstly, I’ll book the entire theater and play my own video. Then the both of us will eat popcorn and watch the video together. It will certainly be very happy! But to do this, I’ll need a considerable budget. Ah~ I don’t have that much money (laughs)

Q: Looking back, what was the significance of Hwang Jin Yi to Jang Geun Suk?

A: Hwang Jin Yi is my starting point as an actor. My dream is to be an actor and Hwang Jin Yi made me realized what qualities are needed by actors. Because of my experience in past relationships, I treated Hwang Jin Yi as my story and not other people’s. This is the first time using my past experience to ease into a role. From then on, my whole attitude and thinking towards everything has changed. Till now, no matter where I go, I’m always accompanied by my managers. If I say I’m hungry, they will prepare food for me. They will also book my appointments at the hair salon. I want to take care of things myself. This is because if a person is caged up, how can he claim to have acting ability? It will be no different from reading from the script if I have to act out something which I have not experienced before.

During the Lounge H activity at HanYang university, I personally contacted the sponsors. I wrote the sales proposal myself and got the school’s approval. To the extent that I will call and compensate anyone who had lost their items. I learned a lot of new things by doing all these. It’s not my manager who lived on my behalf, and it’s not my parents who closed the curtains to hide me away but it’s myself who goes out to look for activities. This is a breakthrough which will be helpful in my acting career.

Q: Through Hwang Jin Yi, you realized the importance of experience.

A: Yes! I realized how importance experience is. That’s why I don’t really like managers. (laughs) Because they are always thinking of doing things on my behalf. Today’s interview is an exception. I would prefer to do everything myself in my normal daily activities.

Q: Was Happy Life the same as Hwang Jin Yi, where an actor can learn many things? My deepest impression was that you mentioned in a previous interview that it was the turning point in your life.

A: What I had felt from filming Hwang Jin Yi is that, “Managers cannot live my life for me.” Obviously the seniors with whom I have acted together knew about that. Seeing them going to the convenience stores and sitting in front of the stores chatting till 4am, I had thought to myself “I would like to try that too”. If I were to follow the wishes of my fans and the people around me to be cooped up in a bird cage, I’m afraid it’s not possible. I want to be a bird which flies out of the cage and not be contained. Absolutely do not want to be contained.

Q: After Hwang Jin Yi, you acted in another drama called Hong Gil Dong as the revenge-seeking Chang Hui. Accordingly to you, this is your first time experiencing being an idol (smile)

A: Not only was there a conflict with the filming of “Baby and Me”, there were also 7 advertisement offers at the same time. It was extremely tiring. However, even under such circumstances, I still insist and want to act the role of Chang Hui well.

Q: What were your thoughts when you were acting as Chang Hui?

A: The drama series is interesting and filled with life. Except for my role as Chang Hui , a terrible character which seems to deviate from the mood of the show. When we just started shooting, I panicked a bit. However, during filming, I talked to Brother Ji Hwan and other actors during the filming, we can find the same feeling (an understanding).

Just the filming alone is an endless pain (laughs). The main reason is that we had to stay in the mountain for the filming – it was very cold. It has come to a point where I developed hatred towards it. In addition, it was away from Seoul and I can only go home once every two weeks. When we are rushed for time, I only can manage a bath and had to go back to the filming ground immediately. If we continue living like this, our mood will become very bad. It’s not just only me, even the workers and other actors are becoming more quick-tempered. If this continues, the atmosphere will become very somber. So it was under that kind of situation that we successfully wrap up the filming.

Q: After that you went on to the drama Beethoven Virus.

A: After filming Hong Gil Dong and “Baby and Me”, I went on a 2-month holiday trip in Europe. Before my trip, I told my manager, “If you give me a script during the holiday, I will immediately tear it up and even burn it!” (laugh). Whatever the case, I did not want to discuss about work for the time being. As mentioned just now, the Japan schedule is very tight, I was exhausted, my body had grown weaker and I was mentally exhausted. I remembered saying, “I’m not sure if I want to go back to Korea anymore. Don’t come and bother me”…

But sure enough, the manager started to email me scripts (laughs). I was on vacation in Germany at that time and I was agonizing whether I should delete the emails before I read it. “Maybe this is the time to slowly decide my next work…” was what changed my thinking. So I didn’t delete the emails and ended up reading the script. I was very keen on it once I read it and after finishing the two chapters, I called my company to say, “I want to act”.

Q: Which part of the drama that attracted you?

A: I will be playing trumpet, moreover it will be directed by Lee Jae Gyu whom is well known for his aesthetic works in Damo. Other than that, Senior Kim Myung Min will also play a part. I can learn directly from these seniors. Senior Lee Soon Jae also played a part, so to me, this work to me is very important.

Q: What is your impression towards Senior Kim Myung Min?

A: He asks for perfection in everything, but he’s not like like Kang Gun Woo who is overly stubborn. (Laughs) I was the last to be finalized for the role in the drama, because I was lagging behind and and I also didn’t want to make the seniors feel unhappy, so I put in extra effort.
There will be trouble if I didn’t take charge of my trumpet. But unlike other works, I wasn’t suffering at all. During shooting, I didn’t feel anxious at all. Regardless of how tight the schedule was or busy to the point of not getting enough time to sleep, not only me, but everyone was very happy to get into shooting. This was really strange.

Q: Did everyone get along well during filming?

A: Maybe it was because the theme was regarding music. During the concert filming, fellow actors’ mindset was linked together through music. Discord notes turned slowly into harmony during the play. Although it was only acting but after the concert ends, I was really moved to tears.

Q: Don’t you regret rejecting the invitation of Boys Over Flowers and choose Beethoven Virus instead?

A: Ah haha.. (Laughs) I think I made a very good choice. Besides, what I might have received from Boys of Flowers, I got it through You’re Beautiful.

Q: The script for You’re Beautiful is written by Hong Gil Dong‘s Hong Sisters right?

A: I heard that the sisters were thinking of me while writing the script. After reading the script, although it was only the draft but my mind had started a fresh image. Through this drama, I felt that only the 23-years-old-me can bring out the cuteness and freshness, so I happily agreed to play in this drama. But there are also a lot of problems in this drama. (Laughs) During the shooting, the production company was changed several times. The two producers worried that, “If Geun Suk also gives up, what are we going to do?”

I said: “Don’t worry. When I saw the script, I already started to analyze the role. Contact me once the filming date is confirmed.” After going through all these problems, the filming finally started in August.

Q: Many said that Tae Kyung‘s excessive concerns of cleanliness and vicious words resemble Kim Myung Min’s role as Kang Gun Woo in Beethoven Virus.

A: Whenever I heard this statement, if I say I didn’t feel any pressure at all, it would be a lie, because of Tae Kyung’s line is over self-centered. Actually at the beginning, I thought of using Kang Gun Woo as a reference but I gave up immediately. I drew it from Editor Miranda from “The Devil Wears Prada”.

Q: Have you finished watching You’re Beautiful?

A: Yes, the day I got the DVD I called to confirm. There wasn’t any regret, only felt that it was a pity the filming was rushed, it happened many times that the script was completed in the morning of the filming day. And when the filming was supposed to start, the script hadn’t reached our hands yet. It was under these circumstances, all the actors and crew persevered to the end.

Q: What do you think regarding the airing time being the same as IRIS?

A: I didn’t feel it was a loss to be aired at the same time because I would watch IRIS rerun on weekend too. Only felt that it didn’t have the luck for a battle.

Q: Is your character the same as Tae Kyung?

A: Hmm.. How do I say this? Always a perfectionist at work and can’t tolerate any mistake at all. But once I finished work, I will show appreciation to my Manager and Office Staff, “Although I am strict, in order not to fall into the last, we pulled through together.” I will also prepare gifts. But when I go back to work, I can be so sensitive to the extent where you can’t even touch me. I am this kind of character.

Q: To be exact, who is “Tae Kyung” to you?

A: A role that allows the 20 odd years old me to shine, the character which resembles Jang Geun Suk the most.

Stepping out of Tae Kyung character was painful, but Jang Geun Suk gradually did it. Currently, he is preparing his brand new image for his next movie “You’re My Pet” everyday.

“I guess you all might think that I must be playing around whenever you don’t see me on television, but the fact is everyday…. Everyday, at a place where you can’t see me, I am learning seriously to improve myself.”

He left this sentence and leaves the studio as he has an English lesson to attend.

Jang Geun Suk who is determined to change himself to act the role, he made this promise, “In the next work, I will show everyone a brand new side of me.”

source: daily_tofu @soompi

translation credit: Gracelwf, Xene, Siwonshii, Whogar, chinyee, Sky9, dailytofu