Interview with So Yoo-jin as Archana in the play ‘The Seagull’
Following interview ①
Actress So Yoo-jin chose Lee Soon-jae as the reason for appearing in the play ‘The Seagull’.
How do you feel about meeting audiences through ‘The Seagull’, which opened on December 21st last year? Soo-jin Soo said, "Isn't it cold this winter? Still, I am grateful to the people who come despite the lack of accessibility. People who come say that the theater and the performance go well together. Not only the stage, but everything from the lobby of the concert hall to the audience seats is like a 'seagull'. “We have become one. I also think that the concert hall is beautiful while acting on stage,” he said.
He continued, "I feel like I've been to Russia in the old days. I'm performing with the thought that every day is a waste. The actors and actresses work well together, so they come to the concert hall even when there's no performance. We eat together and chat. Even on days when there's no performance, we get to know each other. "They support me. We get along that well. The chemistry I have with the actors is evident even on stage. When I act, I can see how much these people are together through the ensemble and chemistry," he added.
So Yoo-jin talked about why she chose ‘Seagull’. He said, "I really enjoyed working with teacher Lee Soon-jae during 'King Lear.' As I said before, I thought, 'Why do I like teacher Lee Soon-jae?' It's been 7 years since my father passed away, and my father is older than teacher Lee Soon-jae. “He is 10 years older than me. My father is as knowledgeable as teacher Lee Soon-jae, and I feel like we just enjoy being together,” he said with a laugh.
Soo-jin Soo said, "Teacher Soon-jae Lee doesn't talk much. When a teacher like that smiles and pats me once, I gain trust. I feel reassured and grateful. I also gain respect for the teacher. I didn't want to miss being with the teacher. Teacher Soon-jae Lee “I chose it not because I was directing it, but because I liked working with it,” he explained.
Also, "The actors say to each other, 'Everything teacher Lee Soon-jae says has meaning.' After hearing what the teacher said, they started to think about it, but they were doing as the teacher said. It seems like the teacher also had a plan and gave the actors homework. He expressed his affection by saying, “I get drawn in when the directing is detailed, but the teacher isn’t like that. He draws the big picture and then lets each person showcase their own charms.”
Soo-jin Soo said, "The direction of direction pursued by the teacher is convergent. There are rules, but there is freedom within them. There is emotion in the teacher's directing. And because we can act together, I can feel many traces of the teacher. In fact, “Teacher Lee Soon-jae is someone who doesn’t open his mouth easily. That’s why you have to ask questions well. When you ask a question, he answers kindly. I like him, but all actors like him,” he said.
Soo-jin Soo said, “It was not an expert watching the performance, but since we were doing it under the name of teacher Lee Soon-jae, our homework was how to present ‘The Seagull’ to the audience. People who have not read the play will also come to see the performance, so we need to understand the relationships and personalities of the characters. I thought it would be good to express it more easily. The play really contains life. So I thought it would resonate with both those who have seen the play and those who have not. Many actors who are familiar to the public appear in our performances. With that flow, we can create a drama. As if you were watching, it shows all acts from Act 1 to Act 4. My favorite evaluation is, ‘I was nervous because it was a classic, but I knew what kind of drama it was,’ and ‘It wasn’t difficult and I enjoyed watching an episode of the drama.’”
So Yoo-jin takes on the challenge through Arcagna in ‘The Seagull’. He said, "Arcaena is a character that challenges me. It is not the character that came to mind when I thought of 'So Yu-jin'. It is a completely different character. I also practice and perform on stage, and I hope the audience sees me like that." He said.
Not only that, “Arcaena is a person who is obsessed with fame even though her reputation is falling. She loves her son, but she doesn’t know how to love. I am now a mother of three children, and I am good to my children. She is the exact opposite of me.” It was fun to research a character who was the exact opposite of me. Although I appear to be an actress and have a child, I have lived an actress' life for over 20 years. So, I have many similarities with Arukana. I couldn't sleep at first, but it was fun to find a consensus. “A role opposite to mine is also attractive,” he said.
Kang Min-kyung, Ten Asia reporter kkk39@tenasia.co.kr