Interview with Jung Woo-sung as Lee Tae-shin in the movie ‘Spring in Seoul’
Released on the 22nd
Released on the 22nd
Actor Jung Woo-sung (50), wearing a vintage knit that covered his neck, had big and deep eyes. He spoke in a serious manner throughout the interview, and at times in a cheerful manner.
Jung Woo-sung was interviewed by Ten Asia about the movie 'Spring in Seoul' (directed by Kim Seong-su) at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul at 11 am on the 21st.
‘Spring in Seoul’ depicts the Seoul military revolt on December 12, 1979, which changed the fate of the Republic of Korea. It contains 9 hours of tense action between Chun Doo-gwang (Hwang Jung-min)'s rebel army and Lee Tae-shin's (Jung Woo-sung) suppression army. Through this work, Jung Woo-sung is being evaluated as having taken a step forward in terms of acting. Jung Woo-sung showed off his inner strength as Lee Tae-shin, a strong soldier who must fight to the end even though he knows he will lose.
Jung Woo-sung encountered ‘Spring in Seoul’ right after finishing filming ‘Hunt’ (2022). Director Kim Seong-soo, who often asks Jung Woo-sung to monitor movies, handed out a book and asked him to take a look at 'Spring in Seoul.'
The relationship between Jung Woo-sung and director Kim Seong-soo goes back a long time. They have collaborated on four previous works, including 'Beat' (1997), 'There is No Sun' (1998), 'Warrior' (2001), and 'Asura' (2016), and this is their fifth collaboration through 'Spring in Seoul'. 'Beat' and 'No Sun' are works that catapulted Jung Woo-sung to stardom, and are essential works in Jung Woo-sung's filmography. And through 'Spring in Seoul', Jung Woo-sung is receiving favorable reviews for taking another step forward in his acting.
In a previous interview, director Kim Seong-soo said, "Jung Woo-sung is definitely not my persona," but showed extraordinary affection for him. In relation to this, when asked about the meaning of director Kim Seong-soo, Jung Woo-sung replied, "It is a love-hate relationship."
“To me, the director was recognized as a colleague, and he was someone who taught me through experience on set, ‘What filmmaking is all about.’ When an actor says during an interview, ‘Director Kim Seong-su is the best,’ when another director casts him, he says, ‘What is filmmaking?’ You may be saying, ‘You say Director Kim Seong-su is the best?’, but to me, Director Kim Seong-soo is the best senior, colleague, and ‘very annoying and beloved’ director.”
Jung Woo-sung and Director Kim have been good friends for a long time, but through this work, they had a lot of confrontation and arguments. Jung Woo-sung looked back and said, "It was really absurd" when director Kim kept sending images of himself being interviewed by the media as a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Organization as a reference for Lee Tae-shin's character.
“I said a lot, ‘Director, this is me. What on earth do you want?’ In fact, in the interview at the time, I was really careful about every word. I think you wanted that cautious and prudent attitude to be reflected in the character of Lee Tae-shin. “He persuades people and says, ‘Please send me some,’ and ‘You must arrive in Seoul first.’ A little of that may be reflected in his serious demeanor.”
Jung Woo-sung defined 'Spring in Seoul' as "a film that explores human nature." He said, "The director saw this film as an exploration of human nature. Lee Tae-shin and Jeon Doo-gwang focused on what concerns they had and what choices they made. They are sometimes indecisive and faithful to their feelings, and this was captured by exploring them. “It seems like it is.” “That’s why I don’t think ‘Spring in Seoul’ is trying to determine winners and losers in this case. I think it illuminates human nature through each character and shows what choices they make.”
Jung Woo-sung also highly praised Director Kim's directing skills and qualifications. He said, "There are a lot of actors in the movie, and the balance is good. I thought the director was amazing in making so many actors shine in their respective positions. He observed until the end to capture the connection between the actors and their characters." “The director thought it was like a ‘tenacious energizer,’” he said.
Jung Woo-sung said that while working on this work, he challenged his acting limits to the extent that he described it as "jingling." In particular, the scene where Lee Tae-shin crosses the barricade and goes to the rebel camp is considered the highlight and main message of the movie. He said, "Lee Tae-shin is a character who just overcomes each and every step even if the path he goes through is difficult. I thought that the scene should not look solemn or cool. I went because I just wanted to go, and I thought I might not be able to meet him." explained.
Jung Woo-sung said his wish for the work was, “I hope it passes the break-even point.” “When working on a project, there is hope, but it seems impossible to make any predictions. If it had been before the coronavirus, they would have had certain expectations and foresaw success, but now, I think the hope of those who participated in this film is to just break even. “I hope that this film will have a positive impact on the film industry in the future.”
‘Spring in Seoul’ opens on the 22nd.
Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr