Jin Ji-hee "I will clench my teeth like a blackened rabbit"

The child actor who shouted, 'You bastard!' has grown up. Now, he is walking his own path as a fully-fledged adult actor. This is the story of Jin Ji-hee, who celebrates her 20th debut anniversary this year. Jin Ji-hee's ambition is to show the blackened appearance of a rabbit in celebration of the Year of the Pig.

Jin Ji-hee debuted in the 2003 drama 'Yellow Handkerchief'. Now, it is not awkward to say that he is a mid-career actor. Although he was an immature elementary school student in 'High Kick Through the Roof', he is taking a step forward by forging a new path through the 'Penthouse' series and the play 'The Seagull'.

For Jin Ji-hee, born in 1999, 2023 will be different. It was also the year of the rabbit, and it was his first attempt on the stage through 'The Seagull'. Because it is her first time, there will be deep regrets, but Jin Ji-hee considers even those regrets as the foundation for her experience.

Jin Ji-hee is meeting the audience with the play 'Seagull', which will be performed at the Universal Arts Center until February 5th. Although he has performances scheduled during the Lunar New Year holiday, he plans to spend his days off with his family. Jin Ji-hee said, "On days when I don't have a performance, I spend the Lunar New Year holiday with my family. I haven't been able to eat rice cake soup yet, so I haven't turned another year. . older. I plan to eat rice cake soup during the holidays and become another year older. I will spend a happy time with my family." “On days when there are no performances, I usually engage in cultural activities alone, meet friends, or just relax,” he said.

Why did Jin Ji-hee, a former student at the Department of Theater at Dongguk University, take on the challenge of performing her first play through 'The Seagull'? He said, "It's because I'm working with teacher Lee Soon-jae. I encountered a lot of plays when I was a college student, so 'The Seagull' is familiar to me. A work is also a work, but when I heard that teacher Lee Soon-jae was directing it, I immediately wanted to do whatever it was." When he said he was doing the classic 'Seagull', which I studied a lot in school, it had a special meaning to me. I read it a lot, and I hated it so much that I got sick of it, but it is a work that I am attached to. If the teacher and 'The Seagull' meet, I wonder, 'What kind of story will be born? “I had great expectations about how he would direct me through directing,” he explained.

Jin Ji-hee said, “I was even more excited on the day of the first performance.” He had the excitement and anticipation of 'meeting the audience in person'. I didn't make any mistakes during my first performance. “In order not to make mistakes until the end, I am ruminating on the tension to go back to the beginning more and more,” he said. “Fortunately, people are giving me positive reviews, and ‘Seagull’ is receiving a lot of love. I feel like I stand on stage better with that strength. Theater has a different feel from other media. I thought I would be very nervous because I was acting in front of an audience, but I was happy the moment I was on stage. Of course, I am still a 'theater geek' who doesn't have much time to spare,” he added.

Jin Ji-hee laughed, saying, "In the beginning, it was my first time on stage, so I took time to get used to it. Now, little by little, my perspective is broadening. Every time I look at the bright eyes of the audience, I also feel joy like Nina in 'The Seagull'."

Jin Ji-hee worked with Lee Soon-jae in the MBC sitcom 'High Kick Through the Roof', which aired from 2009 to March 2010. 13 years after 'High Kick Through the Roof', they reunited through 'Seagull'. Jin Ji-hee said, "It was like seeing my own grandfather. It's been a long time since 'High Kick Through the Roof', but I think the teacher is in better health than then. On stage, he asks, 'Are we having a good time with you today?' “There is a line that says, ‘I feel happy every time I hear that line. There’s no ‘yes’ in my line, but it comes out without me even realizing it,” he said.

Jin Ji-hee said of So Yoo-jin, her senior at Dongguk University, "I was very nervous. Since she is a senior, acting from the perspective of a junior, it feels difficult to say, 'I think this way, shall 'We try this?' “I was anxious, 'What should I do?' But instead, she was cool and like a real sister,” he said.

He said, “He has a really good personality. He is always smiling. He is the type of person who says, 'Okay, let's try this too.' He takes good care of me when I eat. Also, my senior's husband provides a lot of support. He brings cup noodles, lunch boxes, etc. "The 'Seagull' team does not have time to lose weight. We are having a happy day with gifts and support from not only senior So Yoo-jin, but also teacher Lee Soon-jae, teacher Joo Ho-seong, senior Kim Su -ro, and brother Jeong Dong-hwa," he added, laughing.

2023 is the year of the black rabbit. It can also be called the year of Jin Ji-hee, the year of the rabbit. Jin Ji-hee said, "I think rabbits are kind and pure. I saw an explanation about the black rabbit somewhere, and it said that if you live hard, you can live a more prosperous year. Just as the rabbit has turned black, I will grit my teeth and try to live a busier life this year. “I have high expectations,” he said.

Not only that, it is also a special year, marking the 20th anniversary of their debut. Jin Ji-hee joked, "Actually, I haven't been counting since the 10th anniversary passed. I feel good because it's the 20th anniversary in the year of Gyemyo. I have high expectations that something will happen this year." He said, "I haven't thought about how to move forward yet. If I had already done everything I wanted to do, I would have thought about the direction, but I still have a lot to do. There are a lot of things. “I want to try, such as trying out various characters and entertainment.”

Jin Ji-hee has many small wishes, but among them, she chose the year-end awards ceremony. He said, "I want to spend time at the year-end awards ceremony. It has been a long time since I spent time at the awards ceremony. Not only that, but I have many wishes that I want to achieve. If I go in the direction I want to go, I have expectations of what position I will reach." .

Jin Ji-hee said, "After 20 years of acting, I think I did really well in plays. While doing plays, I am reflecting on the charm of acting and acting. Before that, I wondered what I could do if I did something. “When I wasn't working, I also worked part-time,” he confessed.

Also, "I am gradually creating my own path. When I was young, I often heard things like, 'Jihee should follow the path of a certain actress' or 'If you follow this actress, things will work out.' At that time, I thought, 'I have to go like that person.' , Why can't I keep doing that?', 'Why can't I get to that position?' I blame myself a lot. Now, I just think that it's the right choice for me to make. One day, I'll think, 'The only way is to follow Jin Ji-hee's path.' ' I want to hear this. If I hear this story, I will feel proud and think that I am going well on this path."

Kang Min-kyung, Ten Asia reporter kkk39@tenasia.co.kr