MOVIE
Jang Dong-gun Returns to the Big Screen with 'A Normal Family' After Six Years
On the 26th, Jang Dong-gun, the lead actor of 'A Normal Family,' was interviewed at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Seoul.
'A Normal Family' is a suspense film that portrays the collapse of two brothers' families after they witness their children's crime scene on CCTV. The movie is based on Herman Koch's novel 'The Dinner.' Jang Dong-gun plays Jae-gyu, a compassionate pediatrician who values principles and does not shy away from difficult tasks to save lives.
This marks Jang Dong-gun's return to films after six years since the release of 'Rampant' in 2018. In 2020, Jang faced a privacy controversy when a private conversation with fellow actor Joo Jin-mo was leaked due to hacking. Jang cautiously stated, "I hope you understand that I am careful because a movie is not just my own, and I don't want to affect it in any way."
He added, "I am not an actor who does many projects, and there was also the COVID-19 pandemic in between. For the drama 'Arthdal Chronicles,' the filming alone took nine months, and it has already aired. I also did a series called 'Back to the Books,' a bookstore-related current affairs and cultural program, once a year. In the past, you could watch content just by turning on the TV, but nowadays, you have to actively seek it out. So, it might seem like I had a long hiatus," he explained, adding with a laugh, "Even if a project fails, people might not even notice."
Jang Dong-gun revealed, "I was offered the role when Seol Kyung-gu was already cast. What I liked when I first read the script was that the characters felt like real people living in the real world, unlike the characters I had played before. I realized, 'I haven't done something like this before.'" He continued, "I felt I could understand Jae-gyu's character well. I could relate to many aspects of his heart and mind. The environment of raising children was the same." He also mentioned, "I thought it would be interesting if director Hur Jin-ho directed it."
The original novel 'The Dinner' has already been adapted into films in the Netherlands, the United States, and Italy. Jang Dong-gun said, "I was worried that it might become a story only for us. I watched the overseas remakes before starting the project, and while those films seemed to view the characters from a third-person perspective, our movie feels like it grabs the viewer by the collar and pulls them in. I am satisfied with it."
Regarding his satisfaction with his performance, he confessed, "I have never been satisfied with my appearance in any of my works. There are parts of this movie that I am personally disappointed with." He added, "In 'Arthdal Chronicles,' 'Asadal Chronicles,' and 'Rampant,' I wore a lot of makeup. In 'Rampant,' I even did zombie makeup, but this time, it feels like it shows the real Jang Dong-gun, which is a bit unfamiliar." He laughed, saying, "When I saw myself on the monitor during filming, I was surprised to see how much older I looked. My perception of myself and my appearance on the monitor were quite different. I even joked with senior actress Kim Hee-ae, saying, 'I look so old.'"
'A Normal Family' is set to be released on October 16.
Reporter Kim Ji-won, TenAsia bella@tenasia.co.kr
