MOVIE
Hyun Woo-seok Embraces Analog Nostalgia in 'Five Minutes with You'
On the 31st, at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, actor Hyun Woo-seok, who stars in the film 'Five Minutes with You', shared insights about his role.
Set in 2001, 'Five Minutes with You' tells the story of two boys sharing their favorite music and secrets. Hyun Woo-seok plays Jae-min, a model student and class president who befriends the new transfer student, Kyung-hwan, played by Shim Hyun-seo.
The film captures the analog essence of 2001. Hyun Woo-seok remarked, "That was the year I was born. While I can't fully remember, I have vague childhood memories. I enjoy watching documentaries, so I prepared by watching YouTube and documentaries. I joked about how I would have visited certain popular spots if I had been born then. I imagined what it would have been like to live in such a romantic era." He added, "The director showed us many props and photos before filming. I remember using thick computer monitors as a child and then transitioning to thinner ones as I grew older. I feel a connection to old songs and the nostalgia of the past."
The film is set in Daegu, showcasing locations like Jeil Theater, Woobang Land, and the underground shopping mall in Dongseong-ro, places where teenagers of that era spent their time. The actors also had to learn the Daegu dialect.
Hyun Woo-seok found the dialect to be the most challenging part of the film, saying, "Dialect acting was a fresh and significant challenge for me." He explained, "The director is from Daegu, so I practiced the dialect, visited Daegu's famous spots, and learned about its culture. Initially, I was worried about the dialect acting. I met with the director 2-3 times a week for quite some time. He recorded and sent me audio, and we met to check the intonation differences. It also allowed me to bond with Hyun-seo."
Born in 2001 in Chuncheon, Hyun Woo-seok has a fondness for analog nostalgia. He shared, "I love the songs of Kim Kwang-seok and Yoo Jae-ha. Good music transcends time." When asked why he enjoys old songs, he said, "My father always played 'Though I Loved You' while driving. It was romantic, and I think I inherited that."
When asked about a song that holds personal significance, Hyun Woo-seok mentioned Kim Kwang-seok's 'A Night Alone'. Originally by Ji Geun-sik in 1994, Kim Kwang-seok's remake holds a special place for him. "I started working as a model in high school. I loved traveling between Chuncheon and Seoul by bus because I enjoyed watching the sky," he recalled. "On some evenings, the sunset was beautiful, and on others, only streetlights illuminated the darkness. During those times, I often listened to 'A Night Alone'. While there are many famous songs, that one was healing for me."
Hyun Woo-seok began his acting career with Netflix's 'Love Alarm' (2019) and gained recognition as Oh Seung-kwon in 'The School Nurse Files'. He has since appeared in youth dramas like JTBC's 'Live On' and SBS's 'Cheer Up', showcasing his versatility. In 'Five Minutes with You', he plays Jae-min, a boy who doesn't easily reveal his true feelings.
'Five Minutes with You' is set to premiere on November 5th.
By Ji-won Kim, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr
