Jang Dong-yoon Takes on Directorial Challenge with 'Nuruk': A Journey of Growth and Responsibility

"Honestly, while preparing for this, I felt like I took a step further away from being a director. It's a painful process. Haha."

Actor Jang Dong-yoon has taken on the challenge of directing his first feature film, 'Nuruk.' In an interview at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on the 13th, Jang shared his experiences and growth as a director.

Set to release on the 15th, 'Nuruk' tells the story of Dasul, a high school girl and daughter of a brewery owner, who embarks on a journey to find missing nuruk (a fermentation starter) for her beloved makgeolli. The unique concept of 'Nuruk' originated from Jang's whimsical imagination during the pandemic.

"During the SARS outbreak, there was a myth that kimchi was good for prevention. I started thinking, what if there was a special makgeolli with the ability to combat the coronavirus? Although I haven't drunk in a long time, makgeolli was my favorite among alcoholic beverages. In college, seniors often drank makgeolli, so I was familiar with it, and I found the fermentation and distillation process fascinating, even buying books to study traditional brewing methods."

Standing on set as a director rather than an actor, Jang felt the 'weight of responsibility.' He confessed, "Everyone asked me for the answers, but honestly, I didn't have them either. Pretending to have the answers was a significant mental burden."

"Understanding the director's position, I realized that the director is someone who unfolds the answer sheet in front of the monitor. I thought I should follow the director's words more thoroughly in the future. But I was already someone who listened well to the director's instructions. Haha."

Jang also had his own directing philosophy. Instead of making actors understand everything, he emphasized immediate expression. "There are time and physical constraints on set," he said. "When I was a rookie, I once asked a director, 'Why should I do it this way?' and was told, 'You only act when you're convinced?' implying I was being stubborn."

"For younger actors with less experience, I thought, 'Here he goes with his philosophical nonsense again,' and let it go. Haha. I know actors have a desire to fully understand and act. However, rather than getting caught up in artistic ambition and dragging time, there are times when it's much more effective to express immediately within the world the director has built. In fact, I clashed with actors a few times when I said, 'Don't try to understand, just express it.' But later, even those who were initially skeptical said, 'I should have listened to the director.'"

Jang infused the film with numerous symbols and metaphors, which some critics say made it difficult and less accessible, raising the viewing barrier. However, this was Jang's strategy to embrace an 'indie sensibility.' He stated, "I intended for audiences to have various interpretations of my film," emphasizing that "ultimately, this work is about 'belief' in something."

"There are already many directors who excel in mainstream commercial films. Instead of struggling in an area where I lack competitiveness, I pondered what stories I could tell well and imbue with meaning."

Regarding his next directorial project, he expressed a cautious attitude, saying, "There's no promise yet, but if the opportunity arises again, I want to prepare more thoroughly within a manageable scale."

Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr