Cho Seong-ha, “I got advice on office politics from my teacher’s wife”

“I’ve never worked in an organization, so I asked my wife a lot. I asked if there was someone like Choi Chang-soo in the company, and she said that there was one person everywhere, and that people like Choi Chang-soo were the most common. Haha.”

Actor Cho Seong-ha of the JTBC Saturday-Sunday drama 'Agency', which ended on February 26, said that he asked his wife, who is currently working as a teacher, for advice about what he did not know about office politics at work.

'Agency' is a work that depicts Go Ah-in (played by Lee Bo-young), who became the first female executive at an advertising agency VC group, and builds her career to reach the top position. Jo Seong-ha played the role of Choi Chang-soo, head of the VC planning planning division, who has walked the elite course with a solid path.

Jo Seong-ha, whom we met at a cafe in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul on the 27th, said, "I think the fact that the first episode started with a viewership rating of 4.8% and rose upwards to 16% was possible because the viewers gave it a lot of love without stopping. The viewership ratings may not be important, but the visual “I am thankful that it was an opportunity for all those involved to receive strength and express their gratitude,” he said, expressing his thoughts about the show ending so popularly.

When asked if he feels the popularity, Jo Seong-ha said, "The most direct response is from my house. I watched 'Agency' together in the living room with my family from episodes 1 to 16. I received great encouragement from people saying it was fun and receiving positive reviews. “I felt very rewarded as an actor,” he said, laughing, adding, “There were a lot of people asking me why I was being sarcastic and why I was so obnoxious. I told it like it was.”

Jo Seong-ha said he had personal concerns when he first received the script for 'Agency'. He said, “I thought the story of Orphan, Kang Han-na (played by Son Na-eun), and Jo Eun-jeong (played by Jeon Hye-jin) was faithfully completed, but I felt that Choi Chang-soo was lacking a lot as a villain.” There was a story about how to aim for success, Kang Han-na talked about how she will build her own space within the company despite being a 3rd generation chaebol, and how Jo Eun-jung will demonstrate her abilities as a working mother while faithfully continuing her family. "The story was composed about . I thought that if Choi Chang-soo did well, this work would be complete. I thought a lot about how I could make Go Ah-in stand out more," he said.

Jo Seong-ha also changed his voice tone for the obnoxious but cute villain character. He said, "If you're a villain, you have to stir things up and turn things around. I try, but I can't turn things around every time, and I fight, but I'm a character who explodes, so I was worried about how to sympathize with the viewers," he said. "I raised the tone of my voice a little more to bring out the meanness and meanness." .

The most difficult scene to act was the scene in episode 2 where he scolds Go Ah-in, asking, "Why are you so greedy?" Jo Seong-ha said, "There were high-level lines in the script at the time. I thought a lot about the level on set and also thought about it in editing. In the end, that part was edited out on the air."

He added, "Although our broadcast time is late, I think it was edited because young people could see it. It was at a level that could humiliate Goans. It was a line that was too difficult to say in words."

Jo Seong-ha had pity and sympathy for Choi Chang-soo's character. He said, "Isn't it pitiful just to look at it? Goain formed a production team and took all the good talent. Goain also has a lot of ideas. There is no one in particular on our team. Tom started out poorly in terms of organization, and was bound to lose the fight in many areas. "It was a role similar to Jerry. Personally, I thought it would be nice to have more bloody fights with the orphans, but I think it was enough because this was enough for many people to criticize Choi Chang-soo and endear him," he said.

However, I could not sympathize with Choi Chang-soo's character. Jo Seong-ha said, "There wasn't much to sympathize with. There were too many parts I didn't understand. This person's way of speaking and sentences seemed so cheap, non-existent, and boring. The part I most avoid in life and acting is the dullness, and it was difficult to approach the role because it was too dull. “It was,” he said.

What kind of senior is he fostering in the field? He said, "I am a senior who eats a lot with my juniors. If possible, I want to buy them one more meal. If you are next to me, you will not starve. I can be sure of that. When I was young, I was grateful for my seniors who bought me food like that. When I am able, I am grateful. “I definitely want to buy food,” he said, laughing, adding, “I don’t like it at home.”

Choi Chang-soo, who had gone to any lengths to bring Go A-in down, ended up leaving the company in the last episode while cheering for Go A-in. In response, Jo Seong-ha said, "I am very grateful that I was able to go out as a human being at least in the end. The writer promised me from the beginning that I would write the ending with great care. At the end, I would show at least a little of my human side and leave. “Thank you for doing it,” he said.

When asked about filming the scene where he leaves the office with his luggage in the lobby, Jo Seong-ha said, "The director was sick with the coronavirus and couldn't come out, so we had to film it remotely. We did it through a video call on a smartphone."

He also talked about his acting chemistry with actors such as Lee Bo-young and Son Na-eun. Jo Seong-ha said, "I thought it would be difficult to get to know Lee Bo-young based on first impressions. However, she is friendly to the actors and staff and knows how to give a lot of things first. After filming, she offers to have a small meal with the actors and a beer together. “I thought he was a better person than I thought because he was an actor with good leadership skills,” he said.

He continued, "Son Na-eun is attractive in and of herself, but she does her best with what she is given on set. Kang Han-na's character is not an easy role. It is one of the difficult roles to play, but I can see the things she has practiced to do faithfully. “He added.

He also praised, "The character of Jo Eun-jung, played by Jeon Hye-jin, is a very easy-going and clumsy person, but in reality, she is not like that. She is a calm, quick-tempered person who thinks about the atmosphere of those around her and is very considerate."

Cho Seong-ha, who debuted in the musical 'Cats' in 1990, called himself a 'new actor'. He said, "I started writing it at the beginning of last year. I'm proud that I have some experience, so I'm worried that I won't have to worry about anything, so whenever I start working on a project, I'm going to create a new character and imprint myself as a new actor with the feeling of whipping myself. Also, I'm going to trust you, I'm going to have faith." “It has an ambiguous meaning of becoming an actor who gives value,” he explained.

“I was careful not to do anything boring. I received a lot of love as a geology man this time, so I think I should try to be the ultimate geology king. (Laughs)”

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr