Jang Geun-suk's new film 'Bait', for which he received acting training

Actor Jang Geun-suk returned after a five-year gap with the Coupang Play series ‘Bait’. Jang Geun-suk expressed his excitement and anticipation, saying that 'Bait' is his first work after five years of recharging.

On the 25th, a press conference for the Coupang Play series 'Bait' was held at Megabox COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul. Director Kim Hong-seon and actors Jang Geun-suk, Heo Seong-tae, and Lee Elijah attended.

'Bait' is a crime thriller that traces the secrets surrounding the culprit of the biggest fraud in history as he is identified as a suspect in a murder case eight years after his death.

Director Kim said, "Rather than using a specific person as a model, I tried to collect fraud cases that occurred in the early and mid-2000s and incorporate them into the work. There was also the writer's personal experience. I gathered those parts and created the work."

Director Kim revealed his directing intention, saying, "People have desires and needs in their lives, and they try to realize them. I wanted to tell the story from the perspective of when that manifests itself as greed." He continued, “In legal terms, there is a term called reasonable doubt. I wanted to check whether there was any reasonable doubt.”

Jang Geun-suk plays the role of Goo Do-han, a homicide detective. Jang Geun-suk said, "It's been a long time since I made a comeback, so I was worried about what kind of side I could show. I thought it would be good to break away from the typical look I've had so far. I grew a beard and tried to show a lot of restraint to express myself as a tough man." He also confessed, "I thought it would be awkward if I forced myself to look like myself, so I wondered how I could make it look natural even during the production stage. To be more honest from an actor's perspective, I had a desire to destroy myself."

Director Kim said, "Jang Geun-suk is called the Prince of Asia. We had a meeting and had a drink before final casting was confirmed. I got the feeling that this guy is also a saint." He continued, "I thought Jang Geun-suk would be able to express the feeling of the detective character Goo Do-hwan well. I had a detective in my image, so I asked him to do it together, and we talked about costumes and makeup together, and I think he did a good job."

Jang Geun-suk, who had been on hiatus for a while, said, "If you include military service, 5 years have passed. The wait was not in vain, and the script I cherished is 'bait'. I have recharged for 5 years. I have never taken a break during my activities. "I didn't have any, but I feel like I lived the life I wanted to live. In the meantime, I read a lot of scripts and learned what I wanted to learn. Five years have passed since then," he said. He continued, “I tried to do a good job on set. I felt like I was alive.”

Jang Geun-suk said, “I wanted to feel catharsis, like when I did a movie called ‘Itaewon Murder Case’ in the past, I heard people say things like, ‘That guy knows how to act like that.’” He also confessed, "I wanted to destroy the obvious Jang Geun-suk and select a new me. I think that was the goal for which I spent five years of waiting and suffering."

Jang Geun-suk said, "It was a time that filled me for the past 5 years. I have never rested once and I like acting, so I have been working continuously since I was young. I will show you for the first time what I gained, what I filled, and what I emptied during the time that was longer than expected. “I think the position I can take is ‘bait,’” he said, adding, “I was most impressed by the acting training I received. I was happy.” He continued, “Before filming, I had doubts about whether I could do well on my own, so I received training, and every moment of worrying was meaningful.”

Heo Seong-tae played the role of Noh Sang-cheon, the worst fraud criminal. Heo Seong-tae said, "The director and makeup director made differences in Noh Sang-cheon's makeup and dressing depending on the time difference. Even if I didn't have to think, 'I have to do it this way,' when I did the dressing and makeup, it came out naturally. This is the power of makeup and costumes." “I felt it through the work,” he said.

Heo Seong-tae, who wore a variety of outfits, said, "It was my first time wearing so many clothes, and Jang Geun-suk said it was his first time wearing only one piece of clothing." Jang Geun-suk laughed, saying, “The time to change clothes was minimal, so the scene moved quickly.”

Heo Seong-tae said, "I didn't reference any works. I've played a lot of villains, and when I first met the director after reading this script, I said, 'I want to write a comprehensive encyclopedia of villains.' He then confessed, "There are parts that I added strength to and parts that I removed. It is also a chronological structure of the character Noh Sang-cheon. I also had a spirit of challenge as to whether I could express the character in the play over a long period of time."

Elijah Lee played Na-yeon Cheon, a reporter and family member of the victim of the 'Noh Sang-cheon fraud case'. In the play, Nayeon's father becomes a victim of fraud when she was a high school student. Elijah Lee said, “I thought about Nayeon’s ongoing emotions and goals beyond the past and present, and talked a lot with the director.” Elijah Lee said, "I read the character Nayeon in the script and tried to find her emotions. I trusted the director and read the script diligently."

Regarding his chemistry with Jang Geun-suk, he said, "It was impressive to see him lead the scene cheerfully and comfortably as a senior, even when the cameras were off."

Jang Geun-suk made people laugh by sharing a story after filming, saying, "While filming this drama, Elijah Lee got his license, and there were many driving scenes. Every time I got on the car, I felt my life was in danger." Elijah Lee was embarrassed and said, “I will take responsibility for your safety.”

'Bait' will be released twice every Friday through Coupang Play starting on the 27th.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr