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| yna@yna.co.kr 2024-05-23 17:01:29
SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- A tantalizing yet harsh show where participants endure for immense rewards. Contestants go days without water, fight until they are bloodied, and use electric shocks as punishment. While all eight contestants grow increasingly haggard, one stands out with a constant smile, declaring, "This is so much fun. Let's not leave."
In Netflix's new series 'The Eight Show,' actress Chun Woo-hee plays the unpredictable "8th floor" character. In an interview on the 23rd at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Chun reflected on her role, saying, "It was a continuous process of letting go."
'The Eight Show' follows eight participants who discover that the longer they survive, the more money they earn. Chun's character, who picks the number 8 at the start, is assigned to the 8th floor, enjoying absolute power in a place where status is determined by residence level.
The higher the floor, the more money accumulates per minute. The 8th floor earns 340,000 KRW per minute, while the 1st floor earns only 10,000 KRW per minute. Food and water are distributed through the 8th floor, leaving lower floors at the mercy of the top.
"The show humorously and critically portrays social realities using absolute time and relative money as themes," Chun noted. "I usually empathize deeply with my characters, but 8th floor was the complete opposite of me. I approached it with simple curiosity and later faced many challenges interpreting and acting out the role."
The participants realize that the mysterious organizers extend the show's duration when entertained, prompting them to seek increasingly provocative ways to capture interest. Early attempts involve singing, dancing, and talent shows, but they escalate to more violent and shocking tactics for rewards.
Chun's character, wielding absolute power, exploits the lower floors, buys weapons, and hires the athletic 6th floor (played by Park Hae-joon) to oppress others. Torture becomes a means to extend the show's duration.
"Each of the eight characters had a clear role, and 8th floor pursued endless stimulation, pleasure, and instinctual desires," Chun explained. "It was challenging, pushing my limits and showing new sides of myself, making every scene feel like a bungee jump."
"When I first met the director, he wanted someone willing to throw everything into the role. I always think of acting as a bungee jump—if there's trust and safety, I can jump anytime. I even asked the director if he could give me that trust," Chun recalled with a laugh.
8th floor, finding unprecedented joy and excitement in the show's violence, fully enjoys her dystopian utopia, resulting in an unsettling conclusion that strays from traditional moral justice narratives.
Chun commented, "The ending highlighted the show's messages about class inequality and absurdity. If it had ended with moral justice, it would have been satisfying but less impactful. The uncomfortable ending felt more realistic and resonant."
Debuting in the 2004 film 'My Lovely Week,' Chun Woo-hee made a name for herself in 'Sunny' (2011) and expanded her acting range in 'Han Gong-ju' (2014), 'The Wailing' (2016), and the drama 'Be Melodramatic' (2019). She currently stars in JTBC's 'I'm Not a Hero.'
"As an actor, I have a strong desire to keep moving forward," Chun said. "I want to act for life, slowly progressing with my unique direction. Although my choices haven't always aligned with my desires, I've never regretted them."
"I realized it's been 20 years since my debut. While I don't give much weight to time, I feel like I'm climbing a staircase. It seems like it took forever to get here, but I know there's still a long way to go. It feels like I'm just beginning," she concluded with a smile.
[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]