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| ▲ This photo, provided by PlusM Entertainment, shows actor Cho Jin-woong. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by PlusM Entertainment, shows actor Cho Jin-woong from a scene in 'The Devil's Deal.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by PlusM Entertainment, shows actor Cho Jin-woong from a scene in 'The Devil's Deal.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean veteran actor Cho Jin-woong, who played Jeon Hae-woong in the upcoming drama thriller film “The Devil’s Deal,” said, “I was drawn to the character who leads the plot. It is way more exciting when the plot goes through dramatic changes, which was why I was initially attracted to the scenario.”
During an interview held with Yonhap News Agency at a cafe in Jongno-gu on Thursday, the actor shared his thoughts on his role in the forthcoming film. “The Devil’s Deal,” set in 1992, follows Jeon Hae-woong, a candidate for Busan and a permanent member of the National Assembly, who is forced out of the running as he becomes a thorn in the side of a local bigwig, Soon-tae (Lee Sung-min). Hunted down by loan sharks for defaulting on a campaign loan, Hae-woong struggles to win the gold badge on his own even by getting his hands dirty.
The actor said, “When a mouse is put in the corner, there is nowhere else to go than to just bite the cat. Hae-woong was also withstanding the very last of his strength, wishing to make even a scratch on Soon-tae,” adding, “I was able to relate to him easily as I myself have nowhere else to go. I am also holding onto the edge of the cliff as he does.”
“What else can I do now? I have now grown old, so I have nowhere else to go than to keep acting,” the 46-year-old actor said. “Whenever I join a new work, I always remind myself to do my best every time and to put everything on the line. I believe shooting a film is as if I am trying to balance myself like a tightrope walker. It depends on how much I enjoy walking on that thin line, but the moment I let my guard down or slip, I will hit the rock bottom hard. Then there is no use in crying and regretting.”
As the film highlights the enthralling clash between Hae-woong and Soon-tae, the scene where the two finally face each other is one of the highlights. Their fiery competition then reaches its climax while the two ambitious politicians share a conversation at a dimmish restaurant in the second half of the film. A drop of sweat falls down from Hae-woong’s face, and some exclaimed that the actor can even control his sweat glands.
The actor said, “It was a scene where I had to bring out all my energy,” adding, “I had to go on a war of nerves with Soon-tae without moving an inch.”
“The film was shot in the summer, so my face immediately turned red with the heat as I was immersed in the scene. I must have gotten lucky to have that drop of sweat running down my face,” the actor added with a smile.
“Hae-woong may seem desperate to the viewers but I actually played him with excitement,” said Cho, adding that he enjoyed shooting the film thanks to senior actor Lee Sung-min.
“I met Sung-min for the first time as a supporting actor in the television series ‘Hot Blood,’ and he is as same as he was then. When I am with him, I never feel uncomfortable. He has this energy that makes co-actors also immersed in the scenes, so I was able to enjoy shooting this film to its fullest.”
He then expressed his affection for acting, saying, “I love acting whenever I feel that way.”
“I even ponder over why there are not more people acting. I just love this job. Who is good from the start? One must face trials, shed tears, and overcome. I never regretted to start acting as I am given stages where I can adore my job.”
The film is set in Busan, the hometown of Cho. He added while blushing, “Busan has always been my favorite city, so I was excited to shoot the film in Busan.” The actor himself made a visit to several spots in Busan to find the best place that demonstrates Busan in 1992, adding, “I came to love Yeosu and Geoje as well.”
When asked if he intends to become a politician in the future as his character in the film, the actor strongly disclaimed by waving his hands. However, he added that the film gave him an opportunity to think once again about the true meaning of justice.
“I think the film gave me a chance to think about myself once again. Once I played Lee Jae-han in the television series ‘Signal,’ I would always deny that I am not as righteous as him. My human desires may refrain me from doing justice. However, while shooting this film, I thought that if something similar happens to me in real life, I should not let myself do that. Even if I lose something, I made up my mind to never give up on evil or be frustrated by its power. I think there certainly were lessons that I learned from the character in this film.”
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)
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