Park Eun-bin’s Arena magazine interview: I am just who I am

This is one of the more interesting interviews I have come across. It was so open and relaxing, I really enjoyed reading it. Most actors aren’t as forthcoming as Park Eun-bin (박은빈) was in this interview, so it was really unexpected to get such candid answers from her. She didn’t divulge her souls or anything like that, but it does seem like she answered honestly. The reason might be because Park Eun-bin is a veteran actor by now, having debuted as a child. She probably doesn’t have the same feelings toward media as her contemporaries who are new to the game.

It seems like she knows the type of person she is and she doesn’t need to pretend to be anyone else. She is happy the way she is. The complete interview is below if you would like to have a look.

INTERVIEW

한쪽 손으로 입고 있던 재킷의 끝자락을 천천히 매만지며, 박은빈은 순수함에 대해 이야기했다.
While slowly touching the end of her jacket with one hand, Park Eun-bin talked about purity.

“순수한 사람이고 싶어요. 그냥 제가 그런 사람인 게, 덜 거북해요. 순수하다, 맑다는 말 좋아해요. 순수하게 사는 것이 재미없는 삶은 아니거든요. 순수하다는 건 오히려 어딘가에 몰입할 수 있는 힘이 크다는 뜻이에요.” 그렇게 말하는 동안 박은빈은 다릴 꼭 모으고 앉아 있었다. 허리는 꼿꼿하게 세웠다. 스물여섯에도 여전히 순수의 힘을 믿는 청춘은, 순수의 가치를 드높이는 청춘은 자신이 가지고 태어난 맑은 천성을 잘 아는 것 같았다. 모든 질문에 그녀는 기승전결 형식으로 답했다. 주어와 동사가 딱딱 손잡은 문장들이, 작은 입에서 명랑하게 흘러나왔다.
“I want to be a pure person. That is who I am, I feel more comfortable that way. I like words like pure and clear. Living purely doesn’t mean it isn’t an enjoyable life. Being pure and innocent rather means having a lot more power for total immersion into something.” While she talks, she sat with her legs together and her back straight. A twenty-six years old woman, who still believes in the power of purity, a young person who raises the value of purity, clearly knows her own God-given pure nature. To every question asked, she answered in a well-organized manner. Her sentences, with a perfectly positioned subjects and verbs, cheerfully came out from her petite mouth.

드라마 <아버님 제가 모실게요>에 ‘오동희’ 역으로 출연하고 있죠. 연애하는 역할은 데뷔 이래 처음이라면서요. 어느 인터뷰에서 연애해본 적이 없다고 했던 거 기억나요? “진짜 하고 싶은 일이 있었기 때문에 여유가 없었다”고 했죠.
아마 학업이나 연기를 의미했을 거예요. 의무감이나 책임감을 강하게 느끼는 편이에요. 그게 제 원동력이거든요.
You are starring in the drama Father, I’ll Take Care of You as Oh Dong-hee. I heard it was the first character you’ve played who is dating. Do you remember what you said previously in an interview, that you have never dated someone before? You said, “I don’t have time to have a relationship because I want to do what I really want to do.”
Maybe I meant studying or acting. I feel a strong sense of duty and responsibility. That is my driving force.

연애가 우선순위인 적은 없었나요?
연애는 기회 되면 찾아오는 선물 같은 거죠. 제가 외로운 건지 아닌지 사실 잘 모르겠어요. 오랫동안 저 자신의 감정을 제대로 직시하지 못하고 살았거든요. 그로부터 파생된 참혹한 결과일 수도 있겠네요. 하하. 그나마 대학교에서 공부하며, 나를 많이 알게 됐어요.
Did you have any moments where being in a relationship with someone was your priority?
Romance is like a gift you receive when you have the chance (or when you are ready). I don’t exactly know if I am lonely or not. I didn’t have the chance to face my own emotions for a long time. Maybe this is the tragic outcome from it (ie: the chance to face her own emotions). Haha. However, I got to know myself a lot better in college.

심리학이 전공이죠? 공부하며 알게 된 ‘나’ 중에서, 가장 놀랄 만한 점이 있어요?
알고 보니 저는 화를 잘 못 느끼는 사람이더라고요. 화가 나는데, 스스로는 화라고 생각하지 못했어요. 저는 아주 어릴 때, 아역 배우로 이 일을 시작했거든요. 5세 때부터요. 주변에는 늘 어른뿐이었죠. 감정을 드러내기보단 참는 법부터 익혔던 거예요. 스스로 굉장히 억제하고 억압한 거예요. 그러다 보니 정말 억울한 순간, 외부로 돌려야 마땅한 화살조차 저 자신을 향했죠.
Your major is Psychology, right? What is the most surprising thing you learned about yourself?
I realized I didn’t see my anger too well. I was definitely angry, but I didn’t think I was angry. I have been acting since I was very young. Since 5 years old. There were only adults around me. I had to learn how to suppress my emotions, rather than express them. I really suppressed and repressed my feeling. Therefore, when I was actually falsely charged about something, I blamed myself rather than pointing the finger at others.

그런 자신을 알고선 달라졌나요?
안다 해도, 다른 사람을 향해 제 감정을 표출하는 게 쉽지 않더라고요. 그래서 그냥 살기로 했어요. 다행히 연기를 할 수 있는 자리에 있잖아요. 요즘은 나의 감정을 연기로 승화하는 법을 찾는 중이에요.
How did you change after you knew yourself better?
Even though I knew about it, it was difficult to express my feelings to others. So, I decided to just live like I used to live. Fortunately, I am an actress. Recently, I am looking for ways to express my emotions through acting.

맑은 사람인 것 같아요.
정말요? 좋은데요. 순수성을 간직한 사람이고 싶거든요. 깨끗하고 맑아 보이는 사람이고 싶어요. 순수하다, 맑다 그런 말 좋아해요.
I think you are a clear person. (which means she is pure and clear like a child)
Really? I like that. I want to be someone with purity. I want to appear clear and pure. I like words like pure and clear.

순수하다는 말을 가치 있게 생각하네요.
순수하다는 말이 나쁜가요? 뭘 좀 모른다 해도 저는 그냥 순수하고 맑은 사람으로 살고 싶어요. 제가 진짜 순수한지 아닌지는 앞으로 계속 달라질 문제이지만요. 지금의 제가 불순하지 않다는 건 아니에요. 맑은 모습이, 저 스스로 봤을 때 덜 거북할 뿐이죠. 순수해도 다이내믹한 삶을 살 수 있어요. 순수하게 사는 게 재미없는 삶은 아니에요. 또 순수하면 어딘가에 몰입할 수 있는 힘이 크다고 생각해요. 그래도 사소한 일탈은 좀 해요. 집에 돌아와서 메이크업 지우기 전에 빨간 립스틱 같은 걸 발라본다든지요.
You value the word pure.
Is it bad to be pure? I just want to remain pure and clear even though I don’t know the world. Whether I am really pure or not will constantly change in the future. It doesn’t mean I am not pure. When I look at myself, a clear appearance makes me feel more comfortable. A pure person can have a dynamic life. Living purely doesn’t mean it is a boring life. Moreover, I think if you are pure, you have more strength to immerse yourself in something. However, I still do little departures from the norm. Things like putting on red lipstick before I retire for the day.

박은빈에게 일탈은 그런 것인가요? 바르지 않던 립스틱을 발라보는 것.
새삼스럽게 해보는 일이니까요. 빨간 립스틱이 어렸을 때는 정말 안 어울렸거든요. 근데 이제는 조금씩 덜 어색해지더라고요. 연기 생활하면서 꼭 하고 싶은 역할이 있는데요. 항상 그 역할을 생각하면서 발라봐요. 그 역할에 대해서는 아직 말할 수 없어요. 하하.
Is putting on lipstick, that you are not used to, a departure from the norm for you?
Because I do it abruptly. When I was young, red lipstick was really unflattering. But now it gets a little less awkward. There is a role I really want to try. I always think about this role while putting the red lipstick on. I can’t tell you what the role is yet. Haha.

그럼 이렇게 물을게요. 왜 그 여자는 빨간 립스틱을 진하게 바르죠?
겉으로는 강하고 속은 여린 거예요. 나름 전형적인 캐릭터죠. 외강내유. 그런 역할 한번 해보고 싶어요. 제가 잘할 수 있을 거라는 생각이 들거든요. 아, 또 일탈하고 싶은 날이 있었어요. 뭐든 혼자서 해보고 싶어 혼자 명동 가서 쇼핑하고 밥을 먹었어요. 노래방도 갔어요. 근데 이건 조금 부끄러웠고요.
I will put it in this way. Why does that woman apply heavy red lipstick to her lips?
She has a soft heart under a thick skin. It is a kind of stereotypical character. Strong outside, but soft inside. I want to play such a character. I think I can do it well. Oh, there was one other day that I wanted to do something different. I wanted to do whatever, so I ate and shopped alone at Myung-dong. I went to Karaoke alone as well. Actually, it was kind of embarrassing.

<“순수하다는 말이 나쁜가요?
뭘 좀 모른다 해도 저는 그냥 순수하고 맑은 사람으로 살고 싶어요.
순수해도 다이내믹한 삶을 살 수 있어요.
순수하게 사는 게 재미없는 삶은 아니에요.
순수하면 어딘가에 몰입할 수 있는 힘이 크다고 생각해요.”
“Is it bad to be pure?
I just want to remain pure and clear even though I don’t know the world.
A pure person can have a dynamic life.
Living purely doesn’t mean you have a boring life.
Moreover, I think if you are pure, you have more strength to immerse yourself in something.”

혼자 여행도 가요?
그건 못해봤어요. 앞으로도 그런 마음은 쉽게 먹지 못할 거예요. 안전주의자거든요. 안전에 대한 욕구가 커요. 아마도 지난날 겪은 불안한, 불안정한 순간 때문인 것 같아요. 촬영 현장에는 아찔한 순간이 정말 많아요. 어렸을 때부터 위험한 촬영을 많이 했어요. 지금 생각하면, 정신 차리지 않았다면 죽었겠구나 하는 순간이 정말 많아요.
Do you also travel alone?
I haven’t tried it yet. I don’t think I will do that easily in the future. I am a “safety first” person. I have a big desire for safety. Maybe it is because of the unstable, unsettled moments that I experienced when I was young. While filming, there are many dizzying moments. Ever since I was young I have had a lot of dangerous filming experiences. In retrospect, I had a lot of experiences that might have killed me if I wasn’t alert.

겉으로 표현은 못했지만, 일종의 트라우마가 되었나 봐요.
그런 것 같아요. 촬영할 때는 뭐든 다 해요. 반대로 평소에는 보통 사람보다 더 안전에 대해 민감하게 생각하며 살아요. 저는 한 해도 빠짐없이 일했거든요. 1996년에 데뷔한 이후로 계속이요. 여름이면 혹시나 눈병에 걸릴까 수영장도 안 가고, 겨울이면 다리가 부러질까 스키장도 안 갔어요. 안 해본 게 정말 많아요. 못해본 것에 대한 욕구를 연기하며 충족시키는 것 같아요.
You couldn’t express it to others, so it became a kind of trauma for you.
I agree. When I am in front of the camera, I do everything. On the other hand, in real life, I usually think about safety a lot more than other people. Since I debuted in 1996, I didn’t go to swimming pools just in case I might catch an eye infection. In winter, I didn’t go skiing just in case I might break my leg. There are so many things I didn’t try (or do). I think I am fulfilling the desire of all the things I couldn’t do with acting.

조심하며 살아야 하는 것에 불만은 없어요?
없어요. 그렇게 사는 게 습관이 된 것 같아요. 최대한 조심하면서 살고, 연기하면서 만족하는 게 제 오래된 생활 방식이었으니까요. 그런데 뭐, 배우라고 다 이렇게 지내는 건 아니에요. 다들 조심조심 잘 즐기면서 살더라고요. 하하.
Do you have any complaints about being so careful?
None. I think I am just used to it. My lifestyle is just being as careful as possible and being satisfied with my acting. Well, anyway, not all actors live like this. Other actors live happily while being safe. haha

<“의무감이나 책임감을 강하게 느끼는 편이에요.
그게 제 원동력이거든요.”
“I feel a strong sense of duty and responsibility.
That is my driving force.”

다른 면도 보수적인 편인가요?
많이요. 예전 같았으면, 오늘 같은 촬영은 절대 못했을 거예요. 오늘은 마음이… 열리게 하시던데요? 하하.
Are you conservative on other aspects of your life?
A lot. If I was the way I used to be, I would never have done a photo shoot like this. Perhaps today you opened…my mind? Haha.

배꼽이 살짝 보이는 옷을 입을 때조차 많이 부끄러워했어요.
맞아요. 하하. 전 왜 그럴까요. 날 때부터 그랬대요. 그냥 원래 제 DNA에 들어 있는 성향인 것 같아요. 3세 때부터 아빠 앞에서 옷도 안 갈아입었대요. 셔츠 입을 때 보통 윗단추 한두 개는 풀잖아요. 어렸을 때 저는 늘 끝까지 단추를 채웠어요. 누가 그렇게 시킨 것도 아닌데.
You looked a little self-conscious, especially when you tried on the clothes that showed a little bit of your belly button.
That’s right. Haha. Why am I this way? I heard that I’ve been like this since birth. Maybe it is ingrained in my DNA. I didn’t even change my clothes in front of my Dad since I was three years old. When people put on button-up shirts, they usually leave one or two top buttons unbuttoned, but I always filled all the buttons since I was little, even though no one told me to.

부모님께서 그렇게 입어야 단정하다고 가르쳐주신 건 아니고요?
전혀요. 저 스스로 그렇게 하고 다녔대요. 어렸을 땐 엄마가 머리를 묶어주잖아요. 머리카락 한 올 삐져나오는 게 싫어서 늘 엄마에게 더 촘촘한 빗 없냐고, 참빗 같은 걸로 빗어달라고 할 정도였죠.
Did your parents teach you to dress that way because it is tidy?
Not at all. I was doing it on my own. When you are young, your Mom usually ties your hair right? I didn’t like any loose hairs, so I always asked my mom if she had a more compact comb, like a fine tooth bamboo comb, to brush my hair.

박은빈 하면 <청춘시대>에서 연기한 송지원부터 떠오르는데, 아예 딴판이네요. 송지원은 털털하기 그지없었잖아요. 음담패설도 잘하고요.
제가 태어나 한번도 입 밖으로 내보지 않은 단어들을 송지원은 마구 썼죠. 거침없이! 촬영장에서는 괜찮은 척하려고 노력했어요. 엄청나게요. 아무도 모를 거예요. 제가 얼마나 괜찮지 않았는지는.
When I think of Park Eun-bin, the character of Song Ji-won from Age of Youth first comes to mind. You are very different. Song Ji-won was so easy-going. She was good at dirty talk as well.
Song Ji-won used a lot of words that I have never used in my entire life. Without any hesitation! At the filming site, I tried to look cool. I did my best. No one probably knows how uncomfortable I was.

나와 전혀 다른 사람을 연기하는 일은 둘 중 하나일 것 같아요. 쾌감이 있거나, 고통스럽거나.
처음에는 많이 고통스러웠어요. 그런데 괜찮아지더라고요. 이태곤 감독님 눈에 제 첫인상이 신사임당 같았대요. 송지원을 연기하며 박은빈 인생도 바뀌기를 바랐다고 하시더라고요. 제가 처음엔 늘 두 다리 모으고 다소곳이 앉아 있었다면, 촬영이 진행되면서는 ‘짝다리’를 짚고 서 있기도 했나 봐요. 그런 걸 무척 좋아하셨어요.
I guess acting like a person who is completely different from yourself could be one way or the another, good or painful.
At first, I had a lot of pain. But I became used to it. Director Lee Tae-gon told me that my first impression was just like Shin Saimdang (a traditional motherly character). He said he wanted Park Eun-bin’s life to turn around while acting as Song Ji-won. At the beginning of filming, I was sitting modestly with my legs closed, but I started to casually lean on one foot while standing. He really liked that.

<청춘시대> 이후로는 ‘신사임당’ 같은 박은빈에게도 변화가 찾아왔나요?
직후에는 좀 편해지고 털털해졌어요. 아쉽게도, 역시 관성은 힘이 센가 봐요. 작품 끝나고 조금 지나니 다시 원래의 박은빈으로 거의 돌아오더라고요. 그래도 지원이라는 캐릭터에게 무척 고마워요. 연기하는 동안 나름 자유로움을 느꼈거든요. 이렇게 사는 삶도 있구나, 하면서요.
After Age of Youth, did you, a person who is like “Shin Saimdang,” change a lot?
Right after the drama, I became more relaxed and easy-going. Unfortunately, the inertia was very powerful as well. After a little while, I came back to my original self again. But I am thankful to the character of Ji-won. I felt free while playing her. I thought, there is a life like this.

햇살이 좋네요. 봄이 진짜 오나 봐요. 촬영이 없는 날이라 들었는데, 인터뷰 끝나면 뭐할 거예요?
수업 들으러 가요. 이번이 마지막 학기거든요. 처음으로 학교 다니면서 촬영하고 있어요. 욕심을 냈죠. 마지막 학기는 좀 여유롭게 다니려고 이전까지 학점 이수를 빡빡하게 해두었어요. 이번에는 9학점만 들으면 돼요.
It is a beautiful sunshiny day today. The spring is really coming. I heard you don’t have a strict schedule today, what are you going to do after the interview?
I will go to class. This is my last semester. It is my first time working while attending school. I was a little ambitious. I wanted my last semester to be more relaxed, so I took a lot of classes early on. I only need to take 9 credit hours.

FIN

Wasn’t this a really interesting interview? I enjoyed reading it, I hope you did too. On a housekeeping note, I try to do one to two interviews a week, but sometimes it is more and other times I struggle to get even one done. Be sure to subscribe if you don’t want to miss any.

Source Arena

FEED YOUR OBSESSION
Interview with Song Ha-yoon for the drama Fight for My Way
Park Seo-joon Grazia Interview: The Perfect Match
Lee Sung-kyung Grazia magazine interview: Spring in Switzerland