Yeo Jin-goo Interview, part II: I am a Timid Person

Part II or the Yeo Jin-gu interview is below. You can find part I here. In this part he focused more on his recent movie and it’s unforseen political ties. He also talked about voting for the first time and his “campaign” pledge to the movie going audience.

FULL INTERVIEW – Part II
YEO JIN-GOO, I AM A TIMID PERSON
Kyung Hyang Sports | May 27, 2017 | Translated By Bah+Doo
Originally written by 이다원 기자 edaone@kyunghyang.com>

[인터뷰②] 여진구 “이정재 따귀 장면, 소심해 여러 번 찍었다”
[Interview 2] Yeo Jin-gu “I am a timid person , so I had to take on the scene where I slapped Lee Jung-jae”

배우 여진구는 영화 <대립군>에서 ‘광해’를 유약하지만 점점 성장하는 리더로 그려냈다. 특히 ‘토우’ 역을 맡은 이정재의 마초적인 이미지와 대비시키며 연약한 ‘광해’를 더욱 도드라지게 표현했다.
In the movie Warriors of the Dawn, actor Yeo Jin-gu played king “Guang-hae” who was a weak king in the beginning but became a strong leader. He especially expressed a very frail “Guang-hae” compare to the macho image of Lee Jung-jae’s “Toe-woo” character in the movie.

“이정재 선배와 함께 연기하면서 도움을 많이 받았어요. ‘광해’가 변화를 맞을 때 격한 표정을 짓는 게 아닌 마음의 일렁임만으로 관객에게 전달하고 싶었는데, 이정재 선배의 섬세한 감정 표현들, 의미 있는 눈빛들을 보고 배웠죠. 어떻게 그렇게 연기할 수 있느냐고 물으니 ‘너도 나이 들면 이렇게 돼’라고 답하더라고요. 이정재 선배의 그런 감성은 정말 뺏어오고 싶더라고요.”
“Lee Jung-jae seonbae helped me a lot with acting. I wanted to express the emotional changes of “Guang-hae” by slight tremblings in his mind, not with strong facial expressions, and I learned delicate emotional expressions and meaningful gazes from him [Lee Jung Jae]. When I asked him how he could do that kind of acting, he told me when you get old, you can do it. I really wanted to steal his sensibility.”

극 중 이정재의 뺨을 때리는 장면을 얘기하니 웃음부터 터뜨렸다.
When I asked him about slapping Lee Jung-jae’s face in the movie, he busted out laughing.

“그게 데뷔 이후 처음으로 누군가를 때리는 장면이었어요. 전날부터 마음을 단단히 먹었죠. 그런데 막상 이정재 선배를 때리려고 하니 소심해지더라고요. 그래서 촬영을 엄청 여러 번 했어요. 선배 턱을 칠 정도로 강하게 때렸는데도, 화면에선 약하게 보이더라고요. 죄송했어요.”
“It was my first time slapping someone’s face since I début. I prepared my mind from the night before. But when I really tried to slap his face, I became unconfident. We had to repeat that scene over and over again. I thought I was slapping him hard enough, but it looked wimpy on-screen. I was really sorry to him.”

촬영지가 고산지라 매일 오르내리기 고되지 않았냐고 하니 역시나 건강한 대답이 돌아왔다. 
When asked if it was hard to go up and down the high elevations every day, of course, a healthy response came back.

“오히려 감정을 끌어올리는 데에 도움이 되던 걸요. 전란을 겪은 어린 왕이니 몸이 고된 건 당연한 것이고, 그 와중에 화를 내거나 좌절하는 감정을 잡아야 했으니까요. 또 건강도 좋아진 것 같아요. 정상까지 올라가면 가끔 힘들기도 했지만요.”
“It actually helped me with acting. Of course, it should be physically demanding because he was a young king that just went through war, so I had to express his anger and frustration. Also, it made me healthier. Although, sometimes it was hard to walk all the way to the top.”

영화를 찍는 동안 나라에 다양한 변화가 있었다. 이 때문에 두려움과 걱정이 교차하기도 했다며 껄껄 웃었다.
He laughed and said that while shooting the movie, there were big changes in Korea. Because of that, some fear and worry came across.

“첫 촬영할 땐 작품 속에 정치적 메시지가 있다곤 전혀 생각하지 않았어요. 당시엔 나라가 그럴 만한 분위기도 아니었잖아요? 그런데 촬영하면서 여러 사건이 터지더라고요. 현장에서도 걱정이 많았죠. ‘이상적인 리더’를 그리는 영화라 관객에게 너무 정치적으로 다가가지 않을까 우려도 했고요. 하지만 지금은 오히려 다행인 것 같아요. 희망찬 메시지로 전달될 것 같거든요.”
When we started shooting the movie, we didn’t think there was any political message. Korea was not in that atmosphere at all at that moment, right? But while we were shooting, a lot of things happened. We worried a lot. We were concerned that this movie was too political because the main theme of the movie is about the “Ideal leader.” Now, I think it was fortunate for us. I think it can be portrayed as a hopeful message.

그는 올해 첫 투표권을 행사했다며 묘한 기분이었다고 고백했다.
He said it was weird to cast his vote for the first time.

“전 사전투표 했어요. 첫 투표인데 이렇게 빨리 할 줄은 몰랐죠. 그래서 그런지 느낌이 더 새로웠던 것 같아요. 내가 찍은 도장 하나가 나라에 큰 영향을 미치니까요. 그 순간만큼은 배우가 아닌 대한민국 국민으로서 많은 생각이 들었어요. 가볍게 찍으러 갔는데 그 도장이 엄청 무겁게 느껴졌고요. 앞으로 꾸준히 나랏일에 관심을 가져야겠다 싶었어요.”
“I early voted. It was my first time voting, but I didn’t expect this so soon. Maybe that is why it was so refreshing to me because my one vote can have a big effect in Korea. At that moment a lot of thoughts came across as a citizen, not as an actor. I went to vote without thinking much, but at the voting site, the stamp felt so heavy. I thought, I will pay close attention to politics from now on.”

그렇다면 그는 이번 작품 성적에 어떤 기대를 갖고 있을까.
So, what kind of expectations does he have for the movie.

“제가 관객수 500만 돌파 공약, 700만 돌파 공약을 ‘프리허그’로 내걸었거든요. 이 공약들을 모두 이루고 싶어요. 으하하.” 
“5 million people, if it passes 7 million people then my campaign pledge is a “free hug.” I want to achieve my pledge. Hahaha.” (The current Korean president promised a free hug on Hong-dae street if the early voting rate surpassed 25%)

-인터뷰③에서 이어집니다
-continued in part 3.

SOURCE Kyung Hyang Sports