In a time when OTT is prevalent, Yoo Hae-jin remains focused solely on 'acting,' not yielding to the trend. His performances, which thoroughly prepare for ad-libs, undoubtedly leave no room for disagreement, at least away from the platform. I met him after he took on an unprecedented villain in 'YADANG: The Snitch'.
Yoo Hae-jin conducted an interview at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 15th. He spoke with domestic reporters about the movie 'YADANG: The Snitch' (directed by Hwang Byeong-gook, provided/distributed by Plus M Entertainment, produced by HYBE Media Corp).
'YADANG: The Snitch' is a crime action movie that unfolds as a drug broker, who designs the drug market in South Korea, a prosecutor aspiring for higher ranks, and a detective who risks everything to eliminate drug crimes, interweave for different purposes. In this, Yoo Hae-jin shines as the ambitious prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee.
After the 10 million-view film 'Burial', Yoo Hae-jin meets audiences again a year later with a new movie. Unlike 'YADANG: The Snitch,' he boasts long hair. Currently filming the new movie 'The King's Man' (abbreviated as 'Kangsa-nam'), he humorously shared, "It's a historical drama, so I have to style my hair. Even if I wear a wig, I need to have my hair up, and I used this excuse to grow it out. Doesn't it suit me? I've heard that a lot."
Even without 'Kangsa-nam,' Yoo Hae-jin has been busier than anyone else. He travels from Gangwon Province, where 'Kangsa-nam' is filmed, to Seoul, where promotions for 'YADANG: The Snitch' are ongoing, and he has another new film, 'Soju War,' set to be released this coming June. Despite being prolific, he does not play similar characters. In 'YADANG: The Snitch,' he plays a villain, while in other works, he appears in different roles. When asked if the shift between good and evil roles was intentional, Yoo Hae-jin joked, "Even if I do it intentionally, they release it whenever they want."
What drew Yoo Hae-jin to 'YADANG: The Snitch' was the very subject of a drug broker. Although the title might evoke thoughts of a political film, 'YADANG: The Snitch' is a slang term referring to brokers who provide clues in drug investigations that can easily lead to organized crime. Yoo Hae-jin said, "Honestly, drugs are not a new subject for me. However, I found the relationships surrounding this 'YADANG: The Snitch' intriguing. I enjoyed reading the script. I learned about 'YADANG: The Snitch' through this project. I think many people were probably unaware of it. Only those who researched to make the movie might have realized it," he stated with surprise.
Because it deals with a fresh topic, Yoo Hae-jin made efforts to break away from stereotypes. He revealed, "I didn't try to control the tone, but I wanted to perform gravely. Koo Kwan-hee is a seasoned prosecutor. I didn't depict him like a rookie. If he were a newbie, ambition might show, but with Koo Kwan-hee's level of experience, I thought he would express ambition in a subdued manner. Showing how to convey that was crucial."
He continued, "I didn't use such expressions to avoid appearing typical. At times, I could express, 'That ambition is evident' boldly. However, I didn't want that. For instance, if Ryu Kyung-soo, playing the role of Cho-hoon, were to show gratitude with hearts, I would probably respond if I were in another role. However, Koo Kwan-hee does not react exaggeratedly; instead, he carries a heavier presence. There are many characters and a lot of action, making the film appear flashy, but I felt that being flashy might create excessive noise."
Therefore, Yoo Hae-jin cited Koo Kwan-hee's outburst of profanity as a notable scene and memorable line. He sought permission to imitate the profanity shown in the film, presenting the line "F*** that" and emphasized, "This scene best shows the pressure Koo Kwan-hee has faced and showcases his power most effectively."
He explained, "That scene was actually the first shoot. I really pondered over it. I thought Koo Kwan-hee should feel somewhat relieved. The preceding line was supposed to say, 'I am this kind of person,' but actually, the script only had that line. However, I felt that such expressions should naturally follow to convey this person's power, illustrating that he is above others."
Thus, Yoo Hae-jin said, "Even though it's a profanity scene, I told the director, 'Please don't cut it.' I reviewed it several times until the technical screening. It was that important to me for expression." He added, "If Koo Kwan-hee only had ambition, it's a part where that ambition could be expressed strongly. I would have felt disappointed if it was removed," he laughed.
Fortunately, the reaction on set was good. He acted as if it came naturally. As you will see in the film, even if he was 'eating rice' or 'getting beaten by an IV,' it was a good situation for such language. It was impossible not to curse. It would have been too childish otherwise," he said, increasing curiosity and anticipation.
Regarding a scene reminiscent of 'cockroaches,' he explained, "Originally, I was supposed to be clapping while standing, not crawling. Nonetheless, the significance of 'cockroaches' in this project was significant. I wanted to look like a cockroach. So, I asked if we could shoot my crawling under the table like a bug. This led to the birth of a unique camera angle. An actor has to approach a scene with meaning, so I felt it was a scene worth being a part of."
Yoo Hae-jin also noted, "At the end, a cockroach crawls into me; that scene required a lot of thought from the director and me. It was originally a different scene with a different angle. But it seemed meaningful to have it enter my body," adding, "If this was my ad-lib, it felt like one. One of my favorite scenes is when I get dragged out and I say 'here, here.' We filmed it while laughing."
Perhaps due to this detailed performance, 'YADANG: The Snitch' is predicted to reflect a politically chaotic era, as it successfully portrayed an ambitious and corrupt prosecutor, despite not being a political term. Interestingly, Yoo Hae-jin remarked, "We didn't think that way while filming," and he was surprised to note, "Upon release, I realized there were such aspects."
However, he calmly stated regarding the film being interpreted politically, "If the film has a positive effect overall, that would be good. But I believe that the aspects unrelated to my individual feelings carry more weight, as I naturally resonate with them when observing such things."
Most importantly, regarding the scene that seems to portray Yoo Byung-woo, the former chief of civil affairs during the Choi Soon-sil gate, outside the prosecutor's office, he humorously stated, "If it was intentional, it would have been the director's intention," adding, "Would I have been that intentional?" He continued, "I think it could enhance the film's realism."
Coincidentally, in 'The Owl,' he played an embalmer chasing a malevolent spirit, and now in 'YADANG: The Snitch,' he transitions back to the villainous prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee. Reflecting on this filmography, Yoo Hae-jin said, "Being a good person often seems artificial and a bit corny. The interesting roles are the villains. It's challenging to be heavy, but still," he chuckled.
He remarked, "In fact, I think what matters most is meeting interesting works, rather than which character I play. What new story is presented is more appealing. Within that, I wouldn't be aiming to present myself saying, 'Oh, it's Yoo Hae-jin.' It's important to see if I melt into the new performance. Meeting new stories is the most important. I hope for something different."
However, Yoo Hae-jin expressed, "Both good and bad roles often carry typical traits. I've done a lot of typical roles. How do I break away from that? I'm sometimes worried if I can't break away at all. How can I escape each time? I wish I could be successful enough that people don't say, 'Why is Yoo Hae-jin acting like that?' This feels like my biggest task."
In that case, what does Yoo Hae-jin consider a 'good work' that he selects for himself? He stated, "Similar to the differentiation in 'YADANG: The Snitch,' I hope the story is fresh and not typical. It seems that many fresh stories come from webtoons. I regret that not many films reflect that freshness."
Recently in the domestic content market, the mainstream of fresh works has effectively shifted from films to OTT. Nonetheless, Yoo Hae-jin is a rare actor who has yet to participate in any OTT series. He shared, "I am entrenched in films. I've become accustomed to it. Listening to those who participate in OTT projects, they say it's almost similar to the current film scene, but I have slight worries and fears about an untried system. However, if it's a work worth trying, I'm open to it."
Regarding the film industry, which is facing difficulties in addition to the decline in theaters, he stated, "Overall, it's a trend, so what can I do? However, for someone who has continued to make films, it's regrettable. I hope another spring day comes again." He candidly admitted, "Honestly, I haven't watched much OTT," and amusingly recounted, "I was talking to Park Hae-jun, and I said, 'Wow, have you seen 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'?"
In fact, Park Hae-jun received much love for his role in the previously released Netflix original series 'When Life Gives You Tangerines.' Yoo Hae-jin recalled, "When Park Hae-jun said it was 'a lie,' I watched 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' through six episodes and cried a lot; I mentioned how incredible Yeom Hye-ran was. Even if the result of the work is not good, I thought that 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' which depicts life, is genuinely good, even if it might be challenging to succeed commercially. I briefly worked with Yeom Hye-ran during 'The Sweet Honey,' and I've always liked her. She's truly amazing. I cried a lot while watching."
While Yoo Hae-jin is still contemplating a challenge in OTT series, he dove back into theater last year. He performed in the 40th-anniversary production of the theater company where he began his acting career in his hometown of Cheongju. Yoo Hae-jin stated, "Having been in films for so long, I found the stage very daunting. It's entirely different. On stage, you cannot afford to make a single mistake, and the acting varies. It requires subtle emotions to be conveyed, allowing the audience to feel and take away much. Therefore, I had kept delaying, but when my senior suggested that it would be good to perform, even in a small role, for the 40th anniversary at the place where I started, I did it. And it was indeed a very happy time," he recalled as if reliving a dream.
The expression that brings even a single line of dialogue to life and takes him back to his youth when he recalls theater shows why Yoo Hae-jin is an actor. He captivates viewers, both up close and on the big screen, with his remarkable expressiveness. His new villain role in 'YADANG: The Snitch' opens on the 16th.
[Photo] Provided by Plus M Entertainment.
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