Through the blockbuster film 'Seoul's Spring' and the father of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' which causes 'Guan Sik's illness,' I reached Oh Sang-jae, who, once bitten, does not let go of the 'YADANG: The Snitch.' Can he once again move the audience with a blockbuster film? I listened to the story of actor Park Hae-joon, who claims the periphery at the center.
On the morning of the 15th, Park Hae-joon conducted an interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. During this meeting, he talked about the film 'YADANG: The Snitch' (directed by Hwang Byeong-guk, provided/distributed by Plus M Entertainment, produced by HYBE Media Corp) with domestic reporters.
'YADANG: The Snitch' is a crime action film that unfolds as a broker designing the drug scene in South Korea, a prosecutor aiming for higher goals, and a detective who devotes everything to eradicating drug crime intersect with different purposes. In this, Park Hae-joon passionately plays detective Oh Sang-jae, who struggles to eliminate drug crime.
When asked about his feelings about the release, Park Hae-joon expressed, "These days, films are scarce," sharing his overwhelming emotions. In particular, he noted, "I am curious about how the audience will view it and I am also looking forward to it."
Recently, taking on the role of a middle-aged Yang Kwan-sik in the Netflix original series 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' Park Hae-joon finds himself in a situation where he is showcasing a new film amid intense interest. He revealed, "The drama is getting a lot of attention, so on one hand, it feels good, but on the other hand, it's a different color genre, making it a bit difficult to adapt."
"It's confusing," he said, adding, "While I want to maintain the lingering feelings from the drama, a new project has come out too quickly. On one hand, I need to transition immediately." He continued, "The film is very interesting, with many intriguing parts, and I wonder how audiences will perceive this and how they will accept the changes. I think the movie will do well, and I hope it does well," he said with a smile.
Additionally, he stated, "I have no concerns. I think it's a grateful work that allows me to quickly transition rather than remain in the same character. I'm currently filming another project as well. 'YADANG: The Snitch' is a work that allows me to quickly break free from this role. Being able to show different characters is a wonderful thing," he noted.
While receiving hot love for 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' the aftermath surrounding the film remains. Regarding the 'Guan Sik's illness,' which he thinks of as 'Guan Sik' but appears as 'Hak-ssi' to others, what was it like for Park Hae-joon, who portrayed Guan Sik in the film?
He said, "These days, there are thoughts among men that they are treated this way at home. 'I left without even telling my wife,' I intentionally say. 'My wife doesn't interfere with this; she prepares seven-course meals and has never been to the kitchen,' this used to be a point of pride for our generation. But now living like Guan Sik has become a point of pride.
However, he remarked, "I wanted to express that as well, but I was a quiet person. I want to speak like 'Hak-ssi,' but I want to live as my father did when I was young, though I realized I shouldn't live that way. It has changed too much. In fact, at home, my wife says, 'Oppa is very close to Guan Sik.' I actually don't go out much, and I enjoy spending time with the kids. I poke around the kitchen to see if I can help. Just saying I'm helping sounds funny. It's just something we do together. I feel bad for being away so much, so I am grateful for managing the kids on my own," he said with a smile.
Furthermore, he mentioned, "I think I might have a bit of Guan Sik's illness myself. I think most men are family-oriented. I'm not sure if this is Guan Sik's illness. Still, my wife said I am somewhat like Guan Sik, about 50-70%. It seems even more so after watching the drama," he chuckled.
Furthermore, Park Hae-joon said, "Personally, I am grateful for being remembered for one work, but I think it is a great honor for an actor when people think, 'That person has such a diverse filmography and can tackle all kinds of roles.'"
From the despicable husband Lee Tae-oh in 'The World of the Married' to Yang Kwan-sik in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' Park Hae-joon laughed and said about the significant changes, "In fact, I've shown everything." He added, "Rather than thinking about how to present a character, what I do is to meet good works and act according to the roles. Doing my main job is the best. Both drama and film are characters I was involved with about a year ago, and now that they are being revealed to the public, what matters is focusing on the work I am doing right now. Of course, I'm not completely absorbed either," he said with a smile. However, he admitted, "Showing is a very different area, and there are so many diverse characters in the world."
Even Park Hae-joon, who seems so composed, expressed surprise at the title of 'middle-aged idol.' He said, "It seems they really like me. I am very grateful, but I do not know how to live as a middle-aged idol. Please suggest me a method, a way to live like a middle-aged idol. Our agency is not accustomed to that either. Should we train a bit in an idol company? Living that way for a while wouldn't be bad, would it? I don't know the method. I just want to live like this," he laughed.
He added, "I feel a bit uplifted here, but in fact, I feel very happy when I return to my main job. So I think I will leave idol lessons for next time. Idol in old age, that's the final phase of life, so I'll prepare for that. I will try to be a more matured idol then. I can't do it now," he joked.
Receiving hot love for 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' his previous work, the film 'Seoul's Spring,' was also a blockbuster. The start of 'YADANG: The Snitch' also originated from 'Seoul's Spring.' This was because he was invited to participate by director Hwang Byeong-guk, who was filming 'Seoul's Spring.' Park Hae-joon laughed, saying, "When I first met the director, we were both in military uniforms. But everyone around was calling him 'Director, Director.' I wondered why the director was acting."
He continued, "But what the director says is incredibly interesting. The representative of the production company, Kim Won-guk, gave me the script, and the cinematographer and lighting director were all from 'Seoul's Spring.' They were all asking if everyone had read the script, saying it was 'the most interesting commercial script of recent times.' It was just after I received the script, and indeed, it was a great script that flowed well. I found it genuinely enjoyable," he explained.
He said, "As it turns out, the director was in military uniform. Afterward, after watching the films that the director had made, I realized he hadn't directed any himself, only acted, so I thought, 'Ah, this person!' I thought he performed in a very distinct and fierce manner. I had no information on the director's style, so I relied on the cinematographer. Until then," he joked.
He also mentioned, "I thought that if I worked with the cinematographer, this script would make for an excellent film because the director also had deep internal conflicts about the work for a long time and poured everything into it. There are detailed aspects to his direction, and after the film came out, I realized, 'Why did he try to shoot that scene so extensively?' He's a very detail-oriented and meticulous person. In some ways, he is like Oh Sang-jae, who doesn't let go of what he bites and is relentless in getting it. Even the post-production ensured high quality, down to the sound," he emphasized.
Park Hae-joon emphasized, "I enjoyed working, and after filming, I had meals with the director and continued to discuss, asking 'How was it, Hae-joon?' I wondered why he had to put in so much effort when it was already well shot. Talking together was entertaining. I felt he truly poured his soul into it."
He was amazed to work alongside Kang Ha-neul and Yoo Hae-jin. He was surprised by Kang Ha-neul's consistent 'kind' energy, and he was taken aback by Yoo Hae-jin's villainous performance, expressing admiration. Park Hae-joon stated, "The actor Ryu Kyung-soo, who played Kang-soo and Jo-hoon, was also excellent. The combination of the three created a lot of tension. Viewers will be pleasantly surprised. I feel like I've never seen a scene like this," he marveled.
Similarly, Park Hae-joon paid attention to his own details. He explained, "In general, detectives act like gangsters when handling gangsters and act like similar types of people when investigating drug crimes. I had the desire to look like that. Since the film itself changes at a midpoint, I wanted to appear that way in the early part and then portray a different look in the latter half, paying a little attention to those transitions."
"I'm personally not sure if that expression came out well. But I think I managed to fill in the gaps pretty well. Without any major disruptions," he humbly expressed. "I personally feel that some people don't change easily. So for that character, I didn't mind habits or thoughts. The stuttering symptom that Han-ul exhibited was expressed based on the severity of the drug issue and physical changes, but for Oh Sang-jae, it was about a collapse of his belief in the world. He was confronted with a limit that prevented him from pursuing his job due to a force, leading to a shift in his mindset," he explained.
He stated, "In that sense, meeting Han-ul again to try and work hopefully is challenging with circumstances that prevent it, so I saw those aspects of collapsing and rising again as key points."
Fundamentally, Park Hae-joon was an actor open to the expressions of the script and the director. He reminisced, "In the past, when performing, I wanted to take on a variety of roles. I tackled roles that people usually avoid. Rather than glamorous roles, I preferred more natural roles. I wanted to play either genuinely villainous or resolved characters. I used to wonder if anyone would cast me in such roles, but now it doesn't matter."
He continued, "In the film 'Hwa-cha,' director Byun Young-joo gave me the role of a truly strange loan shark villain. At that time, it greatly broadened my spectrum. I now wonder if there's a role that I can't take on. Even with make-up help, I've often heard that I'm good looking, and now people say that again, which is a bit embarrassing, but I've heard that I look like an old-fashioned person. So the matching isn't so good. But I think the compliments that I seem human and relatable are the best."
Despite the various filmographies, it would be natural for Park Hae-joon to have conflicts about being the lead role. However, he asserted, "I don't have any conflicts. Maybe it's because I'm a bit lacking; it's better when multiple people help each other. When I can't do it, they compensate for me, and when they struggle, I do my best to support them; working together feels better. I really enjoy the thrill of pushing in each scene," he said with a smile.
He expressed, "Always, good works are those where not only the lead roles but also the supporting roles excel; it's said that when a production is good, it's definitely felt when everyone contributes. I'm certain that directing should encompass all of that to create a truly great work."
Park Hae-joon's passionate performance in 'YADANG: The Snitch' will be released on the 16th.
[Photo] Provided by Plus M Entertainment.
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