(Continuing from interview ③) Actor Hong Kyung revealed the details he prepared for the film "Good News," including gaining weight and learning languages.
Hong Kyung conducted an interview on the morning of the 21st at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. At the event, he met with domestic reporters and talked about the recently released Netflix film "Good News" (director Byun Sung-hyun) and his recent activities.
"Good News" is set in the 1970s and depicts the suspicious operation of people who gathered to do whatever it took to force a kidnapped plane to land. In it, Hong Kyung gave a passionate performance as elite Air Force controller Seo Go-myung.
Hong Kyung, who said he was fascinated from the first time he read the script, said, "Not only was I attracted to the script's black comedy garments, but I was, I think, captivated by 'Go-myung,' who felt like the heart of the film. I wondered what motivated this character to rise to work at such an institution in that era when it wouldn't have been easy. I felt he was a very passionate guy. I was greatly taken by that passion."
On adjusting the level of comedy for laughs, he said, "I knew it but learned it personally: life is a tragedy up close and a comedy from afar. But for Go-myung, the moment in 'Good News' is an absolute tragedy. It's a life-or-death situation on the edge of a cliff. Seeing audiences laugh a lot at Toronto Film Festival and Busan Film Festival was very interesting. I didn't expect it, but even watching myself I felt there were some ridiculous sides to me."
To bring the beloved character to life, Hong Kyung underwent external changes, including gaining about 7 kg. Hong Kyung explained, "I wanted to gain weight healthily while on a diet, and the director wanted that, too. Those things were very important for the character and the film. I tend to be very thin. So I gained about 7 kg over about four to five months. I didn't just bulk up then cut; I tried to control it during the filming period and gain only muscle."
He added, "Normally I don't gain weight easily. I don't have a big appetite. During those four to five months I restrained myself. I ate things like chicken breast. I ate like a person but controlled it so I wouldn't overdo it."
Because Seo Go-myung is an elite officer who speaks Japanese and English, Hong Kyung paid attention to language acting. Regarding this, director Byun Sung-hyun praised Hong Kyung's English as native-level and said his Japanese study was also performed at a level beyond expectations.
On repeated language expression efforts, Hong Kyung said, "I think the pre-production period is very important, and I felt that from the start of the work. Unlike seniors who have a lot of experience and can be very natural, I am someone for whom the preparation period is absolutely essential. After casting, they immediately provided English and Japanese teachers for about four to five months. So I really studied a lot. We met three to four times a week for classes, and I studied lines and whether there might be other ways to say things. Because of the sufficient time, I could also explore things beyond the written lines, so the teachers deserve the credit," he said humbly.
He also laughed and added about his school days, "My English isn't as native-like or fluent as the director said. I'm a native Korean. I preferred watching films to studying. I liked acting more than studying."
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
[OSEN]