"Humint" actor Park Jeongmin said he didn't expect to play a romantic partner with Shin Sae-kyeong and confessed he was a fan during his military service.
On the morning of the 9th, an interview with the lead actors Park Jeongmin and Shin Sae-kyeong for the film "Humint" was held at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The film "Humint" (director Ryu Seung-wan, distributed by NEW, produced by Oeyunaegang Co., Ltd.) depicts the clash of people with different motives in Vladivostok, where secrets and truths are submerged in a cold sea of ice. It partly shares a universe with Ryu Seung-wan's 2013 box-office hit "Berlin," which surpassed 7 million admissions. Zo In-sung plays NIS Director Jo in the film, Park Jeongmin plays North Korean State Security official Jo Geon, Park Hae-jun plays North Korea's consul general in Vladivostok Hwang Chi-seong, and Shin Sae-kyeong delivers a performance as North Korean restaurant worker Chae Seon-hwa, who became a humint to survive.
In particular, Park Geon and Chae Seon-hwa were even engaged in North Korea but became ex-lovers, evoking deep emotion throughout the film without a single physical contact. Recently crowned a "heart stealer," Park Jeongmin took on another acting transformation by matching melodramatic chemistry with Shin Sae-kyeong.
Last November at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards held at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, Park Jeongmin performed the stage of "Good Goodbye" with singer Hwasa. After the performance was released, Hwasa's song rose to the top of major charts, and Park Jeongmin also drew attention as the stage video spread as shorts.
Showing this kind of acting for the first time in his debut through a heartbreaking romance with Shin Sae-kyeong, Park Jeongmin said, I originally liked melodramas and used to cry while watching them, but I felt I would never make that kind of film in my life. I had no intention of doing it. I thought people would say, "It doesn't suit you" or "You're being ridiculous," so I told myself, "Just focus on my things well enough." I didn't want to get panned. He added, I thought melodrama would naturally never be part of my acting life. Actually, I didn't think "Humint" was that kind of genre either. Still, I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't want to try melodrama. I just thought it didn't suit me.
In response to the remark, "Now that "Humint" is out, hasn't interest grown? After the Hwasa stage, expectations for melodrama rose," he said, "Then I'll consider it too. (laughs) But really, such scripts hardly came in," adding, "It's a lie to say none came at all until now. If 15 came in, about one among them would be of that type. For example, that was the ratio. So the range of choices was narrow. Even if it's a melodrama, if something is very fun and good, I might do it and want to try it."
Earlier, at a VIP screening of "Humint," Park Jeongmin shouted, "I've been a fan of Shin Sae-kyeong since I was in the military and my dream has come true," to which he replied, "That theater was Shin Sae-kyeong's invited screening. So I said that, but during my military service I watched "High Kick Through the Roof" and really enjoyed it and became a big fan."
Park Jeongmin also said, "Shin Sae-kyeong has been an excellent actor since she was young. After watching "High Kick" I once wondered, 'Will I ever meet an actor like Shin Sae-kyeong?' I had that thought. Although this opportunity came, I really didn't expect to meet as romantic partners. I was lucky to meet her and felt very good."
Shin Sae-kyeong said she unusually opened up quickly and became close with colleagues on the set of "Humint," and Park Jeongmin recalled, "This is Shin Sae-kyeong's claim. On set she says she's not the type to open up that quickly. She said she tries to keep distance from staff and actors. But it seems she found being with us fun. Being abroad, she opened up faster and had a good time. Knowing she liked us made me feel at ease and happy. That helped us become closer faster," he recalled.
Park Jeongmin praised Shin Sae-kyeong, saying, "She had great concentration even in front of the camera, and there was something overwhelmingly commanding that made me think, 'How can she do that?' Watching that surprised me. I knew Shin Sae-kyeong was a good actor, but you don't know if an actor has that level of presence in front of the camera until you meet them. I was very surprised to see it in person."
In response to questions from co-star Park Jeongmin, Shin Sae-kyeong said, "When I first met director Ryu Seung-wan at the office, he asked, 'Which of Park Jeongmin's works do you like the most?' It was hard to pick one because he delivered impressive acting in every work, so choosing one was difficult. Like everyone, he was an actor I wanted to work with, and I was excited and pleased because he was the actor to share melodramatic elements within this project. After working together, the feeling was much better than I had thought, and even though our ages are relatively similar, there were many parts I wanted to learn from and emulate."
He continued, "In my case, compared to when I was younger, I've matured quite a bit and become more stable, but I was greatly affected by situations on set or the director's mood. So I regretted it after filming. Watching on set, regardless of the chaotic atmosphere, it was cool how someone quietly kept to their own work. I thought, 'If I do that, I won't have regrets later.'"
Asked, "How did you feel watching the stage with Park Jeongmin and Hwasa cause such a stir?" he smiled and said, "I felt good energy came to our team. Apart from that, having watched closely, I thought she was extremely charming. I felt a very good time and a great character met the right owner."
Shin Sae-kyeong said, "Watching Park Geon through the monitor, he looked so cool. Perhaps because it felt like something I hadn't seen before, it felt that much more so. It was an unseen aspect of that actor, so even when watching the monitor I thought it was very classy, and what struck me most was his eyes," adding, "The scene I remember clearly was the one at Arirang restaurant where Park Geon and Seon-hwa reunite after a very long time. Watching the completed scene later made my heart skip a beat," as she recalled the moment she truly felt her heart flutter.
Meanwhile, "Humint" opens on the 11th.
[Photo] Provided by Sam Company, The Present Company
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