“Babel”: Kstyle Japan interview

“Babel” premieres in Japan on 18 July 2019

PARK SIHOO-SSI’S INTERVIEW WITH KSTYLE JAPAN, RELEASED ON 10 JULY 2019

Park Sihoo-ssi’s drama “Babel” will premiere in Japan on the Satellite Theatre channel on 18 July 2019. To commemorate this occasion, he did an exclusive interview with KStyle Japan. Here’s a translation of the interview courtesy of ParkSihooSsi.com, though not 100% verbatim. Hopefully, you get the gist of what he shared.

Two autographed Polariod shots to be given away to winners

Where would you like to go to in Japan? To Sapporo with lots of snow …

“Babel” which will premiere in Japan on 18 July 2019 has been described as a piece of work that “discovers the new charms of Park Sihoo”, through his charismatic performance. The drama is about a prosecutor who dedicated his life to seek revenge and a passionate mystery romance of an actress whose life has been ruined by her marriage to a chaebol family. Park Sihoo will heat up the TV screens as the cool prosecutor Cha Woohyuk who is out to seek revenge. 

To commemorate the drama’s premiere in Japan, Kstyle presents an official interview of Park Sihoo, the male lead!  He shares the inside stories of the filming in this exclusive interview.

Discover his charismatic charm

Q: The drama “Babel” will be broadcast in Japan from July (18 July 2019) on the  Satellite Theatre channel. Please share your impression of this work.

PSH: “Babel” has started filming only for about a couple of months, and it feels good that its Japan broadcast has been decided early.  It would be great if Japanese fans and viewers love “Babel” a lot.

Q: What kind of drama is “Babel”?

PSH: This is a story where plans for revenge goes astray when a man meets a woman whom he falls in love with. Although the drama genre is termed as a “peaceful romance”, it comes packed with various other interesting genres that enhance its total attraction.

Q: Why did you choose the role in this drama?

PSH: When I first read the script, it had a very good feel. The content included “passionate romance” which I have never done before, so that made me want to take on the role even more… and there was growing expectation that it would become a masterpiece as we could work with great directors, writers and actors. When you look at the finished drama, the quality is superb, giving me great satisfaction!

Challenging himself

Q: What kind of person is Park Sihoo-ssi’s Cha Woohyuk?

PSH:  Prosecutor Cha Woohyuk, whom I play, is a man who will stand up to the powerful chaebol to seek revenge.

Q: Did you have to prepare to take on the role of a prosecutor and what did you focus on when acting out this role?

PSH: I acted in the “Prosecutor Princess” previously but I was the lawyer and the female lead was the prosecutor. At that time, it was the first time I took on a legal-related role, so many parts were difficult. But this time I felt comfortable in the different aspects of the role. I think the prosecutor has a refreshing and cool image and Cha Woohyuk has a simple appeal, a little naive and rough on the surface. Rather than specially prepare to play the prosecutor’s role, I focused instead on the expressions of Cha Woohyuk.

Q: There were many physical action scenes in this drama. Which was the hardest scene?

PSH: Every action scene has been tough.  In some of the dangerous scenes, other actors were dropped off from the scenes, and I had been fine, hardly sustaining any injury. But this time, when I was filming  “Babel”, I didn’t get along well with the counterparty (laugh), and I was slapped in the face, or I got scratched. In one scene, it was really difficult as my shoulder was dislocated.  It was so painful that I almost fainted. However, I managed to snap back my dislocated shoulder and resumed shooting, though it got dislocated again in during the filming. I had to struggle, but managed to complete the shoot. When I watched the finished footage, I thought it was worth the hard work because the result was rather cool.

Emotional roller coaster brings out the best of Park Sihoo-ssi

Q: What about the kiss scene? From the bright and comical appearance at the beginning of the story, to a serious look when taking charge of the chaebol family case, to the sadness when looking at his beloved woman, etc.  Was it difficult to express emotional changes?

PSH: I rather enjoyed expressing those emotions. It is more interesting to have a performance with a lot of emotional ups and downs than a fragmented piece of work. I can experience a variety of things and the audience’s views can also expand. I really look forward to your reactions as I want to show you different aspects of me.

Q: This drama is full of scenes that you should not miss because of the great actors. What are Park Sihoo-ssi’s choice of famous scenes?

PSH: I think “Babel” is a drama with a lot of great scenes. If I have to select a great scene from the many, it will be the kiss scene on the stairs that appears in the first episode. It is an important scene from which the drama will unfold rapidly. The scene of the arrest at the airport is also one of the famous scenes. The scene is really memorable and everything is perfect, including the background music and the facial expressions of the characters. The images are very beautiful and of a high quality so there is great expectations. Working with a great production team and co-stars, I have created a piece of work I really enjoy watching.

A passionate love affair

Q: What is it like working with the female lead Ms Jang Heejin, who plays the role of Han Jongwon whom Cha Woohyuk has an affair with?

PSH: I think this film is a little more unique than other films. From the day I first met Jang Heejin, I felt very relaxed, perhaps because of the intense kissing scene. At first it was a little awkward, but we were able to get along quickly. Heejin is a soft spoken, kind and attentive person. We had excellent compatibility from start to finish which made it fun and enjoyable. 

Q: Please share more of the kissing scene

PSH: The kissing scene on the stairs was really awkward, as it was shot on the first or second day when the filming began. I was rather worried about the results, but when I watched the video, it was really beautiful. Since then, I’ve had  so many kissing scenes that I can say it is a kissing episode (laugh).

Q: Cha Woohyuk will feel the conflict as a prosecutor and as a man who loves Jongwon. If Park Sihoo-ssi faces a situation like Woohyuk, what would he choose?

PSH: I think I will choose “love”. Revenge is not so important in life. Cha Woohyuk may be different, but I do not think too much about revenge. Rather, it seems that after revenge, despair becomes greater, so I choose “love”.

Q: How is the atmosphere at the shooting site?

PSH: The atmosphere at the shooting site is great. The staff followed the directions of the director, and the actors also responded with enthusiasm. Even though the filming was tough, I have no feeling of pain until the very end.

A new maturity as we have never seen

Q: Who is the mood maker?

PSH: The mood maker is Kim Haesuk. I think everyone has a cool image, but she is a very warm person when you actually meet her. I was really grateful and took a lot of advice from her during shooting and she made it so much fun.

Q:  Which are the memorable scenes?

PSH: This is an action scene with the killer. Originally, the scene was supposed to be shot by a stuntman, but it was an important scene, so it was decided that I and the actor who plays the killer, Kim Jaeeun, would do the scene together. In the scene, he had to throw me off, but he was actually an ordinary actor even though he was a killer in the drama. I felt scared in a way (laugh). I didn’t manage to throw him over as I fell just as I was lifting him high. In the process, I dislocated my shoulder (laugh). When I shot my first action scene with him, his arm hit my forehead. We really didn’t have the right timing. I remember how I laughed and said he must hate me every time we meet.

Q: Where do you want to go to in Japan? 

PSH: In Sapporo where there is a lot of snow.

Q: You’ve been blessed with many fans attending your birthday event this year.  Were there anything you remember of your birthday?

PSH: Every year, fans from far away including Japan and China, come to Korea to give their support. I spend time to be close with my fans and to talk to them. And I want to see their faces up-close on stage and I think they share the same feelings, so I’m working hard to meet their expectations. My birthdays every year are meaningful.  I’m looking forward to next year, just thinking about what I’m going to show them!

Choice between love and revenge

Q: You have been to Japan many times. Is there any place you have not visited or where you would like to go?

PSH: I love traveling and hot springs, so there is almost no place in Japan that I haven’t been to before. I have been to Sapporo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Okinawa… everywhere. But I would like to visit Sapporo again. I used to go in spring and have never been to Sapporo in winter when it snows. I would like to take an open-air Yukimi bath!

Q: How do you relax when you are busy?

PSH:  I like camping on mountains and going to the seaside, so I always carry camping gear, roof tents, and other things that can be easily stretched by pulling. I like camping in the woods with the thought that this is a hotel I’m staying in. That’s my way of healing and relaxing. I also like to BBQ steaks and other meat. It’s my way of relieving stress by traveling for my own pleasure.

Q: What do you think is your charisma? Is there any area you consider to be your charming points?

PSH: Talk about my charisma? I guess if you don’t know much about me, you would think I am a cold character. But those whom I often talk to say that I am open and have a soft image. So that kind of softness may be my attraction.

Sit back, relax and watch his Prosecutor Cha Woohyuk

Q: Is there any place in Korea that you would like to recommend?

PSH: I have traveled to various places and I think Jeju Island is the best. It is really beautiful and has an atmosphere similar to Okinawa. So in Korea, Jeju Island is recommended!

Q: Is there a genre of characters or works that you would like to try in the future?

PSH: In dramas, I often played gentle characters dressed in suits. I would like to play the role of a bad guy at least once. I also like to do a film Noir.

Credits – Many thanks! TV Chosun “Babel”, KStyle.com

Source: http://news.kstyle.com