Interview 2012: First time impressions – Part 2

Actions that were tough even for professional stuntmen

We continue with Part 2 of the Naver interview which Park Sihoo-ssi did back in 2012 on his first impressions of his first ever movie “Confession of Murder”.

Read more on what this rookie movie star had to say about his experience and impressions. Pretty interesting views he had…

Interview with Naver Cover Story Part 2, 14 November 2012; Courtesy Translation by ParkSihooSsi.com

Interview with Park Sihoo on “Confession of Murder” – Part Two

Q: Why was your  first movie so late when you should have many movie offers?

PSH: After “Let’s get married” (2005) and “Which star are you from?” (2006), there was a movie I decided to do because I found it very interesting when I read the script. It was a second male lead role. While I was preparing for it,  they replaced me with another actor because of issues with investment. (Nance: Park Sihoo-ssi was replaced because at that time, he was still relatively unknown so did not have much drawing power with movie investors).

Read the first impressions of a rookie movie star

As such, I took a year off. I also wanted to continue doing dramas at a time when the response to me was good, but I missed the opportunity for a movie. The movie didn’t do well even though the role was replaced by another actor, so it ended up in failure after shooting 10 to 20 scenes. A year later, another movie was offered but the actors were also replaced. This was when I realize that movies were not easy to get into and I was skeptical if they will end up being released. Such were my suspicions.

Actors who succeeded in dramas move to the movie world with the recognition that they were top stars. However, from the audience’s point of view, if the main character in the movie were like the person whom they watch in dramas, then the movie will not have the magnitude expected of a movie. So at the beginning, I did make a few mistakes. “Confession of Murder” is a two-lead actor movie with Jung Jaeyoung, so it seemed a good choice to break into the movie industry, regardless of whether it will become a box office hit or not.

I was also very encouraged by senior Jaeyoung’s appearance. I really wanted to play a role like a psychopath or a character with dual personality. By the way… actually, as a rookie, I wanted to get noticed in an unusual role. If you want to play such a role, the reality is that you must have already built up your image, but then, it will be a bit confusing to throw away what you have built and make such a choice.

Q: Didn’t the image you have built up collapse a couple of times, even though they were the “section head” types?

PSH: Hahaha. You might think so, but the roles of section head were all different. (Laugh) Each drama has a different character. Probably because I played all of them around the same time (Nance: should be consecutively). But I was not just section heads but also a lawyer in “Prosecutor Princess” (2010) and Goo Youngsik in “Queen of Reversals” (2010).

A different kind of image totally

Q: That’s right. (Laugh) Anyway, it means that you have built up an attractive male image in melodramas.

PSH: By the way, the cast of the drama is really limited. I chose the historical drama “The Princess Man” because I wanted to try something different.

Q: I heard that you joined the movie filming two days after finishing the filming of “The Princess Man”…

PSH: I was hot! Hahaha!

Q: That’s true, but I can’t believe you dare to say it yourself!

PSH: That’s why I got the movie proposal. At that time, the script (Nance: for “The Princess Man”) came out every day and I was absorbed in them. My manager brought me this movie script, but I was struggling to read the script of the drama I was filming, so I did not have time to read another script. I asked him to take a look at it. Besides, the movie would start filming two days after the drama’s filming is over. However, the material and script were really good. The character seem to have a good grasp of the current world and he is sarcastic about how people thought that being a celebrity made one more superior.

Q: He is a killer with a magical beauty and is even forgiven for his horrendous sins. How do you feel about this role?

PSH: The situation was…”I looked a lot for the things I wanted but I couldn’t find them, but they came to me.” (Nance: I believe he meant when you wanted something and keep looking for it, you can’t find it. But when you are not looking, it comes to you. Sounds familiar, right?) Anyway, the director must have decided Lee Dooseok made his appearance the moment he saw me. (Laugh)

Q: I was about to ask you that question a while ago – I thought it was a script that was declined by another actor if it came to you so suddenly (Nance: last minute).

PSH: That’s right. The other actor said he didn’t want to do it.

Q:  Why?

PSH: There must be a reason. I thought, the draw (Nance: maybe referring to the appearance) of Lee Dooseok was quite balanced and the center of gravity moved on to others in the second half. I also suggested other settings and that it should not end where it was originally intended. Not all my suggestions were accepted eventually, as there is a time for everything. The most important thing is that the movie will do well. As part of the process of meeting better works, I think the good thing about this movie is that it gives me much wider choice of works.

Looking up to celebrity status

Q: Dramas are filmed within a limited time, so was it easier to act according to the storyline as compared to movies?

PSH: Yes. One of the things that bothered me when I first started filming the movie was that a scene in a drama was completed once the filming is over. But for a movie, while acting, there could suddenly be a call for a “cut!” when I have focused and build up all my emotions to that moment. But I went with the flow even though I have asked why the filming was like that. Sometimes I have to shoot the same scene for 10 days. I have to keep that same emotion over and over again.  I really felt discouraged sometimes. But that is the charm of a movie. You have time to think about every scene and put your heart and soul in it. Once you get used to movies, then dramas might not seem easy.

Q: There were some scenes in the movie where Lee Dooseok had sudden emotional changes. Were the changes difficult when you have to perform dual roles?

PSH:  I had to make the audience wonder who I was playing. The changes were not complicated. What was scary about Lee Dooseok was he was the murderer of 10 people. So I tried to express myself as a person who was very calm, had strange looks and people had no idea what he was thinking. I usually hear people say, “I don’t know what he is thinking,” so I thought it would be interesting to let Lee Dooseok express himself that way. Even if you act subtly, the screen is so big to just have one type of expression. When I poured wine for the female president of the publishing company, I turned the wine glass so that it made a sound. I suggested it to the director to enhance the gloomy atmosphere. We focused on such mysterious emotions.

Q: Is action thriller your favorite genre?

PSH: Yes. Even if someone else were the main character, I think it has been a long time since an interesting movie came out.

Those subtle nuances added to the suspense

Q:  He (Nance: I believe it is with reference to Lee Dooseok) seemed to have a manly personality that doesn’t care about the details.

PSH: That’s right. Even if you get angry, you will forget about why you were angry with him after five minutes.

Q: Do you sometimes get stressed out by relationships?

PSH: I don’t really like to tell tale on others. There is no reason to say bad things, and I hate to see anyone with prejudice. I don’t like to judge only by what I hear from others, even though I can understand when I see them. By the way, isn’t it the case with celebrities? There have been so many stories of “I’ve met him and he is like this or that”. I only glanced at it to know what it is about. I talk freely to the people I meet. You only know the person when you have experience with him or her. It would be good if people think from that standpoint.

Q: That would be like a bad response on the internet (Laugh)

PSH: I really dislike people like that. Some people even commit suicide because of bad comments. What is frustrating about being a celebrity is that people are not tolerant of a single failure. Whoever made a mistake will be totally buried.

Q:Korean entertainers in particular are expected to have a higher sense of morality than politicians.

PSH: Yes, I don’t know if I can speak openly, but I think that kind of culture needs to change a little. Every human makes mistakes.

Q: Is it true that you haven’t been in love for seven years?

PSH: It isn’t easy to meet someone after breaking up with the girlfriend whom I had been with for three years. Once I fall in love, I also won’t see anyone else. And even though I was in love a long time ago, it doesn’t seem easy to find such a relationship again.  I will do my best if someone comes along.

The car chase scene that left a deep impression

Q:  Do you have any intention to make it public when you go out with someone?

PSH: No. Since the relationship between a man and a woman may change, the woman may be hurt if they broke up. I haven’t had such an experience before, but it seemed hard to have a public relationship.

Q:  You will star with Moon Geunyoung in a new drama “Cheongdamdong Alice”. It will be difficult not to get into a scandal when all the actresses you meet in Seoul are beautiful.

PSH: I spend a lot of time with them, but a scandal is something else. It would be nice if we could get along while working. How easy is it to act? It is easy to grasp emotions. Isn’t acting supposed to be from the bottom of the heart? 

Q: Have there been a moment when you do a melo that you were under an illusion of really liking that person?

PSH: Not really. I sometimes hypnotize myself. Hahaha!