Interview 2012: Action star, Part 1

Rookie action movie star Park Sihoo

Another interesting interview of Park Sihoo-ssi from the past, back in 2012. The many interviews he did then certainly gave deeper insights into this brilliant actor and I am enjoying these refreshers as I get them translated.

Read more, understand more of the thoughts of our favorite actor and first time action movie star!

This is a long interview so I have broken it into two parts. Today, we cover part one…

Interview with Movist, Part 1, 10 November 2012; Courtesy Translation by ParkSihooSsi.com

Action movie actor Park Sihoo in “Confession of Murder”

Q: How are you feeling today?

PSH: Good. Actually, it has been hard this morning. I had a difficult time at the launch preview yesterday as I can’t drink well (Nance: as in alcohol). And I lost my memory when I drank one cup after another while walking around the tables (Nance: It is an Asian culture to have celebratory toasts of alcohol when one goes around the tables to greet guests). I don’t even know how I managed to get home. I didn’t get much sleep on the day I drink and usually stay awake all nigh, maybe get only a couple of hours of sleep. This morning I  slept for about an hourbefore coming out.

Q: How was the mood of the launch and why did you drink so much alcohol?

PSH: If the movie is not good, I won’t drink. But everyone said it was very good. (Laugh) I am the one who got carried away. I felt good and I drank whatever is poured that consciousness flew away in an instant.

He performed all the actions like a pro

Q: You played Lee Dooseok, the serial killer who became a celebrity with his murder autobiography. Lee Dooseok is a man with a lot of secrets in the movie. He found it difficult doing interviews. If I ask you a question, will you answer it?

PSH: A spoiler? I tried not to tell the story as much as possible before the premiere. When reporters asked, “There’s a reversal, isn’t there?”, I said, “No, but…” This is because journalists are supposed to watch the movie and I do not want to give them any pre-conceived impressions.  By the way, after the premiere, the reporters and bloggers all reported on the reversal. (Laugh) It seemed  inevitable.

Q: I wondered how you can hold back and keep such a tight lip until now.

PSH: From another perspective, the movie is like a mafia game. There are people who pretend to be criminals, and there are people who want to expose them. I played Lee Dooseok as if I were playing a mafia game. Did he really confess because he was repentant, to gain popularity, or to make money? I want to constantly stimulate the curiosity of the audience, so I focused on the mysterious side.

Q: During the press conference, Lee Dooseok was compared to Edward Norton’s psychopath in “Primal Fear”. However, in an interview with Director Jung Byunggil, he seemed to want to portray Lee Dooseok as the joker in the “Dark Knight”.

PSH: Really? I think I heard that, but I don’t know exactly. Isn’t the Joker a complete villain?

Q: Didn’t the Joker expanded the “Prisoner’s Dilemma” game for the residents of Gotham City? He hid bombs on two ships and incited them to push each other’s detonators if they wanted to live. Lee Dooseok also revealed his murders and watched how people reacted. In this respect, I think the director reminded me of the Joker image.

PSH: You can think that. In fact, there were two scenes in which Lee Dooseok’s character was clearly portrayed. In one of the scenes, the publisher’s female president was told “Is it strange? Isn’t it strange that the killer killed 10 people and also took care of them himself?” There was another scene where the atmosphere was colder than that, but it got edited. That is just too bad. I could have shown you a little more murderous intensity. I was able to create an atmosphere that make you have goosebumps, very different from dramas.

He’s a cool dud, ain’t he?

Q: Some actors seemed to focused on the parts where they can make the most of their characters.

PSH: That’s right. You’ll concentrate and worry. And you have more time to worry about in a movie. Dramas often have to be acted without absorbing all the scenes as the script is being delivered “live” (Nance: shoot and broadcast). There is no room due to the relatively tight schedule. Being able to act with the details is certainly an advantage of a movie.

Q: How do you see yourself on the big screen?

PSH: It wasn’t bad. (Laugh) I am satisfied with the visual appearance under the care of the lighting director. And isn’t it easy to see everything on the big screen? I was worried about it, but it helped me to portray the delicate character of Lee Dooseok. The sway of his eyes, his complex and subtle smiles, and eyes that are full of doubts. I took care to express the subtle changes.

Q: You look very happy reminiscing the time you were filming the movie.

PSH: Oh, it is a memory now, but it wasn’t easy at that time. Sometimes I get angry when I think about it. Because of the director. (Laugh) The director graduated from action school. There is a little insensitivity in filming tghe actions. The actions in the movies are quite difficult. When I read the script, I thought, “Is this really a possible scene?”

I had to jump off a moving car into a moving  ambulance, and this car was going back and forth on that road.  There was also an entangle and fight on the hood of the car. I can’t imagine it. Naturally I thought I would fight in front of a Chroma Key on the set (Nance: Chroma means a “blue” or “green screen which allows the scene to be superimposed on a different background). But, my God! It was fighting on an actual car.

If there was even once he had said “Sihoo, it is a difficult act, let us use a stuntman,” I would have thought “Ah, it is okay to replace this with a stuntman.” However, he never once said that.  So what should I do? I have to do the actions myself. If the actor suffers, he should say, “Are you all right?” But the words he said were “Let’s do it again!” (Everyone laughed) .

His image in transformation

Q:  Hahaha. I can feel the humor.

PSH: You can feel it, right? (Laugh) He thought that the actors can easily take on these actions. But that is not true. Still, I couldn’t complain. And senior Jaeyoung was also having a difficult time. Being a junior, I couldn’t say because I saw my seniors struggling in the rain. Jaeyoung also couldn’t say anything even though he saw that his junior was filming scenes which were impossible. In this way, the director is intelligent. He probably used the psychology of actors a lot. (Laugh)

Q: I heard you asked Jung Jaeyoung, “Is filming a movie difficult?” But there was a reason. How difficult was it? What was Jung Jaeyoung’s answer to the question?

PSH: “Yes, that’s what it is like originally,” and all the while he was thinking that is not the case. (Everyone laughed)

Q: You had a strict initiation ceremony.

PSH: I paid for it. I can’t believe I hung on to the bonnet of the car wearing a swimsuit and a gown for 10 days.

Q: Even so, I was curious. How do you feel about hanging from a hood of a running car wearing a dressing gown?

PSH: It was really cold. (Everyone laughed) I am glad I didn’t catch a cold. Still, it was better than the pool scene. Now, the pool scene, that’s really impossible. One winter, try soaking in cold water for 18 hours. It is really hard. I don’t expect hot water but it could have been lukewarm water. (Laugh)

Q: How does it feel now that you have confessed your feelings to the director?

PSH: The director is too quiet. He is also shy. I don’t know if I have talked a lot. It is strange to see it that way. He said he is shy but will do what he needed to do. (Laugh)

Q: The actors had a hard time, but thanks to that, I had a lot of fun watching. The action scenes came out really well throughout the movie. I even thought the effect of the car chase action scene of hanging onto the hood of the car was creative.

PSH: That’s right. The actions are really good. When I actually saw the final version, my feelings of regret disappeared. The work often comes out well only if  the director is determined to film a good movie.

Q: What surprised me about the movie was the unexpected B-class  sentiment. The surrounding characters were a little unrealistic.

PSH: There were many comic elements. I was surprised, too. I didn’t feel that much in the script. Personally, I like it even more.

Watch out for more from action star Park Sihoo

Q: I feel the likes and dislikes will likely to be divided. As soon as tension is about to rise, the humor suddenly breaks in. That was interesting, though. On the other hand, it relieves the tension.

PSH: I think that is the advantage of this movie. If you bring in too much tension, the audience will get tired easily. As a thriller, it does not seem to capture only the weight. Some people may not like it, but it seems that many people will be satisfied with it. The director is not a funny man, but he is very good at incorporating elements of comedy.

Q: The movie implicitly satirizes the domineering supremacy of appearance  to the masses. People were confused by the handsome looks of Lee Dooseok. You seem to have benefited a lot from your appearance. Have you ever thought, “Thank goodness for my looks?”

PSH: When I go to a restaurant, the aunties take good care of me. They give me side dishes. (Laugh) It has been like that since even before my debut. I think I started acting without knowing anything because of such interest. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have dreamt to become an actor because of my personality. My mother did that too. The reason why she didn’t object to my taking on an acting career was that she thought my introspective personality could improve. So she let me do what I wanted, but she didn’t  think it would continue. But I have patience.

Q: Has your personality become as extroverted as your mother wanted it to be?

PSH: Of course. It is still awkward to talk about myself. When I first debut I was very embarrassed by this kind of interview. I felt uncomfortable talking about myself in front of people I only met for the first time, but now I can adapt.

Q: Actually, I was surprised to see you today. You are very cheerful. What is it in the movie…?

PSH: Director style?

Q: That’s right. It feels heavy, but it is surprising.

PSH: Sometimes I talk alot because it is fun talking, but sometimes talking makes me feel less nervous.  It depends on the situation. It depends on who the other person is.

…to be continued

Source:  http://www.movist.com/star3d/read.asp?type=32&id=21001