Please support me again when I return (Part 2)

This is an English translation of Jo Hyun Jae's interview with "Korean TV Drama Magazine" (October 2008 issue) by misa123 first published in EVERjohyunjae on 2008.10.26

(Cont. from Part 1)

The role in Seo Dong Yo helped me grow

— Starting in the first half of Seo Dong Yo there were a lot of action scenes. Did you do anything in advance to prepare?
**I went to an action school and trained there. In a lot of the wide shots, I was able to act in the scenes without a stunt double. It took a lot of work, even for an action drama. There were a lot of scenes on horseback too. Because there wasn't much time, I was only able to practice riding a little bit, and then we started filming . . . .

—Wasn't it scary?

**Horses are not machines, so they move however they want to . . . (laughs). During the shoot, that was difficult.

—When playing a king, what kind of things did you pay attention to?

**I had to be very careful about the phrasing for a historical drama. The character of Seo Dong couldn't be either too strong or too weak, so I always had to stay calm. I thought I should show the dignified side of the king, so I developed the role in consultation with the director.

—What was the hardest thing about filming Seo Dong Yo?

**The filming schedule was tight, so it was really tough. Just like Dae Jang Geum (2003, MBC), the story of Seo Dong Yo centers entirely on the main character. So out of the whole shoot, I appear in about 80 percent of the scenes. . . . The schedule didn’t even allow me to go home. I was on set the whole time. . . . I've said this many times in interviews, so I think you all know this, but I was trying hard to eat well during the filming. It was very hard physically as well. When I think that I might have given a better performance if I'd been stronger physically, I regret it a bit. But a lot of other actors commended me on handling that schedule, and gave me a lot of compliments. They encouraged me, saying, "You have great strength!" But looking back after some time has passed, I realize that the difficulty I had at the time benefited my performance. An actor has to learn how to perform even under difficult conditions. It was extremely difficult, but it was a very meaningful project for me.

There are fans supporting me—this is fate too.

—There was a line in Seo Dong Yo that said, "You can avoid 'fate,' but it is 'fate' that makes you charge down that path." What are your own thoughts about fate?

**Hmmm. I can't say personally, "This is fate," but if you make an effort to work toward your fate, I think you can get close to it. The fact that there are fans who support me the way they do is amazing. I think perhaps that is fate. I've made an effort too, but I think that it is because the fans support me so enthusiastically that I am here today.

—Seo Dong was overflowing with charisma, and was impetuous in love as well. Which would Jo Hyun Jae choose, work or love?

**(After chuckling) That question is like asking a child, "Who do you like more, your mom or your dad?" Well. . . . (facing the reporters) who do you like better, your mom or your dad? (laughs) Personally, I couldn't part with either of them. (One reporter answers, "I like my mother better," and everyone laughs.)

—Jang (another name for Seo Dong) invents many things. Is there a memorable episode for you?

**There were a lot of things, like swords, but . . . I'm not sure what to say (he's a bit flustered)

—It seems that you were so in sync with Lee Chang Hoon, who played Mok Rasoo, and Ryu Jin, who played Sataek Giroo, that they called you the "three brothers." Do you still wear the hat that the three of you had?

**We really were like brothers. Lee Chang Hoon, the eldest of the three of us, gave us hats, and we were the only three people who had them, so everyone was jealous of us. I still have it at home. Even looking back now, it was really fun. During that time, I couldn't buy clothes or shoes. I was too busy, so I was always wearing warm-ups. I used to wear that hat almost every day. It was because I could hardly ever go home. If I dropped by the house, I would quickly wash my face and then head out right away. . . .

—You also seem to have a special connection with Jung Wook, who played King Wi Duk. You played father and son in Only You (2005, SBS) as well.

**Yes, I think that I have some special connection to him. I think we have some destiny that has brought us together and allowed us to perform together this way.

—Do you place a lot of importance on that sort of connection to people?

**I would like to value those connections . . . . Actors and directors are always very busy, and it's hard to get together, so I can't do it diligently. But in my heart, I value them and thank them.

—For those Japanese fans who haven’t seen Seo Dong Yo yet, do you have any advice about what to watch for?

**When you watch Seo Dong Yo, in the first half, Seo Dong seems to have a stubborn side, but gradually he abandons that part of himself and becomes a great king. I think it’s interesting to watch that process. Also, his encounter and split from Princess Seon Hwa , and the heartrending aspects of Mok Rasoo and Sataek Giroo are good too, I think. The conflict with Sataek Giroo is also interesting, and so is the friendship with Mok Rasoo, who he looks up to as a teacher.

(THE END)