Essence of a man

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 2008.11.13

The aroma of a man emerges in his 30s—I finally feel like an adult! *Interviewed just before he joined the army.

— In Three Daddies with One Mommy you played a stingy fund manager. As you developed that character did it reflect your actual personality at all?
**When I did Three Daddies with One Mommy, at first I didn't notice it, but as I was getting into the character, there were some slight changes in my own life as well. It isn't my usual tone, but before I knew it, I started sounding cheap like my character. And I'm usually the laid-back type, but I started talking fast. . . .

—In that show you played the role of an unusual papa. What are your own views on marriage?
**I think they're the same as most people: meet someone you love, build a happy home, and live happily together. I dream of having a normal family.

—Once you are married, have you ever imagined whether you would want a daughter or a son? And what kind of father would you like to become?
**I think it would be nice to have one son and one daughter. I've thought that, if I have a son, I'd like to be the kind of dad where we could speak openly about anything.

—What points do you look for when you're choosing a project?
**At the moment, there is no specific point. I have to grow more. But I do want to perform in works that are realistic. I'd like to do more traditional love stories and dramas. The reason I did a comedy like Three Daddies with One Mommy was that I believe that I need to play a wider variety of roles in order to grow as an actor. I want to play even more different types of roles in the future and take on projects with unusual scenarios.

—Why do you think that you are cast in period pieces so often, such as Daemang (Great Wish[2002, SBS]) and Seo Dong Yo?
**Perhaps it is because I seem calmer than other people my age. I don't know about now, but I used to be mistaken a lot for being much older than I was. It's not so much my exterior looks as what’s on the inside. . . .

—Looking back on your life as an actor to date, what color actor do you think you are?
**Color? . . . What can I say to that? I don’t want to decide on one color. Rather than saying what kind of actor I am, I'd like to be confused with my characters, to become the character I'm playing. I try hard to achieve that.

—You are turning 30. What are your plans for the future?
**I feel like I'm finally growing up (laughs). I think that when a male actor is around 30 years old, he finally starts to get the aroma of being a man. I have a long path ahead of me and I need to work even harder. Right now, my head is full just thinking about work.

* "Aroma of a man" -- maybe this is a Korean expression, but translated into English it sounds like JHJ has BO (body odour), so I took the liberty of changing the title to "Essense of a man".