[Interview] "Jeong-e" Kim Hyunjoo, "Even if I fail, it's nothing after a long time."

Actor Kim Hyun-joo is changing. In "MeloQueen," which represents the era, he became the main character in buildingfemale narratives in genre. Furthermore, based on his action acting, he evensecured the main character of the science fiction film. Repeatedly challenging,achieving, and growing, he is currently in progress.

The Netflix movie "Jeongi" (director Yeon Sang-ho), in which KimHyun-joo plays the title role, is a science fiction story about people tryingto develop the best battle A.I. by cloning the brain of legendary mercenaryJeongi (Kim Hyun-joo) to end the war in Shelter, which moved away from theruined Earth due to rapid climate change. For him, who is the first SF moviesince his debut, "Jeongi" was a bold challenge.

"I couldn't do it alone. There was Director Yeon who trusted me, and Ialso had trust in him. I didn't feel pressured on the spot. I actually had funfilming it. It's unfamiliar to film invisible scenes, but there was anexpectation that 'how it would be made.'

Robot acting without reference materials was a barrier. He used a robot thatcloned Jung-yi's brain for most of the time. What is different from ordinaryrobots is that they feel pain and emotions like humans. Instead, it repeatedlymoves and stops according to the control of researchers like the power buttonof a machine.

"My first homework was not to look unnatural but unnatural. There was ascene where it stopped and the scene where it was hard to wake up. The directorsaid he wanted it to feel like he was sitting deep in the water and waking up.In the second half, it was impossible not to breathe continuously, so I actedin a still state on the spot and there was help from CG."

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Kim Hyun-joo's action stands out in the work. Like a legendarymercenary, Jung-i flies quickly and creates tension. However, it is unfamiliarto those who know Kim Hyun-joo, who dominated the melodrama. Director Yeon, whofirst worked together in Netflix's original series "Hell," drew thisunexpectedness.

"I wanted to challenge what I hadn't done, and I wanted to challengethe limit, but I think I lacked courage. "Why aren't you casting me?"I was just jealous of others. He lacked courage rather than desire. DirectorYeon made suggestions from "Hell" and awakened the spirit ofchallenge.”

I don't think director Yeon would have cast him just by the action heshowed during "Hell." Robot Jung-yi needed delicate emotional actingbecause she was an emotional person. The key was to express your feelingswithout being excessive.

"I didn't try to differentiate myself by acting (between Jung-i andSeo-hyun) because motherhood is fundamental. I thought that the superior powerthat humans have when humans and robots are completely indistinguishable fromeach other on the outside is motherhood. I thought that could be the biggestweakness of humans. It cannot be expressed or imitated by any technology."

The work was successful as it ranked No. 1 globally on Netflix. Itis a good opportunity to introduce Korean-style science fiction to the world.Kim Hyun-joo has also been meaningful in this challenge from the time shereceived the script to the present when she received the results.
"I thought, 'This kind of science fiction comes out in Korea, too?'Regardless of success or failure, I was motivated to participate. Making itwell and producing good results was the second problem. It was a rare work, soI was excited and thought it was fun."

In Korea, there are some likes and dislikes. This is because there aremore neoclassical elements than science fiction. Kim Hyun-joo affirmed this as"very Korean." This is because viewers who focus only on action maybe disappointed, but they believe that emotions cannot be left out in any genre.
"I think I've taken as much of that (new wave) as possible. You couldsay, "Are you my daughter?" "I'm Seohyun." But I shortenedit. As a result, I tried and I think it came out Korean." (laughs)
"I don't think it's a complete failure. You have to try this kind ofgenre to develop. Whether it's good or bad, it can be a reference, and you canuse it as a stepping stone to create good technology. I don't think it's a badthing because there are some people who like it. People might have differentperspectives. I think it's in the process of creating a work that people withpop culture have to do."

Kim Hyun-joo will be with director Yeon for the third time as"Seonsan" following "Hell" and "Jeongi." Hebecame a member of the so-called "Yeonniverse (Director Yeon Sang-ho'sUniverse)." He is looking at Yeon as a fan who is curious about what elsehe will talk about in the future.

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Director Yeon is a person who has various ideas, ideas, and philosophy.There's definitely something I want to talk about, but I don't force it orexpress it. It gives room for the viewer to interpret on their own. Wouldn't itbe hard for actors to express if they had a clear worldview that they wanted toexpress?”

The more filmography builds up, the more changes in interests are seen.Starting with the drama "WATCHER" in 2019, Kim Hyun-joo appeared in aseries of weighty genres ranging from "Undercover" to"Trolley." It is contrary to the past when he was active in a bouncyand lively melodrama.

"I don't have any main points, but I think it depends on my interestsor tendencies or my psychological state. But when I see a character that Ithink I can do well, I can draw an narrative at once. I think I can do thatwell. Rather than having a special opportunity to change the genre, I think thepublic makes this for us. In the past, I had an image that I had, so that kindof work came in and chose it, so it had to be the same. At some point, thepublic looked at me in this way, so I only heard this kind of work. I've had adesire to change. It came so naturally."

He happens to be working nonstop at a time of change. Naturally, as I gotolder, the desire to build better filmography became the ignition point. I wantto spend the present so that I don't have any regrets.
"I'm a person who has a strong fear of failure. You feel anxious oranxious about challenges or new things. But at some point, I became flexible.While doing "Watcher" and "Hell," you can do it. I came tothink that it's meaningful to fail or try something new. "Even if youfail, isn't it nothing if you look at it a long time later?" (laughs)

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