Actor Jo Woo-jin reminisced about his days of being unknown.
On the 17th, Jo Woo-jin appeared as a guest on tvN’s ‘You Quiz on the Block’.
On that day, Jo Woo-jin mentioned that he spent more time working economically than being on stage due to his long period of being unknown, saying, “I kept falling behind on rent and couldn’t afford to eat, so I searched for jobs a lot. When I saved a little money, I would go on stage to perform.”
He continued, “I didn’t go to the military. It wasn’t an exemption; I went to a defense industry factory to earn some tuition. I felt a sense of self-loathing for not being able to fulfill my duties.”
Jo Woo-jin stated that there was no part-time job he hadn’t done in 16 years. He shared, “The time I spent in the defense industry was the hardest. There were many first-time experiences, heavy and hot things, and even human relationships were burdensome. It was like growing pains. It came at me like a tsunami.”
He added, “But then one person advised me, ‘I think this will definitely help you achieve your goals.’ At that moment, a light bulb went off in my head. I realized that I dream of a profession where I can play various characters and express diverse emotions, so I thought this process would definitely help me. As I shifted my mindset, my heart and energy changed. I became more motivated.”
Jo Woo-jin revealed that he personally promoted a drink with his photo attached to it at the production company. He said, “When I placed my profile and the drink together, someone noticed my face. From then on, they started saying, ‘Come take a picture,’ and ‘Come for auditions.’”
Despite actively seeking roles, Jo Woo-jin faced numerous rejections, stating, “No matter how much I knocked, there was no response. Some people even locked the door when they knew I was coming. Some said, ‘You’re too ordinary and just don’t have the face of an actor.’ I sometimes questioned myself, ‘Is that really true?’”
Jo Woo-jin, who had his first director meeting after 15 years of being unknown with the movie ‘The Insider’, recalled, “The director said, ‘I’ll direct you, so try acting again.’ At that time, there were so many things I was told not to do that I was confused about whether I was acting or auditioning. I thought I would definitely be rejected, but a few days later, I got a call saying I passed. I was on the subway, wondering what was happening. While looking at the Han River, it felt like I was in a different world.”
Jo Woo-jin, whose life changed with ‘The Insider’, received the Best Supporting Actor award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards for the movie ‘The Day of National Bankruptcy’. He knelt before his wife and presented her with the trophy. Jo Woo-jin expressed his gratitude, saying, “My wife has supported me for over 10 years. At that moment, the person who would be the happiest was my wife.”
[Lee Se-bin, Star Today Guest Reporter]
