"I was so happy to be working with senior Go Hyun-jung that I bragged about it everywhere. There were only joyful and happy moments while filming."
The ENA and Genie TV original 'Namib' (written by Eom Seong-min, directed by Han Sang-jae and Kang Min-goo), which ended on the 28th of last month, is a coming-of-age human drama that tells the story of a fired star producer, Kang Soo-hyun (played by Go Hyun-jung), and a discharged long-term trainee, Yoo Jin-woo (played by Ryu Un), as they pursue their respective goals.
On the 7th, I met actor Lee Jin-woo (21) at the Maekyung Media Center in Chungmuro, Seoul, to talk about 'Namib'. Lee Jin-woo played the role of Shim Jin-woo, the son of Kang Soo-hyun and Shim Jun-seok (played by Yoon Sang-hyun).
Lee Jin-woo said, "It ended warmly like a growth drama," and expressed his affection for the work, saying, "I enjoyed watching it very much."
Shim Jin-woo lost his hearing due to an accident in his childhood. Given that he is a character with a disability, it must have been challenging to portray him. Lee Jin-woo explained, "Since he is a character with hearing impairment, I had to act with a clear understanding. I did a lot of research. I looked into movies, dramas, documentaries, as well as books and articles, and analyzed them." He added, "People with hearing impairments communicate in various ways, with sign language and lip-reading being the most common. (Jin-woo) reads the lip movements of others. So, I focused on the point of looking at the other person's lips while acting."
Shim Jin-woo is a three-dimensional character whose growth is as evident as that of the main narrative's protagonist, Yoo Jin-woo. For Lee Jin-woo, who only had experience in web dramas, this was a significant challenge.
"It was difficult to analyze the character at first. If I said it wasn't burdensome, that would be a lie. I read the script a lot. I believed that all the answers were in the script. I tried to dig deep into what kind of person this character is and why he acted this way. Although I occasionally take acting classes, I tried to analyze this work entirely on my own without anyone's help."
Kang Soo-hyun, who was ousted from her position at Pandora Entertainment, attempts to sell the discharged trainee Yoo Jin-woo after he gains popularity by participating in an audition program as a 'severance payment'. The reason is to make her son, Shim Jin-woo, into the 'CEO' he dreamed of as a child. Kang Soo-hyun chooses a sock factory as a profession where he can become a 'CEO' even without hearing, and decides to elevate Yoo Jin-woo in the audition to raise the necessary funds.
As Lee Jin-woo entered the project, the part he focused on the most was the relationship between the mother and Shim Jin-woo. In the early part of the drama, Shim Jin-woo was a character who rebelled against his mother's plans, but later he changes his mind and decides to become the CEO of the sock factory as his mother wishes.
Lee Jin-woo said, "When Jin-woo was young, he said he wanted to be a CEO like his mother, but like everyone else, childhood dreams change. I used to dream of being a magician or a police officer, but now those dreams have changed. Childhood dreams are bound to transform, but because of his mother's stubbornness and pressure, and also due to the tumultuous period of adolescence, he probably disliked his mother trying to force him to take over the sock factory," reflecting on his own experiences to understand the character.
He continued, "Jin-woo is a strong and courageous friend, so he must have had a strong desire to rise on his own and overcome things alone. He probably didn't want to hear his mother's opinions, thinking, 'I can live on my own.' His resentment towards the factory his mother was forcing him into must have grown as well."
The change in Shim Jin-woo's mind to follow his mother's plan was significantly influenced by the presence of friends and his mother's love. Lee Jin-woo said, "The fact that he made real friends must have been new to him. There was excitement and freshness, and since he was in his third year of high school, he wasn't that young. Yoo Jin-woo might have tried to use Shim Jin-woo, but I think Shim Jin-woo's heart opened up because he gained a friend he didn't have before." He added, "My mother installed a machine in the factory to detect danger so that I wouldn't get hit by a forklift, showing that 'my mother loves me this much'."
Through these processes, Shim Jin-woo grew and accepted his mother's genuine intentions to take over the sock factory. Although it is hard to believe that this was Lee Jin-woo's first challenge in a serious role, he rated his own performance as only 10 points out of 100. What was the reason for such a low score?
"As the episodes progressed, I feel like I couldn't show Shim Jin-woo enough. I should have shown him more clearly, but looking back, I missed some small details and lacked consistency in character analysis. I think my script analysis was also insufficient. I feel like I couldn't show Shim Jin-woo enough, so I think I deserve about 10 points."
'Namib' has garnered attention even before its release as it marks the return of actress Go Hyun-jung to the small screen after three years since the JTBC drama 'The Person Who Resembles You' aired in 2021. Lee Jin-woo said, "I auditioned and got the role, and I was so happy to be working with senior Go Hyun-jung that I bragged about it everywhere. There were only joyful and happy moments while filming," expressing his affection.
He added, "Even in scenes where senior's face doesn't appear, she acted in front of me to help me catch my emotions and even shed tears. She poured her soul into helping her co-actor focus on their performance. Since I am a rookie, I have many shortcomings, but she caught them one by one and gave me a lot of advice," expressing his gratitude towards Go Hyun-jung.
Given the energy and charisma that Go Hyun-jung possesses as an actress, it seems that emotionally intense scenes would have taken a toll on both physical and mental strength. However, Lee Jin-woo said, "At first, I was nervous and a bit shy, but as time went on, I enjoyed acting together. She created a comfortable atmosphere, which allowed me to follow along," expressing his gratitude.
Go Hyun-jung had suddenly announced her absence from the production presentation of 'Namib' held on December 16 last year. At that time, the 'Namib' team stated, "(Go Hyun-jung) received medical advice that she needed absolute stability and recovery," and her side explained, "She collapsed that morning and went to the emergency room." Later, on the 6th of last month, Go Hyun-jung revealed, "I was so surprised at how sick I was, but now that the major surgery is over, I feel awake. I will be careful and take good care of myself."
Lee Jin-woo said, "I was worried and reached out to her. She said, 'Thank you for worrying about me.' I'm glad she's okay," and added, "She struggled during filming as well. As the director mentioned at the production presentation, she seemed to endure it with mental strength. I don't think I could have done it, so I admire her greatly."
Yoon Sang-hyun, who played the role of Shim Jun-seok, also provided Lee Jin-woo with generous support on set. Lee Jin-woo said, "He was like a father to me in real life and took good care of me. He gave me a lot of acting advice, and I learned a lot," adding, "He also gave me a lot of life advice. He provided direction in life. It's a personal matter, so I can't go into detail, but he didn't hold back on that kind of advice either."
Lee Jin-woo, who expressed affection for his on-screen parents, also chose a scene with the three of them together as his favorite. He explained, "It's the scene where I promise my parents that I will take over the factory, and that scene felt so warm and familial. At that moment, I felt like, 'Ah, these are my mom and dad,' and it was imprinted in my mind. I think it captured the harmonious aspect of a family."
What about Ryu Un, who played Yoo Jin-woo? Lee Jin-woo said, "He was both an older brother and a senior to me. He was so cool while acting. His voice is masculine and has a solid tone, which made me want to learn from him. Seeing Ryu Un, I thought I should work on my solid vocalization," and added, "He seemed to have prepared really well. He dances and sings so well that there was no need for advice regarding being an idol."
Although Lee Jin-woo did not give specific advice to Ryu Un and the other idol trainees in the drama, he did share a lot of emotional empathy.
"While living as an idol trainee, friends who only learned to dance and sing find it hard to do much when they enter society. This aspect is heavily reflected in the work, and there are many friends in real life who are in such unfortunate situations. Especially when I see friends who have been trainees for a long time and are discharged, many of them have nothing to do. It breaks my heart to see them lose their dreams, and I feel that this profession requires careful and serious commitment and responsibility. Seeing friends in similar situations in the work makes my heart ache."
The subtitle of 'Namib' is 'Where the desert meets the sea and dreams come true.' Lee Jin-woo said, "It's an unforgettable title," adding, "Everyone dreams, strives to grow for something, and wants to learn. I think it conveys a message of comfort to everyone and a hope for those in the process not to give up and to keep moving forward, so I believe I won't forget it in the future." He also added, "It will serve as a stepping stone for my growth."
Lee Jin-woo debuted in September 2019 as part of the duo Tintin. He was a pre-debut unit before the seven-member boy group Ghost Nine debuted in September the following year.
When did he start dreaming of becoming a singer? Lee Jin-woo said, "When I was 12 years old in elementary school, I went to study in Gwangju, Jeonnam from Haenam." He continued, "My family has been farming for generations. But my mother said, 'I want you to play in a big pond. If you stay in Haenam, Jin-woo will end up farming,' and sent me to Gwangju, where my aunt lived. During that time, I began to dream of becoming a celebrity, and when I became a trainee at my current company, I moved to Seoul at 16."
He added, "I trained as a trainee for a year while living in a dormitory before debuting. The trainee life of Yoo Jin-woo in the drama is dark, but mine was a normal trainee life. I spent all my time practicing, so I had little time to spend with friends, had to live in society instead of school, and worked hard to diet."
Did his parents oppose sending their 16-year-old son to Seoul, where they had no connections? Lee Jin-woo said, "On the contrary, there was no opposition. I had been away from my parents early on when I went to Gwangju to study. It was tough for both of us when I was in elementary school, but after that, it was fine. Since I wanted to do it, they supported me a lot, and they readily sent me to Seoul. They encouraged me a lot since it was not an easy path."
Lee Jin-woo, who showed his dance and singing on stage, challenged acting through the 2023 web drama 'Just a Finger Flick'. He then found joy in acting and enrolled in the Department of Theater at Dongguk University last year. Lee Jin-woo explained, "As I felt the joy of acting, my desire to pursue the path of an actor grew. While the stage is about showing 'me', acting is about showing another person or character in front of the camera, which is interesting." He also revealed his passion for acting, saying, "I sometimes follow along with the lines while watching movies or dramas alone."
Lee Jin-woo also shared, "The fellow actors I met while acting feel like friends, while the members feel like family or brothers after living together for six years. We can be comfortable together without paying much attention to each other. That aspect is different," explaining the differences he feels between his colleagues as a singer and as an actor. He continued, "Among the members, there's a friend named Lee Woo-jin who has a strong desire and passion for acting. So we talk a lot about acting together."
Lee Jin-woo vowed to continue his activities as an actor, saying, "I want to hear that I'm a fresh and rookie actor that people want to keep seeing. An actor with a fresh face who draws people in more and more. I will work hard to become an actor who can meet you with various works, from romantic comedies to occult and historical dramas."
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
