Actor Song Kang-ho (57) has transformed into a volleyball coach this time.
The film 'One Win' (directed by Shin Yeon-sik) tells the story of a professional women's volleyball team that has never won, with a coach who has never won, an owner who has no intention of winning, and players who don't know how to win, as they embark on a challenge for their first victory. Song Kang-ho, the first Korean male actor to win the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival, plays the role of Kim Woo-jin, the new coach of the Pink Storm, a team that fails at everything he touches.
Ahead of its release on the 4th, Song Kang-ho met on the 2nd at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and said, "It's a wonderful sports movie, but I really like the title 'One Win.' While watching the movie, there is the volleyball team's first win, but it is also a story about achieving my own first win in life. There are times when things don't go well in life and when we lose confidence. Whether it's small or big, if watching the movie makes the audience think about what their own first win is, and if it provides them with a little comfort, then it would be meaningful."
He continued, "Before 'Parasite,' I often played characters that were somewhat oppressed. Whether it's personal history, historical context, or environment, the depth of the characters was good, but I wanted to do a work that felt like a refreshing candy to the audience. At that moment, I encountered 'One Win.' I hoped the audience would leave the theater with a refreshing feeling in their mouths. Families who attended the preview said it was the most fun among my films. 'One Win' feels like organic vegetables. It's not processed; I hope people think of it as a fresh, vibrant, and unique film."
Song Kang-ho collaborated with director Shin Yeon-sik for the third time, following the film 'The Spider's Nest' and the Disney+ series 'Uncle Sam-sik.'
He said, "Some people ask if I borrowed money from director Shin Yeon-sik and didn't pay it back. It just happened by chance. After watching the movie 'Dongju,' I was curious about the writer. I love the poems of poet Yun Dong-ju, but we haven't paid much attention to his life. I wondered how he had such a perspective. Director Lee Joon-ik's direction made the beautiful poems of Yun Dong-ju stand out even more," and added, "So after 'Parasite,' when I was resting, I got a call to meet him right away."
He continued, "At that time, it was 'The Spider's Nest.' Director Shin had several projects in preparation, but the conditions weren't good due to COVID-19. Then we ended up doing 'One Win' first," and expressed, "Director Shin is dignified and studies a lot. He has a solid humanistic philosophy, and even though he is younger than me, there are many things I can learn from him. I hope his perspective on the world shines and I want to support him."
Regarding his co-star Park Jung-min in 'One Win,' he said, "I was amazed by him since 'The Guard.' I thought, 'Who is that actor?' This friend has excellent interpretive skills. He constantly cultivates himself and expresses his character in a three-dimensional way. I felt he was impressive once again. He has a strong energy, so it was fun to act together. Even in a short appearance, he has a commanding presence."
As a real volleyball fan, Song Kang-ho said, "I watch volleyball broadcasts every day. It's difficult to make sports into movies, but everyone came together to give it a try. Volleyball has sports stars like Kim Yeon-koung, but it also has a mix of teamwork, strategy, and rhythm that is more evenly distributed than other sports. All sports are excellent, but I find volleyball particularly appealing for that reason."
This film features special appearances from commentator Han Yoo-mi, director Kim Se-jin, who led the men's volleyball boom in the 1990s, director Shin Jin-sik, and women's volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung, who all contributed their support.
He mentioned, "I had it easy as the coach. The actors who played the players went through a lot of hardship during training camps. Some are actual former volleyball players, while others have backgrounds in dance or modeling. Han Yoo-mi, who appeared as a player in the film, coached the actors, and since she is a former national team member, she pushed them hard. Thanks to that, we were able to create three-dimensional and exhilarating scenes. Many volleyball players supported us with one heart."
He added, "I feel a great responsibility not to let the volleyball community down. The volleyball community has high expectations and is helping us, so we must not become a burden or cause any trouble. I feel a burden to ensure that the hard work of the players is rewarded."
The 'million-seller actor' and 'national actor' Song Kang-ho also revealed that he always has a thirst for box office success. Although he hasn't achieved satisfactory results recently, he expressed his desire to continue taking on new challenges, even if he fails.
He said, "I really want to do comedy acting," and added, "I can't predict the outcome of a work. I have never chosen a project just to be loved by the public. That is not the criterion for my choices. Of course, it would be great to be loved. However, I am drawn to challenges, things I haven't done, or new attempts in the history of Korean cinema. I am not one to make safe choices. A sense of adventure and a new thirst influence my project selections. Sometimes that thirst leads to success, and at other times it doesn't. Recently, I haven't been able to connect well with the audience, but I want to do something new rather than safe."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
