Actor Jinyoung (34) returned to the screen after five years with 'That Time, We Loved That Girl', which evokes memories of first love.
The film 'That Time, We Loved That Girl', a remake of the Taiwanese film of the same name, tells the story of Jinu (Jinyoung), who spent countless days before confessing to Seonah (Dahyun), his first love at eighteen.
Starting with the movie 'In Me', Jinyoung has shown unique performances in various works, including the Netflix series 'Sweet Home', and he took on the role of Jinu, who loved to have fun. TWICE's Dahyun played the role of Seonah, a model student and everyone's first love.
Jinyoung said, "It was exciting to be back on screen after five years. I missed movies. There is definitely a unique power in films, and I felt good and happy," adding, "It was a challenge for me to play a younger role, and it was emotional to see my face on screen after a long time since 'In Me'."
He revealed that he is a fan of the original work, saying, "The pure and clean feeling of the original was significant. I cried every time I watched the ending. I hesitated before taking on the role because I wondered if I could do it as a fan of the original, but I thought about our own way of expressing it and took on the challenge."
He continued, "Although it's a remake, once we started filming, I tried not to think about it too much and focused on recalling my high school days to create my own Jinu. I thought about why Jinu liked Seonah," explaining, "The framework of the Korean version is similar, but I think there are small fun elements that were trendy in Korea in 2002."
Having worn a school uniform again, he said, "I've played roles wearing school uniforms a lot, so I was somewhat familiar with it. I hope to keep wearing it in the future. I wish I could wear it for just three more years," he joked.
Jinyoung also shared, "I still remember my first love from sixth grade. I was similar to Jinu back then. I fell in love at first sight and wanted to get close, but I couldn't talk to her. I added a friend on Buddy Buddy Messenger and chatted like close friends, but when I saw her the next day, I couldn't even say hello. I wondered why I couldn't say I liked her, and thinking about my younger self, I could relate. When you like someone, you can't say it directly and express it through teasing and indirect ways."
Regarding his chemistry with TWICE's Dahyun, he said, "When we first met, I think we greeted each other backstage before, but we didn't have a close relationship. Dahyun has the image I know and seems to fit the role of Seonah well. She has a clean and model student vibe, so I thought it would work well," adding, "Dahyun is very quick-witted. When I think back to my first time, I can't even remember what I did. She was well-prepared, which I found impressive."
About the kissing scene, he said, "After filming a same-sex kiss scene, I felt more relaxed. Dahyun was also nervous since it was her first kissing scene, so I tried to make her as comfortable as possible. I told her not to worry because it would be over quickly. I was worried about the fans' reactions, but Dahyun reassured me that our fans would be cool about it."
Regarding the same-sex kissing scene, he said, "I was very nervous since it was my first time. It was a feeling and sensation I had never experienced before. From the start, I was nervous because it was something I hadn't experienced. We both sighed and thought a lot about what to do. Before we started filming, we reassured each other that it would be okay, but I think I was surprised by how intense the kissing scene was. From that point on, I tried to comfort her."
On reuniting with Park Sung-woong, whom he met again after 'In Me', he said, "Although I don't resemble my senior, he is a manly senior, and I want to emulate that. I envy his straightforwardness. He cares for me like a father and loves me. When I mentioned the special appearance, it must have been difficult for him, but he agreed right away. I'm grateful for his participation."
As a member of the idol group B1A4, he stated that he doesn't want to give up on either acting or singing.
Jinyoung said, "I don't want to give up on either. There are fans who love my music, and I search a lot and find many reviews about my music and acting. I don't want to give up on either. I love both too much. I want to do everything. I have a lot of ambition. If I can, I want to do it all. I'm trying my best to release music."
He has also consistently participated in OST work, and he co-wrote and composed the OST for 'That Time, We Loved That Girl' with Dahyun.
He shared, "When I worked on dramas or movies, I co-wrote the main OST for 'Miss Granny' with the director, and I participated in 'Moonlight Drawn by Clouds' as well. This time, I co-wrote and composed with Dahyun. I enjoy this work. I know a lot about dramas and movies. While filming, I felt the protagonist's narrative, and I thought if people like us could pour those emotions into music, we could do well, so I try to work on it. The song I wrote with that sentiment received a good response."
He added, "Dahyun had been writing lyrics before, but it was her first time composing. So she was very eager and had a longing for composing. She was very happy. Dahyun is passionate about everything. She came up with many ideas. While working together, I learned a lot and found it impressive."
“I always think about acting. I want to keep improving and do well. But I don't know what I should do well, and it's difficult. I have a lot of thoughts about how to do well. Rather than looking at my acting in detail, I try to see it from the perspective of the viewers and audience as a whole. Acting is still difficult, but I try to look at myself objectively. I've never played a villain, so I want to try it once, and I also want to challenge myself to be an action star. I did action without a stunt double in 'In Me', and I want to try proper action after getting a taste of it."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
