The actor Yoo Hae-jin, known as the 'man of a thousand faces' (55), has now immersed himself in the IMF era.
The film 'Soju War', which was released on the 30th of last month, depicts the story of Jong-rok, a finance director for a soju company whose life revolves around soju, and In-beom, an employee of a global investment firm who only pursues results, as they confront the fate of soju for the people of South Korea during the 1997 IMF financial crisis.
Inspired by the Jinro Group, which disbanded due to management difficulties during the past financial crisis, Yoo Hae-jin passionately portrayed the character of Byo Jong-rok, who strives to protect the national treasure of the company. Although it started at number three on its opening day, it is struggling against films like 'High Five' and 'How to Train Your Dragon'.
Yoo Hae-jin said, "I wish it had done better, but I feel regret. It might be seasonal, and people are likely to watch more entertaining films. Our film has a thought-provoking aspect rather than being purely entertaining, and I believe such films are necessary. Sometimes, when a film is heavy, it can do well, and I think it's a fine line. It's like the fate of the film," and added, "While doing stage greetings, I noticed that there are many people who can relate to the IMF. It seems there is a shared understanding among them. These days, if the word is good, people go to see it. I hope our work gains momentum."
Yoo Hae-jin also mentioned that his reason for participating in 'Soju War' was because he found it 'meaningful'.
He stated, "I was worried whether the 2030 generation would be interested, but I hope they watch it in that sense. It seems that the current generation wants things to flow smoothly without any friction. I think an 'intermission' is also necessary in that flow. In that sense, I believe this work is needed. I think it's important to reflect on why we live."
He continued, "It's not easy to say who has a better life between Jong-rok and In-beom. I heard it's a work that has a lot to talk about. Where do we place our values in life? 'New Balance' is necessary. Living like Jong-rok isn't bad, but in today's world, while it's great to try to save everyone, he wasn't very devoted to his family. We need to take care of our families too. I think there should be a mix with In-beom."
Regarding the character of Jong-rok, Yoo Hae-jin reflected, "Looking back, I think there were many fathers like that. I acted thinking of the old fathers who prioritized work over family. Back then, it seems there were many people who weren't family-oriented." He added, "I only learned about the hardships of our country during the IMF through the media. At that time, I was doing theater, and our troupe had irregular hours, so we couldn't even afford to work part-time. I think it didn't resonate with me because I was walking to save on bus fare."
Yoo Hae-jin expressed his affection for Lee Je-hoon, who played In-beom. Previously, Lee Je-hoon described Yoo Hae-jin as "the essence of Korean cinema" in an interview and expressed his desire to meet him again.
In response, Yoo Hae-jin smiled shyly and said, "I haven't seen it, but did he really say that?" He continued, "Lee Je-hoon has a neat appearance and a sense of uprightness. He seems to think a lot about acting. I also want to meet him again."
He added, "During filming, he called me 'senior', but after filming, he texted me 'hyung' (older brother). That was nice and pleasant. There’s a cool atmosphere when you say nice things, but receiving a text like that from a friend makes me feel a bond. So I'm grateful, and I feel touched when I receive such texts."
He also expressed his respect for Son Hyun-joo, who played the villain in the film and is a long-time friend.
He said, "He really did a great job as the villain. He laid a good foundation. He is a senior I truly admire as an actor. He could easily fall into a routine in his acting, but he doesn't. Even during this shoot, I thought he might be overdoing it a bit, but after watching the film, I realized he was right. Working together on this project, I saw that he really puts himself into his acting. He even showed his previous surgery scars, and I told him to be a bit more careful. He could take it easy, but he doesn't. He has a lot of passion."
After meeting the audience with 'Soju War' following 'The Opposition', Yoo Hae-jin continues his active career. He is currently filming 'The Man Who Lives with the King' and is set to appear in director Heo Jin-ho's 'Assassins'.
When asked about the value of life, Yoo Hae-jin said, "What I hope for is to live happily as long as I don't cause harm to others. I have a lot to enjoy and many happy moments, but it's not easy."
He continued, "Of course, being able to keep acting during difficult times is very happy. In 'The Man Who Lives with the King', I had conversations with colleagues I acted with in theater who are now doing minor roles, and these days, everyone says they don't have projects. In a way, living while doing the acting I want to do is a blessed thing."
"When I'm not acting, I wake up in the morning, exercise, and meet good people for a drink. I saw a video where a foreigner who lived for 100 years said, 'Live today to the fullest.' I want to live like that too. The reason I run every day is that I want to spend a fulfilling time each day. There are many times I want to feel grateful for being alive right now. That's why I run. Sometimes I think about how grateful I am when I can eat delicious food without worrying about the cost. I feel happy when I can treat my juniors to a meal without worrying about the price and tell them to eat more."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
