The actress Lee Jung-eun (55), who has shown 'a thousand faces', has returned this time as a hip grandmother.
The movie 'Zombie Daughter', which will be released on the 30th, is a comedic drama about a doting father who begins secret training to protect his daughter, who has become the last remaining zombie in the world. It is based on the popular Naver webtoon of the same name, which has accumulated 500 million views globally. Director Kim Sang-woo, known for 'Hostage', took the helm, and the cast includes Lee Jung-eun, Jo Jung-seok, Yoon Kyung-ho, Choi Yu-ri, and Jo Yeo-jeong.
In 'Zombie Daughter', Lee Jung-eun plays the role of Jeong-hwan's mother and the hip grandmother Bamsun of the MZ generation, who is a key figure in Eunbong-ri. She created the 'hip grandmother' character by watching videos of grandmothers rapping in Chilgok.
Lee Jung-eun said, "I liked the idea that zombies could be trained to coexist. I get excited when mothers who aren't acting come to the set. It's like meeting real people I need to learn from. I believe that when an actor takes on a role, they should create it in a way that gives a sense of reality, and the Chilgok mothers are cooler than us. They enjoy rapping, drinking, and dancing, and each household has its own story. The hip grandmother was a character with a basis," she explained.
She continued, "The makeup based on the webtoon was carefully crafted by the production team. My role was to ground that. It was important to act in a way that made it unclear whether the lines were scripted or improvised, so I thought it was best to relax. I was worried that the cartoonish character might seem childish, but fortunately, those who watched the film said, 'Even if she's Jo Jung-seok's mother, there's no problem,' which made me feel good," expressing her satisfaction.
Was there any pressure in having to act as a mother to Jo Jung-seok, who is only 10 years younger?
Lee Jung-eun said, "I was so happy to meet Jo Jung-seok. When we met in the drama 'Oh My Ghost', I wanted to continue that chemistry, but we can't just meet because we want to. So it was nice to meet again. I think he is an actor who helps everyone bring out their natural selves, and I think that's cool. Although he is my son, I am proud of him," she joked.
She added, "Jo Jung-seok was so good in the movie 'Pilot' with teacher Oh Min-ae. I felt like I had to work hard to keep up. So I wanted to do well in my role as his mother. I enjoyed working with Jo Jung-seok. I hope we can create a strong chemistry that continues from the mother-son chemistry in 'Pilot'," she revealed.
Furthermore, she said, "There is a fate to being an actor. No matter what role comes, I have to accept it cheerfully. Senior Nam Moon-hee was like that, and it's not just me. I have to handle such roles beautifully. Except for a few works featuring protagonists in their 50s, there are hardly any stories centered around my age group. It's a tough role, but I want to enjoyably take on roles that can impact the work," she expressed her hopes.
Above all, Lee Jung-eun showed deep affection for her fellow actors in 'Zombie Daughter'. The group chat name is said to be 'Zombie High School Reunion'.
She said, "I've worked with many male actors before, and most of them are sweet. Jo Jung-seok and Yoon Kyung-ho are like that too. It's no wonder the actresses love them. When we gather, we chat like high school girls. We can talk for five hours over a cup of coffee. Yoon Kyung-ho is really funny, just like in 'Excuse Me'. Personally, I want to support him until he becomes a national co-MC. Jo Jung-seok sets the stage well. Yoon Kyung-ho talks, Jo Yeo-jeong adds flavor, and I bring it all together. Then Yu-ri plays maturely within that," she hinted.
She continued, "Choi Yu-ri's adorable shyness and restraint played a big role. It allowed my acting to stand out. Her reactions were impressive, and she was very polite and grateful on set. That's why she is the favorite among the staff. She's so pretty. She's truly a friend who will succeed. She reads a lot of books and clearly conveys her thoughts when talking to the director," emphasizing that the natural acting came from the talented co-stars.
Lee Jung-eun is often described with various titles such as 'a reliable actor, a sought-after actor by directors, and an actor with a wide spectrum.'
In response, she said, "I wonder if it's because I take on roles that others don't. I think I've dug into a niche market well." She then joked, "After the movie 'Parasite', there has been a surge of male roles being changed to female. The flow of the times has changed, doors have opened, and I was lucky. That suited me well. It's not that I act in a particularly different way, but the stories surrounding us seem to be changing. The times matched well. I think younger actors will have even more opportunities," she humbly replied.
She continued, "Even I sometimes face failures when taking on new roles, but I think they view it cutely. It seems they applaud the attempts made. That's why I continue to act. I am putting in a lot of effort. Dialect acting is still difficult. This time, I listened to the materials provided by the film company and also recorded voices from teachers and talented juniors introduced by the production team. When I met actor Choi Jin-hyuk's mother, I asked her to record for me. I practiced hard by listening to the dialects of five people," she explained.
She has been actively working in films such as 'Parasite', 'Hell is Other People', 'When the Camellia Blooms', 'Law School', 'Youth of May', 'Our Blues', 'Morning Comes to the Psychiatric Ward', 'The Day of the Fortune Tellers', 'The Woman Who Sees the Light', 'Lighting Store', and 'More Beautiful than Heaven'.
Lee Jung-eun stated, "I don't have grand dreams. I hope to stay and go as I please. I don't want to feel too much responsibility for every choice, and I want to enjoy it lightly. Usually, when careers are interrupted, it becomes difficult. It can be scary. I want to go without that fear," she revealed.
"I can't do everything well. But I think I shouldn't get tired. I have to find a direction that makes me happy. I think I should look at the work with a little less pressure. Rather than thinking about a guaranteed future or a hit project, I hope to find works where I can feel joy and share it with the audience. Feeling responsible doesn't guarantee good work. The chemistry among the actors is important. In that sense, going to the set of 'Zombie Daughter' was very happy and exciting. (laughs)"
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
