[INTERVIEW] Actor Kim Ji-suk

Interview with the actor who appeared in 2009 hit film "Take Off" and most recently starred in movie "Lady Daddy" opposite actress Lee Na-young.

My name is Kim Ji-suk. My real name is Kim Bo-suk. When I first debuted as a singer with my real name, many people confused me with senior actors Jung Bo-suk and Kim Bo-seong. The CEO of the agency I was at came up with the part 'Ji' for my name. He was also the one who came with actress Choi Ji-woo's name.
I was born on April 21, 1981. My family is composed of my parents, my older brother who is two years old than me and younger brother who just took his college entrance exams. My older brother and I have different brain structures. He is a member of Mensa and he also attended Oxford and KAIST. I wasn't too bad at my studies either but I wanted my parents to acknowledge me as much as they did my brother. That was the real reason I started acting.
My parents emphasized education and because of that I was lucky to have attended middle and high school in England. I was able to play soccer on vast green fields, but at the time I didn't appreciate it. I still dream about those green fields sometimes.
What I got out of my studies in England was a sense of professionalism and autonomy. I enjoyed the system where from a young age, you are able to study in the field that you wanted to pursue without someone forcing you.
In 2001, I was a member of the boy band "LEO". It was during the time when H.O.T broke up and God was the popular boy group so a mass of boy bands appeared. "LEO" also debuted during that time. I had the passion for it, but I didn't have the talent to become a singer. I had joined my agency at the time thinking I would get to act but I woke up one day to find myself as a rapper of a group. But I was rather probably just the tallest there. How tall am I? I'm 182 cm.
When I first began acting, I joined MTM Entertainment without second thoughts. I appeared in some reenactment programs and I also memorized the book "103 Monologues" for an exam I needed to pass to major in theater but I failed. So then I ended up entering the German Department of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. My aptitude test had showed that being an entertainer would suit me the best and then a teacher.
So taking on my second most suitable career path, I received my secondary teaching certificate in German and English. I graduated in 2006, so I was able to act and also go for my teaching practice at an all boy school which was lots of fun.
In the movie "Take Off," my character Chil-gu was supposed to have a shaven head. But his personality was dark and I didn't think that a shaved head would suit him since it was unlikely that he would shave his head or even try to look cool. So instead, I switched hairstyles with my younger brother character Bong-gu.
In my latest movie "Lady Daddy," my character Joon-suh is an aggressive guy when it comes to dating but I'm the complete opposite of that in real life. I'm more passive in the dating field or I would set up a trap so I can get that girl!
When I first met my partner actress Lee Na-young, I didn't know how to act in front of her because she was so polite and courteous. She would greet me with a 90 degrees bow. It would have been better if she had rather been more straightforward. Even on set, she was so quiet that I would read up on the news on purpose so I would have some international topics to talk about with her.
Last summer, I was in KBS drama "Korean Ghost Stories" which scored a viewership rating of only 4.6 percent. But it turned out that everyone in the broadcasting business had watched the show! Before starring in "The Slave Hunters," I was told to try taking on roles in historical dramas and practice riding horses so I tried to, but I ended up only wearing a wire. Anyway, after my role as a vampire I realized that 'human' roles are easiest to play. (laugh)
We started shooting for "The Slave Hunters" last August and we have about 10 episodes which are complete. The drama is different from other historical royal court dramas since it focuses more on the various expressions used by the slaves.
The director of "The Slave Hunters" can be described as an amazing, passionate, young-blooded pioneer. Back when I took on a role in "Sangdo Let's Go to School," I was merely a passionate actor without an agency who played 'student No. 4' and Kwak was an assistant producer. I guess he probably saw something in me since I was cast be to be a part of this drama.
Last Christmas Eve, a bunch of my guy friends from my neighborhood and elementary school gathered together for an all-guy party. We set a dress code and all dressed up in tuxedos, thinking guys can have such types of parties too. But you know what happens when guys get together. We were all so hungover that we all went to a sauna where we ordered Chinese food.
I want to become an actor who has freedom. I will be fully engaged in the characters I play, but outside of acting, I don't want Kim Bo-suk to be tied with Kim Ji-suk and just live life to the fullest. Nevertheless, I need to be alive to act -- it'll all go to waste if I end up dying from stress.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@10asia.co.kr
Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr