Actress Kim Yun-jin’s Song Picks

Actress Kim Yun-jin [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Kim Yun-jin recently lended her voice to a video game named “True Crime.” The game set for release during the first half of next year in the United States is an action RPG game where Asian gangs appear. The actor and actress that star in the game are Chinese actress Michelle Yeoh and Korean-American actor Will Yun Lee. This fact alone shows her status in Hollywood - that she is the one to count on when in need of top Asian actors that represent Asia. Such was possible thanks to American TV series “Lost” which boasted high ratings throughout its six-year broadcast. Kim’s character Sun who started out as the typical, passive Asian woman who over the seasons transforms into the one who holds the key to the story, helped to widen the horizon for Kim’s acting career. Of course, it was anything but easy to wear the same old costume for seven months and work on a single drama for six years straight. “‘Lost’ was a great drama but boring at points and I craved much as an actress. So I quenched my desires by steadily working on projects in Korea as well,” said the actress. Hence she wanted to “travel and rest as well” during the brief breaks she had in between shoots for “Lost” in Hawaii but instead chose to act in Korea. Films “Seven Days” (2007) and “Harmony” (2009) that were both successes are all from during this period. And with “Heartbeat” (2011) she once again chose to act rather than rest.

“The character Yeon that I play is at the height of her emotions from the very beginning. Her daughter has already been sick for years and in less than five minutes of the film’s start, she is told her daughter’s heart could stop any moment, even tomorrow. And I had to maintain that emotion from start to finish so I hurt all over whenever a shooting session was over,” explained Kim. In the film “Heartbeat” she again played a desperate a mother who could do just about anything to save the life of her child like she did in her earlier films “Seven Days” and “Harmony.” And so, for the sake of her daughter’s life whose only hope is to receive a heart transplant, a woman who was nothing less than a sweet, tender mother to her baby, does everything and anything to keep her child alive. She spends money in every way she can, meets with illegal organ traders and even resorts to violence. She also cries for her child.

Kim, who screams out as she beats her chest, distorts the muscles in her face, literally ‘acts with her whole body.’ By now you may be used to seeing her playing the mother who screams out for her child while making sacrifices but she has the power to make the viewer cry. This is similar to the music she likes. “Music seems to contain sort of a power within because while movies go to the head first and then to one’s heart, music goes directly to the heart.” So here is the music handpicked by an actress who aims to touch people’s heart directly.

1. U2’s “The Joshua Tree”
“U2 has been my favorite band since I was very young. They recently performed in Hawaii so I went there with the entire cast of ‘Lost’.” (laugh) U2, the band which is still up and running, has released many great albums but “The Joshua Tree” is referred to as mega-hit record that has sold 25 million copies worldwide. “‘The Joshua Tree’ is still my favorite. Every track is a masterpiece and lyrics are like pieces of poetry. The entire album is like a book containing poems about the dramatic life of somebody. I believe it’s the best band ever next to The Beatles.”

2. Beyonce’s “I Am... Sasha Fierce” (Platinum Edition)
Beyonce who first gained attention for her pretty looks rather than her musical talent as a member to girl group “Destiny’s Child,” shot to fame and settled as a sex icon as soon as she debuted as a solo artist. “Beyonce truly seems to be the best. Doesn't everything about her go with a woman living in the 21st century? Even her thick thighs look so sexy, standing proud like a great tree! When she dances on the stage wearing kill heels… wow.. I’m really sorry I missed her concert in Korea because I was away from the country at the time. You see, it’s hard to get tickets for her concert in the United States.”

3. Jason Mraz’s “Mr. A-Z”
“Jason Mraz is quite famous in Korea, isn’t he? I think there is something in his song that clicks with Koreans. That is why he's particularly popular in the country. The lyrics to his songs are fun and they have the strength to make you feel better. I have all of his albums in my i-Pod. I like him so much that I also have the live concert versions of his albums too. (laugh) It was the song I kept listening to throughout the shoot for “Heartbeat.” I think most of his songs are cheerful but the lyrics that confess of one-sided love seem to contain a certain sadness and desperation.”

4. Various Artists’ “Once O.S.T"
“This may be the best movie soundtrack I’ve ever come across recently. 'Once' is the kind of movie that all actors dream of. It’s the kind of movie and music that I would’ve liked to try myself had I been gifted with such musical talent and voice.” The film which starred actual musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, helped the two rise to rise into immediate fame. “My singing is just average but if there is a movie that can refine me (laugh), I would honestly practice 1,000 times over to do it. That's how much I want to be in a film about music, especially musical films."

5. 2NE1’s “To Anyone” (1st Album)”
“What, you didn’t expect me to like 2NE1? (laugh) I really like the group. They are so cool and confident. The very image of a modern woman? I feel power exuding from thier performances and they relieve me of my stress. They're also amazing with their dancing and rapping, not to mention the singing. I happened to watch 'Show! Music Core' yesterday and saw 2NE1 performing 'Can’t Nobody.' I was marveling the whole time, ‘Wow, how is it that they're so cool.'"(laugh)

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Reporter : Lee Ji-Hye seven@
Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@
Editor : Heidi Kim heidikim@