[INTERVIEW] Actor Yoon Kye-sang - Part 2

Yoon Kye-sang [Chae ki-won/10Asia]

<#10LOGO#> Well you mentioned that you feel bad to your juniors for landing the main character for your debut role but I’m sure that couldn’t have been all good. A lot of idol stars pursue acting careers nowadays but at the time, I don’t think you would’ve had anybody to help you or give you advice so you must’ve had a hard time getting through the difficulties you were faced with on your own. But it was almost if you showed that you have overcome all that, particularly through the scene in which you jumped over the Military Demarcation Line with a pole. It left a strong impression on me.
Yoon: Wow, thank you. (laugh) In a way it was about me fighting against the prejudice that people had of me and it was a long and lonely fight. One that I couldn’t win no matter what I did and how I went about it. So things happened for me after I turned 32 and gained somewhat more experience, not because I suddenly improved to the extent that it could seem similar to doing a high jump on a pole. I actually think everybody has the ability to act. Just like everyone can lie. I think anyone can act, as long as they’re not conscious of the camera. So it goes down to how sincere you are in your approach and I think I have never gone wrong in that aspect. A lot of people helped me on the way and I’ve been lucky so I never missed that aspect of it. I honestly didn’t expect “Poongsan” to become so talked about so I’m sure it has to do with me having played Yoon Pil-joo in “The Greatest Love.” I do think I got lucky. I had filmed the drama about four months before I started working on the drama but I think it had great synergy effect. People may have thought I’m putting on acting that’s doable if there was only “Poongsan.” But they’re both surprised and in awe about it because they’ll think that Yoon Pil-joo is doing it. Because a once oriental medicine doctor who was always checking on one’s vitals has had his hair cut, has grown out a beard and is muscular. (laugh)

<#10LOGO#> But you can’t predict when you’ll be lucky. Hence it’s not easy to fight against that prejudice until you get lucky.
Yoon: It is a very lonely fight but I’m extremely stubborn and hate losing. I may look soft but I’m not all that mild-mannered. I was able to bear through everything because I had already started and accepted that what I’m doing is mine. I’ve also said nonsense along the way but they’re mistakes I made because I didn’t know what I was doing, and I’ve apologized for them then moved on.

<#10LOGO#> It’s not easy to but it seems like you apologize very easily.
Yoon: Because they’re mistakes I made because I didn’t know what I was doing. Saving my face isn’t what’ll let me keep my job. I wasn’t ashamed because that’s honestly how I felt. People can’t lie about things they’re not sure of keeping a lie forever. So I think it’s better to do what I want and be honest about it, no matter how hard of a time I may have because of it. The reason I work on low budget films like “Poongsan” too is just me doing what I like but I’m a bit too lucky this time so…

<#10LOGO#> Are you scared?
Yoon: I am. Also about how I’m being perceived as an acting expert.

<#10LOGO#> On the other hand, have you ever thought that you’re not lucky?
Yoon: No, no. I really think there are so many people in our country that act well. Of course, you can’t rank whose acting is better but there’s a sense of self satisfaction involved with it.

Yoon Kye-sang [Chae ki-won/10Asia]

<#10LOGO#> Like you said, "The Greatest Love" and "Poongsan" came about at a great time. You were met with good opportunities when your career as an actor had gotten longer than that as a singer. I guess you could call it sort of a junction.
Yoon Kye-sang: Well, I don't really think of it as a junction. I have the memory of being a singer and that's when I reached the top. The thing about the popularity of celebrities is that when you're getting attention, there's no other star in the world that you would want to become. But when you're not getting attention, you become someone that's even less important than ordinary people. That's why I know that the momentary love I'm getting right now won't last. And it's simply my personal greed and goal to not let go of that. I'm extremely happy over the fact that "Poongsan," which I had such a hard time filming, is getting shown to the world and getting attention due to "The Greatest Love" and my popularity from it. I still have a long way to go as an actor. Doing acting where I express myself without words? It may have turned out well because I'm lucky. I wouldn't be able to act properly again if I think it's only natural. An actor's life is over the moment he thinks, 'What do I do with my next acting role?' after receiving a lot of love for his previous acting because that pressure will become a burden. But I don't think like that so I'll do things the way I please. Even if I may be receiving the most interest right now, it's not like my acting has changed and I've always been under the same mindset -- it's just that it all looks different because of the popularity. The public may criticize me in the next project I take on but that'll be the way I take things because that's just simply who I am. Of course, I don't know if I'll be able to continue to act well but like I've done so far, I'm going to do my best. And if I still don't improve, then there's nothing I can do about that.

<#10LOGO#> Because you're only human.
Yoon: Because I'm human I do get angry momentarily but it doesn't make me cower or anything. Not getting satisfaction out of my acting is rather what I have a hard time over. When I shout out, I still do with sincerity rather than skill so when I'm supposed to get angry, I stutter. I always lack when it comes to the details because I actually act with that emotion I'm supposed to feel. I know I shouldn't stutter because I need to deliver but I can't control such things because of my emotions. And it's because I'm not a great actor. But I don't think I could get anymore sincere and genuine with my acting. I'm already obsessing over it so much that I'll probably die if I do anymore. (laugh) Nonetheless, I'm going to try to stick to this mindset. Who knows, I may give up at one point but I'm going to do all I can. I've beared it up till now so I'm sure I'll be able to another five or six years.

<#10LOGO#> It must be extremely difficult for you to come out of a character because you throw yourself into it so much.
Yoon: It was at a climax when I was working on "Beastie Boys." But this is the thing. I think I've come to acquire sort of this skill after working on about a dozen projects or so. The skill to come out of a character without missing on the sincerity. Dramas in particular are about how well you do with the bust shots so it's impossible to express everything like you do in movies and also unnecessary. The two are in different environments in terms of how they are watched and the level to which people focus on them. But I've come to have somewhat of an idea of at what timing I need to show my face to which extent. If I had focused fully on my acting from 1 to 100 in the past, nowadays, I think I know to use skills from 1 to 30. But you have to be real from 30 to 100.

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Reporter : Kim Hee Ju fifteen@, Yoonina (TV Critic)
Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@, Lee Ji-Hye seven@