[Interview] ① Jung Kyung-ho “Acting Is Not a Solo Job, What Remains Are People”

Movie 'Apgujeong' Plastic Surgeon Role
First Collaboration with Longtime Friend Ma Dong-seok of 20 Years

Actor Jung Kyung-ho. Photo by Showbox Co., Ltd.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Jung Kyung-ho (39) teams up with Ma Dong-seok to head to Apgujeong in 2006. They deliver powerful laughter set in Gangnam. Above all, the imagery is fresh. Their connection dates back to before their debut. Twenty years ago, they shared the same agency, went to auditions together, and worked out while nurturing their dreams, but they had never met in a project after becoming actors. Having each solidified their own fields, the two reunited as if by fate. The second act of their relationship is marked by the film 'Apkkujeong'.

Meeting Jung Kyung-ho at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 29th, he said, "I wanted to work with Ma Dong-seok, but only now has the opportunity come." He added, "He even recommended the project he is preparing to me, and we are exchanging various stories." At a prior press screening, Ma Dong-seok expressed his intention to collaborate on more projects. Jung said, "Ma Dong-seok is preparing to produce 30 to 40 films and wants to open opportunities to impressive actors and production teams. He offered me a project this time, saying, 'Would you like to take a look?' Not only me, but also new directors, actors, and emerging production companies will be involved in various attempts."

Released on the 30th, 'Apkkujeong' tells the story of Daeguk (Ma Dong-seok), a native of Apgujeong with endless business ideas and a sharp tongue, who teams up with Ji-woo (Jung Kyung-ho), a top-tier plastic surgeon, to become the pioneer of K-beauty. Jung Kyung-ho plays a confident and prickly plastic surgeon who is central to the K-beauty business.

He said, "When I first received the script, the lines were not simple and were difficult. It felt like YouTube. It was hard to act without practicing the lively speech and situations. The three of us?Ma Dong-seok, the director, and I?met to add and refine the script." When asked about working with Ma Dong-seok, he laughed, "We joked a lot and jumped right in." He added, "Our back-and-forth dialogue scenes had great chemistry."

Although he has appeared in various works such as 'Prison Playbook' (2017), 'Life on Mars' (2018), and 'Hospital Playlist' (2020), Jung Kyung-ho had been somewhat distant from the comedy genre. He said, "It's a difficult genre. Sometimes the creators find it funny, but the audience does not laugh. Since it is a drama that requires empathy, the setting must support the humor. We tried to fill that part in 'Apkkujeong.'"

'Apkujeong' still. Photo by Showbox

The film, set in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was shot over 80% on location in Apgujeong-dong. Jung Kyung-ho laughed, "We spread out and filmed to an extent that made me wonder if it was allowed." He said, "It felt like a city of desire. A place packed with people who want to succeed. Even just sitting in a cafe, you can feel people's desires. I also go to a hair salon in Apgujeong-dong, so filming there was a fresh experience."

Incorporating props commonly seen in Apgujeong-dong in 2006 into the film was Jung Kyung-ho's idea. He said, "I suggested clothes I wanted to buy in the early 2000s as ideas. We obtained and wore counterfeit items such as brand belts, watches, necklaces, and Bonderchi hats. I also remembered seeing many black Mercedes-Benz convertibles on the streets of Apgujeong at that time, so I gave that suggestion."

Jung Kyung-ho devoted the past four years to filming 'Hospital Playlist.' He invested a considerable amount of time in consecutive shoots. He confessed, "At some point, Jung Kyung-ho became Kim Jun-han." He added, "I feel like the character is most like me. I usually don't express myself well, but I'm not prickly by nature. However, having played sensitive roles consecutively, I haven't gained weight. Recently, in a drama I'm filming with Jeon Do-yeon, I am playing a character with an eating disorder," he laughed. He emphasized, "I want to show a different side in my next project."

Jung Kyung-ho debuted in 2004 with the mobile drama 'Five Stars' and quickly gained attention that same year playing a top star in 'I'm Sorry, I Love You.' From a student majoring in theater at Chung-Ang University to stardom overnight, he became relatively well-known in his early twenties. Now entering his forties, he reflected on the past and mentioned recent changes he has felt.

"I received a lot of love right after debuting. In my twenties, I acted with a sense of style, but entering my thirties and forties, I realized that if I don't focus and work hard, opportunities disappear. I approached the acting profession, which I had dreamed of, with more responsibility and a mindset that it has to be this way. It's something I'm grateful for. It feels like a desperate time. If I have played prickly, aloof, and sensitive characters so far, I hope to be different in my forties."

Actor Jung Kyung-ho. Photo by Showbox Co., Ltd.

Jung Kyung-ho said, "It's a time when I have many concerns," and reflected, "I have become in an ambiguous position where I am neither a senior nor the youngest on set." He said, "I don't think anyone has high expectations of me anymore. So, I feel less burdened. My next project is the film 'Boss,' and I look forward to acting with Jo Woo-jin and Park Ji-hwan."

In the end, what remains is 'people.' Jung Kyung-ho said, "Even if the script is somewhat lacking, the deficiency is filled depending on who you work with." He emphasized, "My criteria for choosing projects is 100% people."

"Even if the work doesn't last, the people do. Sometimes a work is loved but you don't become close with the people, and sometimes a work is disappointing at the box office but you keep in touch and maintain strong relationships with the people you worked with. There were times when I felt overwhelmed living as an actor, but I realized that it doesn't work by doing well alone. I felt this while filming 'Rollercoaster' with my university alumni after military discharge. I want to be a good person. A good person can say good things and perform well, right?"