So Ji Sub Interview for Road No. 1 from Mydaily

So Ji Sub Interview for Road No. 1

April 26, 2010

by dw4p blog


Q: You’re the lead for a program celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. When you received the call to be in the drama, how did you feel and what made you accept the role?

I did feel a little anxious taking on a huge project that would portray the pain of the war and the [country's] history. But I really enjoyed reading the script, down to the last sentence of all 16 episodes. And on a personal level, it was a new genre for me and I thought it would be difficult to receive a project like this in the future. As we continued filming, I became more confident each day that I made the right decision. I’m enjoying the experience even though it’s physically tiring.

Q: Recent dramas have a tendency to favor soft male characters, while you’re known to play strong male characters. Lee Jang Woo has been described as someone who deals with the various difficulties of life in a myriad of ways. What kind of a character is he?

Lee Jang Woo is someone who accepts the yoke of a person’s life, but is able to develop a path for himself at the same time. Due to the Korean War, he has to experience a heartbreaking love and needs to use all his might to withstand the difficulties of the war. He’s a devoted man who deals with life and death in battle, while agonizing over his love and his friendship.

Q: Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Full Metal Jacket, Thin Red Line, Taegeukgi have all received acclaim as war dramas. Are there any stories or characters that have left a strong impression on you?

I haven’t seen all of these project but I’m sure that Lee Jang Woo from my current project will leave the most lasting impression on me. All of these projects were made to have the viewer experience war, but it doesn’t compare to actually being part of the filming and experiencing it personally. And Lee Jang Woo is a character that I want to keep in my heart for a long time.

Q: Young people from this generation see war as something from a far away land. In that sense, the drama about the 6.25 war is an important project. Have you spoken with any elders or family members who experienced the war firsthand?

I wasn’t able to do that… but I was exposed to a lot of photos and research materials from the directors while preparing for the project. I was surprised to see such horrific scenes on our own soil 60 years ago. After seeing the pictures, I promised myself to do a better job on the project. Since a drama is a window into that era, I remember the staff working to perfect the march route between the north and south and paying close attention to the details of the military uniform.

Q: Being on set, it looked like even the staff suffered from the bitter cold. Wasn’t last winter so cold that it was difficult to be fully immersed in your acting? What was your secret to enduring the cold?

There’s nothing more I can add to, “It was really cold.” We tried to come up with lots of ideas to avoid the cold but there wasn’t much else to do except wait for the cold weather to end. There were times when I didn’t feel like my legs were my own.

Q: What did the two directors, Lee Jang Soo and Kim Jin Min, want from you?

Both directors said the same thing: Be true to your feelings at every moment. Since this isn’t something that a person actually experienced in real life, they stressed the importance of acting realistically and this was something I tried to do. They also said to show a different side, so much so that people would say, “So Ji Sub also had this side to him.” Personally, this is something that I selfishly want in my acting, so I always do projects with this in mind.

Q: People have said that you look good in uniform. As someone who enjoys fashion, were you satisfied with your appearance?

I’m not sure if I look good in uniform, but I now feel the most comfortable with it on. (Laughter) I’m always in uniform besides Sundays. I’ve even laughed to myself after thinking that regular clothes seem awkward and uncomfortable.

Q: What do you want to say to the viewers?

I thought about this for awhile. How to ask you to watch the program since it’s a great project. Thinking about the drama, Road No. 1, I’ve realized what a blessing it is for me to be a part of this project. I’m looking forward to meeting the viewers with such a warm and interesting drama. I want to share the blessing I’ve received with the viewers of the drama. Hope you’re looking forward to it. Thank you.

via Mydaily