Interview - Im Juhwan: I am Park Kyu

I am a die-hard fan of Tamra, the Island. Despite its low ratings, it’s quite popular within the mania group. Do you feel it [the popularity]?

I’m aware of it (smile). Lately, fans have been visiting the filming location every day. There are people who bring lots of yummy food and also people who always watch us and cheer for us.

There have recently been some movements of fans in opposition to cutting Tamra short. How do you feel about the decision to shorten the drama?

I was really impressed with the fans because these are the kinds of things that one might consider doing but wouldn’t easily venture into doing.

Fortunately, we’ve already filmed about 70% in advance and we’re currently filming the scenes toward the end while the episodes are airing, so regardless of whether it ends up being 16 or 20 episodes, the ending will not be ruined. It’s only a matter of how packed the flow will appear to be. I think many people are worried that it will mess up the story. I feel sad that the stories in the latter part will be reduced, but what can we do. MBC probably has its own reason.

You look really young. Do you have a special [skin] care routine?

Care routine? There’s nothing like that. On the contrary, I don’t like my younger-looking face. There will eventually be a time when I might like it, but I’m still not very pleased with it.

I never guessed the Do-po (the attire Park Kyu’s always in) and Gaht (the hat he wears) would look so good on you. I feel like I’m sitting with a real Chosun-era Seon Bi (nobleman) now that you’re doing this interview with your topknot up.

It’s not that I look good on any Han Bok. The costume team custom-designed them so that it would look good on me. They lengthened the collar and made sure that the dress will fall down smoothly on the shoulders. I put up the real topknot. Instead of wearing it on my forehead like a hat only during the filming, they really put the hair up and tied it. It’s actually very uncomfortable. It’s so bad that I can see a line formed on my forehead when I take it off after filming.

It seems that you and Park Kyu have really become one. Is your real personality similar to Park Kyu’s?

I am quite similar to Park Kyu in many aspects. Park Kyu tends to not show his emotion very much in the drama, and I’m like that too. I try to control my emotion when I need to, but when I express it, my personality would really show.

What do you think you’d be doing if you were to go back to Chosun?

I haven’t thought about it, but I don’t think I’d have the kind of career that attracts people’s attention like now.

Maybe I would be fishing. I tend to enjoy fishing in real life. I think I’d be living my life fishing alone in the Chosun era.

You’re the oldest among the main cast. Do you mentor the younger cast?
I don’t have much experience myself, so I have my hands full with taking care of myself. It’s because I may end up making mistakes while trying to help them out, or teach them wrong things, so I’m always cautious about giving them advice.

Who is the mood setter at the film location? 

Of course it’s Beo Jin – Seo Woo. She enlightens the mood just for being herself, rather than trying to set the mood by doing anything special. Also, almost everyone including Jung Jooree and Kim Mikyung is funny. This is by far the most fun filming environment I’ve ever experienced. It’s very strange. We have fun filming every day because there are always cute and interesting things happening. You can probably see for yourself today. All actors and staffs are enjoying being around one another.

In the drama, Park Kyu isn’t good at expressing his feelings to Beo Jin. How are you in real life?

I am not very expressive, but I tend to approach them first. I don’t really like it when a woman approaches me first. My girlfriends in high school or in college all used to say, “You’re very blunt.”

Female netizens have been talking about the expression “Pony” that Park Kyu uses to call Beo Jin. It’s like a pet name used between lovers in modern days. Do you tend to use pet names when you’re in a relationship?

Well… never. Is a pet name important? Of course I heard women like using pet names. I would, if necessary, but I don’t purposely make one or anything.

Who is your ideal type in real life?

Charlize Theron. I like someone who shows extreme sides. Someone who’s feminine and naïve, but can show her sexy side at times? For example, someone who shows up looking like a goddess at award events, but looks sexy at other places. It’s difficult to find this kind of person in real life (laugh).

Frankly, I don’t like the term ‘ideal type’ in the first place. I think it's absurd to expect to meet some pre-designated type with a certain height or weight. I guess that’s why people care so much about their looks.

What about someone like Seo Woo?

Seo Woo? She’s like a guy… (laugh) I’m not saying she has a rugged personality like men do. She’s friendly and down-to-earth with everyone. She feels like a younger brother. I think everyone at the location considers her as his/her younger brother. She’s always a cute younger sibling. She’s often playful like a younger brother, but I think she sometimes has feminine sides.

I want to ask you as many questions as I can as an avid viewer of Tamra. The scene where you break the water jar… did you do it yourself? It was a scene that really showcased Park Kyu’s charisma.

I broke it myself. (laugh) I had to get an OK in one take in that scene because the big jar was difficult to be replaced and it’d be difficult to resume filming once the ground becomes wet. That’s why I hit it with all my strength, and fortunately, it was shattered at one hit and I was able to get an OK.

I heard the line “How’s the taste! It’s that of Sadaebu (nobleman)” which you say to the pig after taking #2 was an ad-libbed one.

It was an ad-libbed line created right on the spot at the filming site. The cut was originally described as ‘Park Kyu’s face who’s pleased after giving the content to a pig’ in the script, but it felt somewhat boring to me, so I suggested maybe we should insert a line after that. The director asked me, “what line should we insert?,” so I said, how about “How’s the taste? Yes, that’s right.. It’s that of Sadaebu” and he thought it was hilarious. It was a scene where all the staffs were having fun filming.

Are there a lot of ad-libbed lines created at the filming site?

There are quite a lot. None of the actors intend to ad-lib in advance. They just come out unconsciously while looking at each other as they’re acting. When one actor ad-libs, all actors naturally react to that, and there’s not one person getting confused. That’s how sometimes an interesting situation is created in a seemingly bland scene. I feel that all the actors are playing along smoothly whenever I’m acting with them.

I was impressed at the scene in which you shed tears in front of villagers as you were leaving Tamra after completing your task as a royal inspector. Wasn’t it difficult to act out your emotion?

I felt that all the actors were sympathizing with that emotion. Everyone was sympathizing with the minds of Tamra Islanders who were sending off the person with whom they shared warm relationships even though it was only for a short period. For that scene, they filmed the villagers’ facial expressions first. They filmed it while I walked by them with the camera, and that’s when I started getting into the emotion.

And then they filmed my scene and it was easier for me to emote because I’ve already seen them [the looks of the villagers’ faces]. That scene didn’t require a retake either.

The scene where you were eating the Bing-duk Beo Jin made was also cute. How did the Bing-duk taste?

It was delicious. Bing-duk had a clean taste rather than tasting like a mixture of different ingredients. There’s only shredded crispy radish inside a little salty wheat pancake and it tasted as is. It felt pure like a white kimchi which is aged without any special ingredients.

I read in a recent article that you take public transportation when you get around by yourself. Hasn’t it become difficult to do that since “Tamra the Island”?

I think I’ll continue to do that. People won’t be able to easily recognize me even after Tamra, because there are no han-bok (Korean costume) and Gaht (the hat he wears). (laugh) Everyone just passes by somewhat confused, saying “I’ve seen him somewhere”. Kim Nam-gil, who’s playing Bidam in Queen Sundeok, also said that people don’t recognize him when he’s walking on the street. 

What subway lines do you usually take? 

I tend to take line #3 & #4 [Readers, take note ]. I have to transfer once. (  )

How do you usually spend time when there’s no filming?

I spend time on computer or watch movies at home. I don’t go out much except for a short trip to some place near home to meet my high school friends.

Can you drink well?

Just enjoy it? 

Just enjoy it? I heard you’re a real drinker. 

Oh Really? I think it all depends on the mood each day.

You’re reaching the end of the 20s. Don’t you feel a little impatient? Since you haven’t done any project that could make the name “Im Juhwan” known…

I would guess “Tamra” would become my major project? Being no longer in my 20s doesn’t mean my life is ending, so I don’t feel impatient. You know what people say.. manhood begins at 30s.

I noticed that there’s a scene about Park Kyu’s marriage at the filming site. I know this is an odd question, but when do you want to get married?

Even if I decide to get married at a certain time, it doesn’t necessarily happen as planned… since marriage is the biggest event in a person’s life, as is also said in today’s script lines. (laugh) I haven’t thought about marriage, but I think I can get married even now if I had someone to marry, since getting married doesn’t mean I can no longer work.

Do you have any plans after “Tamra”?

I don’t have any specific plan yet. I can’t have several things going all at the same time anyways, so I’m just focusing on the drama. I told my agency that I would prefer if they do not give me other scripts or subsequent plans while I'm doing Tamra.

The drama will be ending soon. Many people are curious about the ending. Can you give me a hint?

Well, I know it but can’t tell you. I saw the ending and I think it’s the best ending for now. If I were to say just one thing, it ends in Tamra Island (laugh).

Credit: olv.moazine.com

Trans. by picperfect (soompi)