Interview - Im Joo Hwan who led a passionate performance playing the main character in ‘Ugly Alert’ : “Through Gong Joon Soo, it was like I learnt the basics of life.”

Original source: news.kukinews.com

Translator: Cookingdramas

[Picture caption] : “While my previous projects can be said to have ‘strengthened’ my foundation, through”Ugly Alert’ it is as if I have raised several “pillars” and I feel good about that.

“If I were to say that my acting career started when I followed my friend and entered the drama club in high school, then ‘Ugly Alert’ would be my second starting point.”  That’s because I learnt altogether what the heart, love and family meant to someone. Through this drama, I grew as a person.”

The recently ended SBS daily drama ‘Ugly Alert’ also known as the ‘healing drama’ and the ‘pure drama’ received a lot of praise and love at the same time. The long drama consisting of 133 episodes, led by the main character Gong Joon Soo, was played by Im Joo Hwan. Through this drama, Im Joo Hwan left a deep impression on the viewers as a ‘nice guy’. On the 3rd when we met up with him in the Yeouidodong area in Seoul he mentioned things like “through the theme “Ugly” and and the character Gong Joon Soo, I feel as if I have learnt what the basics of life are, and also “I’m actually only 30% similar to Gong Joon Soo. I firstly do not have ‘woman phobia’” he laughed.

‘Ugly Alert is about how two families are brought together after a remarriage and warmly described the process of how the four siblings came together to rebuild their family. As the eldest sibling, Gong Joon Soo takes on the job of caring for his siblings while energetically facing society and up until he finds love, he can be described as ‘Mr.Positivity’. He said “With the film crew, we talked and put forth our ideas together so in the end the ‘best’ picture came out” and also added “because we presented the idea of forgiveness and spoken dialogue in a sincere way, we broke free from the ‘makjang code’ (aka makjang formula) and therefore struck a chord with the viewers.”  Like ‘Gong Joon Soo’, after finishing this drama and spending time with his own family, Im Joo Hwan once again realized the importance of family love.

 Ever since he appeared on TV in SBS’s 2004 drama “Magic”, it can be said that due to his tall frame and likeable appearance he easily stepped onto the road of being an actor. Although he himself had doubts, since high school he had already taken a fascination to acting and was known as a hard worker.

“I got a chance to see a play at Daehakro/Daehangno (University Road in Seoul)  and after that I never missed a performance from the Department of Theatre and Film in University. It was then, that I dreamt of becoming an actor. In my senior year of high school I also received an individual award from the National Youth Drama Festival.  Of course, even now I still dream of standing on the theatre stage. Someday I wish to build a theatre at Daehakro (University Street in Seoul) for middle and high school students.  When I was in high school, I wanted to put on a play and because of that I had to go looking for venues.” At that time, Actor Shin Dong Wook and Park Sung Hyun also participated in the activities of the drama club with Im Joo Hwan.

 ‘Ugly Alert’ also left a ‘problem’ for him. With the image of a “warm-hearted man”, the next step in creating a new image will be a great burden. However he confidently stated “ Whatever character I undertake next, I will do even better than ‘Gong Joon Soo’. In fact, this will become my motivation.”  

 “Recently I watched the movie “The Face Reader” with Lee Jeong Jae sun-bae and he left a good impression on me. He conveyed a different feeling through his eyes and charm and it wasn’t the usual image we were used to. You didn’t know when he’d ‘burst’. I also want to try playing the role of a villain who gives off an uneasy feeling.”