Chun Young-min Breaks His Hiatus, 'Doctor Shin' Writer Lim Seong-han Discovers a 'Legendary Villain' [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Chun Young-min has broken his hiatus and truly taken flight. Armed with the 'dual-faced' persona discovered by writer Lim Seong-han, he earned praise as a 'legendary villain' and conveyed his passionate sincerity, saying, "I gained the confidence that I can act again."

Recently, Chun Young-min conducted an interview at the Seoul Jongno-gu StarNews building regarding the TV Chosun Saturday-Sunday drama 'Doctor Shin' (script by Lim Seong-han, directed by Lee Seung-hoon), which concluded on the 3rd. On this day, Chun Young-min shared various stories about the work.

'Doctor Shin' is a medical thriller drama about a genius doctor who challenges the realm of God and a woman who loses her soul as her brain deteriorates overnight. In the drama, Chun Young-min played Kim Jin-joo, a stylist for Momo (played by Baek Seo-ra) who, through Momo's body, became conscious of the brain.

In this wrap-up interview, Chun Young-min recalled the moment he first met the character Kim Jin-joo. Recalling the audition period, he said, "Since it was a work by writer Lim Seong-han, many people participated in the audition. I originally went prepared for the role of Geum Ba-ra (played by Joo Se-bin) and didn't even think about the role of Jin-joo. But the director asked me to try playing Jin-joo," he explained.

During the audition, writer Lim Seong-han reportedly told Chun Young-min, "You have a dual-faced look." Chun Young-min shared, "I thought I looked kind, but the writer said, 'Your eyes have a sharpness and a feeling of hidden motives.'"

He also shared his impressions of meeting the mysterious writer Lim Seong-han. Chun Young-min said, "Rumors said she was a scary person, but after actually meeting her, she was very 'tsundere.' She bought me a lot of delicious food, spoke only about necessary things, and talked a lot about how to live life and attitudes toward life."

He also candidly discussed writer Lim Seong-han's unique working style. Chun Young-min said, "The writer wanted every line of dialogue to be delivered without changing even a single syllable. Actions and stage directions were written in detail. Although it was an agreement, this part was difficult at first, but as I continued, it became more comfortable."

Furthermore, Chun Young-min said, "I thought the writer would write about people's lives or deep melodramas. As I read the script, the emotional lines were very detailed. Especially the heart and emotional line of someone who secretly loves Geum Ba-ra (played by Joo Se-bin) were very relatable," emphasizing the script's delicacy.

Chun Young-min understood the villain Kim Jin-joo, who revealed her desires without restraint after the brain change, more deeply than anyone else. He said, "Everyone says Jin-joo is mean and a villain, but I thought Jin-joo was an ordinary person. The environment she was given was like that. Her father, who wore an electronic ankle bracelet, and other bad things existed. It seems Jin-joo's values were formed within these unavoidable environments."

He continued, "The environment given to Jin-joo was pitiful. Perhaps because it seeped into her, I could understand her perspective. So, getting into the character wasn't difficult." He added, "I think everyone, including Jin-joo, has desires. It seems Jin-joo was able to display her desires after the brain change."

Leaving a strong impression as a villain, he also received praise from viewers as a 'legendary villain.' Chun Young-min said, "I have never taken on a villain of this caliber before. I didn't expect to be called 'mean.' Even while watching the broadcast, I thought, 'Did I open my eyes so meanly?' It seemed very psychopathic," and smiled.

He then revealed, "Recently, everyone says they are watching 'Doctor Shin' very well and recognizes Jin-joo. The reaction is hot." He continued, "I am hearing things I would never expect to hear in my life. In a way, it seems to mean I am handling Jin-joo well, so I am listening happily," expressing gratitude for the viewers' interest.

He also candidly shared his thoughts on the ending of Kim Jin-joo, who had become solidified in a soul state. He said, "Personally, when I confirmed the final ending, I felt it was a pity. It was a pity that Jin-joo ended up like this."

He finished filming without knowing the overall ending. He shared, "I was curious 'how would it end' while filming, and I finished filming recently. The ending ended more ordinarily than I thought, leaving a lingering aftertaste."

Chun Young-min also recalled the atmosphere on the set of 'Doctor Shin.' He said, "The set was truly harmonious. The lighting director even said, 'It's so close-knit that there's no such filming set like this.' We were all the same age, and the director was like a friend. Although I was the lead, I didn't feel the burden of having to lead."

He also revealed a special bond with fellow actors. Regarding Joo Se-bin, who played Geum Ba-ra, Chun Young-min said, "We are seniors and juniors at Dongguk University. We were already close, and when I was resting, I called her and said, 'Let's encourage each other.' Then, two weeks later, we ended up working together on 'Doctor Shin.'"

Chun Young-min referred to the cast by their character names, showing their close affection. He said, "Momo (played by Baek Seo-ra) is the youngest among us, but she is a very capable and cool friend. Joo-shin (played by Jeong I-chan) is very close, and we share the same sense of humor, so we relied on each other a lot. Yong-jung (played by Ahn Woo-yeon) is a natural mood-maker, so we got along like friends," showing trust toward his colleagues.

Chun Young-min also honestly confessed about his concerns as an actor and the meaning of 'Doctor Shin.' He said, "Before doing 'Doctor Shin,' I couldn't work for about a year. I stood at a crossroads wondering, 'Am I not an actor worthy of acting?' and worried. Isn't it a profession where someone must find you and choose you? When I felt hard about failing auditions, the opportunity for 'Doctor Shin' came. So, it is a gift-like work. I thought, 'I can be an actor again.'"

Finally, he said, "I want to be an actor that people want to keep watching. Thank you for enjoying Jin-joo so much until the end. Jin-joo is not originally a bad child. Please look at her kindly. I will visit you again with a good role," leaving his final words.

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*This content was translated by AI.