'Jjanggu' Jung Woo: "My Unknown Days Were Cheerful... Acting with Feet Was the Hardest" [Interview 2]

*This content was translated by AI.

Jung Woo revealed the behind-the-scenes story of his "acting with feet" in the film 'Jjanggu'.

On the 20th, we spoke with actor Jung Woo, who stars in the film 'Jjanggu', at a café on Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

'Jjanggu' is a cheerful and passionate drama about an audition genius named 'Jjanggu' (played by Jung Woo) who keeps standing up and persevering with the single dream of becoming an actor, no matter how many times he is knocked down or frustrated. Jung Woo personally wrote the screenplay, served as co-director, and took on the lead role, infusing the work with unique sincerity.

Especially, this film gains further significance as it is based on Jung Woo's own real-life experiences. Countless failed auditions, the bleak times in Seoul, and moments of perseverance through love with friends became the starting point of the story.

Regarding the screenplay work, Jung Woo stated, "I struggled with whether to portray my truly difficult and dark days of being unknown in a gloomy way, or to present them in a cheerful and comedic manner, and I chose the latter."

He continued, "I recalled Charlie Chaplin's words, 'From a distance, it is a comedy; up close, it is a tragedy.' At that time, I was walking through a difficult, painful, and dark tunnel, but I felt that to someone else, that scene might have looked ridiculous."

He added, "When I showed an exaggerated performance filled with excessive effort, viewers might have found it ridiculous. However, from the middle of the film onward, I hoped that by immersing myself more deeply into Jjanggu, my true feelings would be conveyed naturally."

In the film, Jung Woo performs what is known as "acting with feet" during an audition scene. He explained, "It was difficult to act well with my feet. I had to make the audience find it funny to see acting that was supposed to be bad. I think that take was the one I did the most. I wondered how I could make the 'acting with feet' feel like 'Jung Woo style.' Since it is a comedic performance, it was difficult to hit the right notes."

Additionally, director Jang Hang-jun appears in the film as the character 'Director Jang', adding energy to the film's flow with his unique witty presence. Director Jang Hang-jun shares a special connection with Jung Woo. Jung Woo revealed that when he was 19, he had his first movie audition in a film directed by Jang Hang-jun.

Jung Woo disclosed that he pondered how to portray Director Jang Hang-jun's role, stating, "Although he has a cheerful image, to me, he is a director who strikes at my sincerity. I debated whether to stick to his public image or cast him as a judge in a scene reflecting my personal emotions, and I chose to go with personal sincerity. Looking back now, I am glad I made that choice."

He recalled, "I had my first audition at 19, and it was my first experience with a movie audition in a film directed by Director Jang Hang-jun. At the time, I was attending acting school and got the opportunity through an introduction from another director." He further added, "It was extremely fortunate that he offered me a role before he became a master. I remember begging many fellow actors at the time, and I am grateful that they readily agreed to appear without any salary."

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*This content was translated by AI.