Jo In-sung, who ran for 'Hope' despite knee surgery... "A scene beyond words" [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Jo In-sung described director Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' as a "welcome offer." He stated that rather than settling for familiarity, he wanted to take on new genres and work with a new director, even if it meant risking failure.

On the 9th, we met actor Jo In-sung at a café on Samcheong-ro in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss various topics regarding the film 'Hope' (directed by Na Hong-jin).

'Hope' begins with a story where Pan-seok, the manager of the Pohang outpost located in the Demilitarized Zone, learns from local youths that a tiger has appeared, plunging the entire village into alarm as he confronts an unbelievable reality.

Jo In-sung dominates the screen through his character 'Seong-gi,' who possesses an extraordinary survival instinct, delivering raw, wild charm and intense physical action without holding back.

Having collaborated with director Na Hong-jin for the first time, Jo In-sung revealed that he focused on "novelty." He said, "I viewed it as a choice between settling or not settling. After this much activity, I naturally wanted to try something new, and I believe it is better to fail while challenging something new than to remain stagnant. Even if things don't work out, I always hope to conclude my filmography by taking on new challenges."

He continued, "'Hope' was also a very new genre for me, and I knew the filming would not be easy. I asked myself, 'Can't I still challenge more?' The answer was 'Let's do it.' So, when I received the offer, I was actually delighted. I contacted them immediately after reading the script, and we met with the director a month later."

Jo In-sung remarked, "When you look at the director's previous works, you can somewhat predict what kind of film he will make. Although the script says 'run,' it is up to the actor to figure out how to run." He added, "In fact, I had knee surgery, and during my first meeting with the director, I informed him about my physical condition."

He further explained, "The doctor said that light jogging would be fine, but running and jumping would do me no good for the rest of my life. However, as an actor, there might be times when I need to run for a project. I felt that this film should not suffer in quality because of me."

He then shared, "But the director asked, 'That won't happen; you don't need to worry. You'll just do it, right? Once you're on set, there's no choice but to go all out.' He laughed, saying, '(I decided) to learn a lot from Director Na Hong-jin and get along well.'"

Jo In-sung said, "At that time, my first thought was, 'Can I really do this?' It was extremely dangerous filming, and the on-set situation was always urgent and sensitive. There were moments where accidents could have occurred, so everyone filmed while tense." After a brief silence, he shook his head and said, "I can't express it with words," eliciting laughter from those present.

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*This content was translated by AI.