'Scandal' Ji Chang-wook: The Reason He Said He Was Exhausted After Filming with Son Ye-jin, a Dreamlike Experience [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Ji Chang-wook shared his thoughts on creating palpable tension alongside Son Ye-jin in 'Scandal'.

On the 22nd, we met with Ji Chang-wook, an actor in the Netflix series 'Scandal', at a café on Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the work.

'Scandal' tells the story of a daring and dangerous love bet between 'Lady Jo', a woman of exceptional talent trapped in the Joseon era as only a woman could be, and 'Jo Won', the greatest lover of Joseon, along with another woman, 'Hee-yeon', entangled in that bet.

Ji Chang-wook portrays 'Jo Won', the greatest lover of Joseon. Regarding his decision to appear in the work, he said, "The original source is the French classic novel 'Dangerous Liaisons,' a story remade into numerous works many times. Since it was also produced as the 2003 film 'Scandal,' I couldn't avoid feeling burdened by adapting a work with an existing source."

He continued, "However, the fact that it is a classic actually gave me great courage. I had wanted to play Jo Won at least once and felt it was a role worth challenging as an actor. Although there were burdens, I gained the confidence that another work could be created if I worked with director Jeong Ji-woo."

Ji Chang-wook revealed that understanding the relationship between Jo Won and Lady Jo was key to developing his character. He stated, "The relationship between Jo Won and Lady Jo is extremely interesting. In Jo Won's growth process, Lady Jo had an enormous influence on him. Since she influenced not only his love but also his values, she became a very significant figure for Jo Won."

He added, "While watching the work, I thought, 'Could the feelings Jo Won has toward Lady Jo truly be love?' Given that they had such a profound impact on each other since childhood, I also considered whether it might feel like some form of gaslighting rather than love."

The emotions Jo Won harbors toward Lady Jo were not simple either. Ji Chang-wook explained, "Later, I thought that Jo Won wanting to possess Lady Jo could itself be love, but it might also be greed, and further still, a process of revenge." He interpreted, "Ultimately, Jo Won wants to escape from Lady Jo and run away. But when he realizes he cannot escape, he collapses."

These emotional shifts are woven throughout the work. Ji Chang-wook specifically mentioned the scene where he unties his hatband.

He said, "There is a scene where Lady Jo ties Jo Won's hatband, and later, as Jo Won rides away on horseback, he unties it. From that moment onward, I believe the feeling of frustration toward Lady Jo and the desire to escape become clearly visible."

He added, "However, even Jo Won at that time could not accurately perceive those emotions. The process of expressing such subtle emotional changes up to Jo Won's final choice was extremely enjoyable and interesting for me as an actor."

He also expressed deep trust in his chemistry with Son Ye-jin. Ji Chang-wook stated, "Not a single scene where Lady Jo and Jo Won are together lacked tension. Even when the two were smiling at each other, their relationship was no different from actually fighting." He continued, "We were very tense during filming, which allowed us to focus intensely on every shot."

He further remarked, "I believe camera angles and music also maximized the tension arising from their relationship. While watching the completed work, I myself felt increasingly breathless."

The filming process was by no means easy. He recalled, "After finishing a scene with my senior, I was so exhausted and drained that it required immense energy. Director Jeong Ji-woo favors long takes, and some shots exceeded 10 minutes in a single take. Experiencing such filming made me think, 'I need to prepare even more.'"

Ji Chang-wook described meeting Son Ye-jin as a dreamlike experience, saying, "Because I grew up watching her works since childhood." He added, "I had a strong desire to be a partner with whom she would not feel embarrassed working alongside. That is why I was very nervous and prepared extensively."

He continued, "During filming, I truly felt she was a reliable colleague and partner. My senior possesses an almost breathless level of concentration. In this work as well, she expressed that tension so well, playing a pillar-like role while firmly anchoring the center."

Son Ye-jin's presence also influenced the atmosphere on set. Ji Chang-wook said, "Just by her being on set, I felt the atmosphere naturally became orderly." He concluded, "Simply watching her immerse herself in the work kept me, as a junior actor, from letting go of my tension."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.