INTERVIEW Jin Goo returns to big screen, more mature and humbler

Actor Jin Goo poses during an interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of NEW

By Kim Jae-heun

Actor Jin Goo returns with the new action crime movie “One Line,” portraying the role of professional swindler Suk-goo on the big screen.

It has only been a year since the actor achieved critical success with the TV series “Descendants of the Sun” and he is more humble than ever.

“It would be a lie if I say I don’t feel burdened on this film after such a big success with Descendants of the Sun,” Jin Goo said during the interview with The Korea Times at a Samcheong-dong cafe in Jongno, Seoul, Tuesday.

“But I try to act like I don’t feel pressure. I learned a lesson when I rose to stardom with the movie All In. I gained so much love for half a week and it disappeared instantly. It was the moment that I received the biggest popularity and love in my life and at the same time, I felt great frustration when they were gone all of sudden. I told myself that if I achieve any big success again, I won’t enjoy it too much,” said Jin Goo.

The 2003 film “All In” was his very first starring role along with veteran actors Lee Byung-hun, Song Hye-kyo and Ji Sung. At the time, it was only four months after his debut and he participated in the screen audition. Jin reminisced that he was a fool to believe success was easy.

He was jobless for two and a half years until he rose back again with noir film “A Dirty Carnival” in 2006 when he was close to giving up his career.

“I failed to make auditions for two and a half years until I was cast for A Dirty Carnival. I was in despair then and thought I wouldn’t make it. But the director told me he wants to cast me because I look unselfish. Since then, I learned that people like my look without greed and arrogance,” Jin said.

Jin’s swindler role in the upcoming film “One Line,” somehow reflects his kind characteristics. The actor said not all charlatans show their jobs on their faces and some swindlers have trustworthy appearances like his character do.

Based on a real fraud case that occurred in 2005, the scenario depicts the story of a group of fraudsters taking out loans from banks, hiding their identities. “One Line” is a slang word to describe an act of fraud to get a loan from the bank.

Actors Lim Siwan, Park Byung-eun and Lee Dong-hui also star in the film.

Q.

Could you explain the new film briefly?

A. It’s a movie with a good scenario and a good message. You can find out about our rookie director Yang Kyeong-mo and comparatively unknown actors like Park Jong-won and Lee Dong-hui. They are very entertaining actors.

Q. How similar are you to the character Suk-goo you portrayed onscreen?

A. When I was first cast for the film, the director told me to be myself. I don’t know how he knew me, but he told me if I speak and behave like I normally do, I will be the character in the scene.

I at first didn’t believe that because I am not a swindler and I don’t lie in my life, but later, when I watched the film, I realized that a swindler doesn’t have to act like a typical swindler.

Q. How do you normally engross yourself in the character?

A. I talk a lot with the director and actors. I think communication is very important. I used to study my characters a lot, but it always fails when shooting begins because directors have a fixed image of my character in their head. In the end, you have you act how the director wants.

Drinking alcohol the night before I shoot an emotional scene is one of my methods too. I am not comfortable acting romantic scenes so a hangover helps me partially overcome the awkward feeling.

Q. What did you focus on mostly when you acted the character Suk-goo?

A. I wanted to deviate from a typical swindler character. I tried to play him as a protagonist on the screen. He has the ability to carry out inhumane acts somehow humanely.

You said you want to act until you die?

A. Yes. I love this job because I become a different person every day. I think this is the advantage of becoming an actor. You are always acting someone else.

Q. How do you choose your scenario?

A. If I enjoy the scenario very much, then I go for it. The shorter it takes for me to finish the story, the more I enjoyed the story. If I enjoyed it much, it also means I understood the story well. This is important for me because I need to make audiences understand the plot with my acting.

In which film or TV series do you think you are most attractive?

A. I looked attractive in the thriller Truck. There is a scene where I am looking outside the truck and I am lying to counterpart actor Yoo Hae-jin saying ‘I am not a killer.’ It’s a wonderful shot.

My character in the Descendants of the Sun was also cool.