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Edmund Lee

48 HOURS: You made your directorial debut earlier this year with the short film  The Killer Behind , the Old Man, which was part of the omnibus film Three Charmed Lives . How refreshing is directing for you?
JUNG WOO-SUNG: I had directed several music videos before, but it felt very different when people actually called me "director Jung" during interviews.
You played the Clint Eastwood type character in the spaghetti western The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008). Did you find inspiration from Eastwood, himself an actor-turned director?
Not really. Although, I've been watching his films since I was a kid and he inspired quite a few ideas. It isn't, however, because of him that I wanted to try my hand at directing.
What's the most enjoyable part of being a director?
I like the editing process the most. Of course, it's fun to be shooting on set, but that doesn't compare to the excitement I get from editing a film.
If you keep on directing, I imagine that you'd be the biggest star on the set of many of your future projects. Do you think that's a good thing?
Being a director surely has its bright side. When the crew members see that I'm working so hard on the set, which isn't always the case for me as an actor, they'll be influenced by me too. I like that I can keep things under control.
While you have tended to play rather composed characters in recent films, you were often cast as a teenage delinquent at the start of your career. How do you see your transformation as an actor?
I was renowned for my rebellious characters when I started, although I've never set out to restrict myself to a certain type of role. As I mature in this profession, I hope that my choice of characters evolves at the same time. I'd like to show more sides of myself.
Do you think you'll act in a film you direct?
Yeah, of course.
Well, that certainly allows you the freedom to pick the roles you want.
Because I have so much experience as an actor, I've developed my own filmmaking style along the way. If I can write and direct a film, I'll likely require the actor to fit into my acting style and it probably wouldn't be fair to the actor. It'd also be quite time-consuming for me. But on the other hand, if I have a completely new idea that requires a certain kind of actor, I'll try to work with others too.
You've worked with quite a few people from the Chinese-language cinema world, from director Andrew Lau (Daisy) to Zhang Ziyi (The Warrior)and Michelle Yeoh (Reign of Assassins). Is that a coincidence?
Come to think of it, I also find it quite miraculous that I've worked with so many important movie figures of the Chinese-speaking world, because this has never been my objective. It all happened spontaneously. It's fate. People like John Woo [who produced Reign of Assassins] are legends to me and it's great to be able to work with them. As for Leon Lai, I only got to know him at a film festival — we hit it off and we've stayed friends ever since. Then again, I know I shouldn't abuse these connections I've developed; I have to make careful decisions when it comes to my film career.
Your film Cold Eye, which is a remake of a Hong Kong production, did well in Korea last year. Any funny stories to tell?
Simon Yam was the main actor of the original film [ Eye in the Sky], and I find it quite interesting that he ended up [landing a cameo role] in the remake because of a chance encounter. I happened to bump into him at a film festival in mainland China and told him I was making the film, and he asked if he could have a part in it. It all happened naturally.
Maybe you can direct him in a film one day.
I hope so.
 


The inquisition: Jung Woo-sung, actor

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48 Hours

South Korean actor talks about moving behind the camera and the changing characters he portrays


South Korean actor talks about moving behind the camera and the changing characters he portrays.


The inquisition: Jung Woo-sung, actor

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}South Korean actor talks about moving behind the camera and the changing characters he portrays

South Korean actor talks about moving behind the camera and the changing characters he portrays