An English Translation of Amy Magazine
What is your merit and shortcomings?
Merit: Patience. For example, I have been engaged in a single movie for more than 5 years.
Shortcomings: I tend to do as one pleases. To some certain extent, this is okay. But sometimes I might be a bit childish or selfish, or even to the extent people might think I have unintentionally hurt others. Another fallback is that I am atypically lazy. I like to think I grow up with special talent when I was a child (beaming ¨C child prodigy), and I do learn very fast. All of these make me practically very lazy ¨C just like the rabbit in the rabbit-tortoise fable. I know this is a problem, but I just kind of let it slide.
Take singing for an example, I know my voice is okay, but I didn¡¯t spend time to practice and build on it. I thought to myself ¨C how I wasted all that talent! Then I would say myself, just forget it. There are days I would dream of living a life without ever working. Luckily, I enjoy acting very much, so that I would have something to concentrate and put forth effort into.
What is a complete life? How would you plan your future?
A complete life? I am happy with my situation now. I never thought a married life would make life complete. I don¡¯t have that planned for the future.
What is your favorite sports?
I would like to keep working for a long time. Occasionally, I want to have a vacation, such as, take a ski trip in Japan.
Are you a person who care about your outlook a lot? How do you keep your skin so healthy?
I have no idea. I take care my skin only if necessary. For example, I would prefer not to put too much facial cream when the weather is too dry and my skin becomes sensitive. Sometimes, the make-up artist would force me. Just like when I was in Korea, I brought a lot of skin care products, but I did not use them. If I don¡¯t need to work, I would let my hair to dry naturally. It¡¯s just lots of trouble.
What kind of woman that is most attractive to you?
Woman who likes to concentrate when she is working ¨C that moment she is very sexy. I appreciate woman¡¯s ability to work, and I will accept that they are smarter than me.
Many actors said they would come to a stage when they suddenly got the right ¡°key¡± of acting. Do you have such experience?
I am not aware of such stage. I guess when you started enjoy acting, you get the ¡°key¡±. I think every actor needs a period of adaptation. During that period, one would feel nervous when acting. Gradually, one would get used to it and learn the skills, and deeply involved in a role. Then you get the ¡°key¡±.
In ¡®Police Cadet 1984¡ä, I put in a lot of design and skills in my role. Others might think the acting was too obvious. Anyway, I would leave it to the audience to comment on my role, to feel their way around.
Your acting is well-appreciated. Is there anything difficult for you?
Each new role is difficult to me. I need to do a lot of preparation work, such as research. For example, in ¡¯2046¡ä, I need to perform the role of Chow once again, I like to find some new acting method, and that has been difficult. ¡®Seoul Raiders¡¯ is a comedy with a lot of actions. I did not have much time to prepare, and it is quite difficult. Each movie is a challenge for me.
Any target for your acting?
I hope to improve in each film, I am never satisfied in this aspect. When I need to promote the movies at different places, I like to watch the films I made at least 5 to 6 times, I would review audiences¡¯ feedback in each place. Every time I watch the movie, I would discover some unique issues and sometimes problems. These problems are so minor that others won¡¯t discover them, but I would pick up them distinctively. It may be an eye contact, or a gesture. I would tell myself maybe it would be better to use another form. I would remind myself to make adjustment next time.
Until now, I still do not have a satisfied piece of work. Maybe that¡¯s the reason I like to think I keep improving myself.
Your motto is¡
I keep on reminding myself, to work hard on everything that I do. Like skiing, you need to concentrate or you would fall to death. Although there are a lot of issues happened around me, I try to not allow myself to be disturbed, I guess this is some kind of training.
Any setback in your life?
I am a lucky person, I had lots of applause throughout the years. I have met many good people, great scripts, and wonderful actors. I feel I am lucky, and there hasn¡¯t been that much setbacks.
Definition of New kind of man¡
Can manage both business life and private life. Not only concern about money, but would also distribute time to family, girl friend and friends, and care about them.
The old concept of man taking care of the outside world, and woman taking care of the family is out. I will try my best to satisfy the needs of my family, and make them happy.