[Interview②] Yoo Ah-in "Lee Hyun-wook, a Powerful Entrance... Trying New Things Together"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Yoo Ah-in said he approached his role with a new acting method.

On the afternoon of the 17th, during an interview held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, he shared various stories about the film '#Alive' (director Jo Il-hyung).

'#Alive' is a survival thriller depicting the story of people isolated alone in an apartment after all data, Wi-Fi, text messages, and phone calls are cut off, amid uncontrollable chaos caused by people with unexplained symptoms starting to attack. It is adapted from the original screenplay by Hollywood writer Matt Naylor, and directed by Jo Il-hyung, an AFI (American Film Institute) graduate who has been active in the United States.

Yoo Ah-in plays the survivor Jun-woo, who narrowly survives while avoiding mysterious entities. He realistically and vividly portrays the familiar and human side of an ordinary young man who could be around us, as well as the desperate and bleak situation of a character pushed to the extreme crisis. Park Shin-hye co-stars as another survivor, Yoo-bin.

Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye lead the story as the only survivors. Yoo Ah-in said, “I have an improvisational tendency when acting. In previous works, I often heard 'Please don’t prepare in advance.' Being on sets where this approach is used, I became accustomed to it.” He continued, “I communicated a lot with Park Shin-hye while creating the film. She was very proactive, not at all passive. She even evaluated and suggested ideas about my acting. It was very rewarding. We made it meaningful through intense, passionate, yet warm communication.”

Additionally, Yoo Ah-in works alongside Park Shin-hye, Jeon Bae-soo, and Lee Hyun-wook. Lee Hyun-wook, who left a strong impression on home viewers playing Yoo Ki-hyuk in last year’s OCN drama 'Strangers from Hell,' appears as Sang-cheol, the mysterious neighbor, in '#Alive.' Yoo Ah-in performs intense action scenes with Lee Hyun-wook. Yoo Ah-in said, “Lee Hyun-wook gave a strong start. We filmed early scenes together, and when I wondered how much influence Jun-woo had, he led well. It was my first time trying various things since my debut.”

Yoo Ah-in said, “I was cautious about trying new things, but Lee Hyun-wook accepted and gave me energy to participate more actively. If there had been serious conflicts then, it would have been difficult, but he accepted this new way of communication without resistance.” He added, “From that point, I was able to decide and shape Jun-woo’s attitude.”

He also said, “I realized there is no right answer in acting. People with their own worlds share opinions and communicate on set to create together. Usually, the loudest voice tends to prevail, but this film was different. We tried various things, reflected them, blended them, and enjoyed creating together. It was a close-knit set,” expressing satisfaction.

'#Alive' will be released on June 24.

Photo = UAA, company database

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.