[Limelight] Awakening to a New Expression 'Without a Sound'

Movie 'Voice of Silence' Yoo Ah-in... Innocence and naivety, anguish and conflict
If sticking to existing image, conscience pangs "Excited to meet a new me"
Expecting new expression with silent acting "More natural than ever"

Taein (Yoo Ah-in) and Changbok (Yoo Jae-myung) sell eggs from a truck. They complement each other's weaknesses perfectly. Taein has lost his ability to speak but is physically strong. He handles the tough tasks like carrying eggs. Changbok has a disabled leg but is eloquent. They sit in the truck bed and haggle.

The division of roles continues even after business hours. When a crime organization requests, they collect bodies and bury them in the village's back mountain. Changbok handles the reception and response. Taein digs the ground, sweating profusely. Changbok, just watching, annoyingly gives advice. "You should bury the deceased's head facing north."

In the film Voice of Silence, the two do not appear as villains. Their diligent and hardworking nature is portrayed in a bright tone. Taein also has a kind heart that helps those in need. He has only become accustomed to committing wrongdoing out of desperation to survive. He breaks away from conventional ideas when he takes on the kidnapped child, Chohee (Moon Seung-ah), from gangster Yongseok (Lim Kang-sung). The process of accepting Chohee as a new member makes him aware of standing at the crossroads of good and evil.

Yoo Ah-in expresses Taein's transformation without a single word. He creates gaps with a simple and innocent face, gradually filling them with anguish and conflict. These are realistic emotions anyone can feel. They create humor and irony by clashing with the surrounding environment. This is an expression not seen in his previous works. Yoo Ah-in said, "I wanted to act in a way that is not boring."

- Did you want to break away from the image the public is familiar with?

▲ My image was strongly imprinted by performances in some works. I have no intention to deny or betray that. I just refuse to be fixed in one way. I want to create a three-dimensional image. I want to act in a way that even I don't find boring. There is no problem in maintaining the existing image. If someone becomes curious about me because of that, I can continue to exist as an actor. But if I keep relying on it, I think I would feel guilty in my conscience.

- Did you think Voice of Silence could meet new expectations?

▲ Yes. While reading the script, I was confident that my face and body could be used differently. The provocative content seemed to offer great stimulation for acting. It was also good that it was director Hong Eui-jeong's first work. Working with a rookie director allows you to see new directing styles that you don't see in the order or rules of existing directors. There is nothing more exciting than meeting a new self through such experiences.

- You gained 15 kg and shaved your head closely...

▲ The description of Taein in the script was not like that. He was supposed to have long hair and a slim body that suited such a story well. But I wanted to break away from the monotonous image. I also thought it was a good time to try changing my appearance. I increased my food intake. I ate four meals a day regularly and lived lazily. I did not wear makeup on set. I wanted to convey various psychologies with an unkempt appearance and strong impression.

- Does Taein not speak, or is he unable to speak?

▲ I thought he refuses to express himself due to past psychological trauma. Even ordinary people hesitate to speak when deeply hurt. Taein is a role that amplifies such pain. It symbolizes the meaninglessness of expression. I also often experience such moments. Polite conversations often feel meaningless in retrospect.

- Since there are no lines, there are many expressions reacting to Yoo Jae-myung's acting. It contrasts with the proactive expressions you have shown so far...

▲ It was comfortable because there was no need to fabricate anything. Since I did not even wear makeup, the differences in time, space, events, and between me and the role were greatly reduced. Naturally, the acting became more natural. I think I even became more comfortable standing in front of people. There were many moments in my acting career when I struggled hard to be liked or not to fail. Filming Voice of Silence freed me from that pressure.

- So it was an opportunity to awaken to new expressions?

▲ Yes. I want to keep my eyes open, but they keep closing (laughs). For a long time, I have tried various ways to exclude conscious or exaggerated expressions. Some works gave me such opportunities, but none were as intense as Voice of Silence. Only now have I shaken off the obsession with expression.

- It seems you gained valuable insights from ambiguous concepts like Taein.

▲ Not just acting. Actors inevitably have influence regardless of intention. You cannot help but think about how to apply that to society. You cannot just discard it even if you want to. For me, Voice of Silence instilled a firm will. It is the responsibility to use influence well with correct judgment and decisions.

- Following Alive, this film is also released during the spread of COVID-19...

▲ There is nothing else to do but nurture hope. It is regrettable, but I accept the difficult situation. Some comfort me by saying that if the film fails at the box office, they can blame COVID-19. But I don't want to live as such a failure. Even if the audience is small, I will think of it as an opportunity to make a better film.

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