[Interview] 'Hell' Kim Shin-rok "My Theater Actor Husband is My Strength, Curious About Season 2"

Actor Kim Shin-rok Interview on Hellbound

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Kim Shin-rok was as intense as being called the biggest beneficiary of "Hellbound." The character Park Jung-ja, played by him, permeates every part of the story. Viewers were curious about where this solid and energetic actor came from. Kim Shin-rok met director Yeon Sang-ho, a storyteller who meticulously built his skills on stage, and burst out powerfully.

In a video interview held on the afternoon of the 6th, Kim Shin-rok said, "I didn't know Park Jung-ja was such an important character in 'Hellbound' while filming," adding, "I acted hard."

Released on the online video service (OTT) Netflix on the 19th of last month, "Hellbound" depicts a supernatural phenomenon where people receive death sentences to hell from the emissaries of hell who appear without warning. Amid this chaos, the religious group New Truth rises, and those trying to uncover the truth of the incident become entangled in the story.

Kim Shin-rok learned acting in a theater club while attending Seoul National University’s Department of Geography and debuted as an actor in 2004 with the play "Survival Calendar." This background attracted public attention as much as the popularity of "Hellbound."

He recalled, "In my first year of university, I played the role of Nina in Anton Chekhov's 'The Seagull' in the theater club. Nina is a 20-year-old girl dreaming of becoming an actress, and playing her made me dream of becoming a real actor."

He continued, "When I was young, I once saw my father, who used to be a theater actor and later ran a Chinese character academy, make a cameo appearance on stage by chance. My father took me, who was in middle school, to an acquaintance's theater troupe and introduced me, saying, 'It's not about learning acting but learning life.'"

"Hellbound" is directed by Yeon Sang-ho, who presented "Seoul Station," "Train to Busan" (2016), "Peninsula," and "The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey" (2020), and stars actors Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, Yang Ik-june, Park Jung-min, among others.

Kim Shin-rok, who portrayed Park Jung-ja, a character that brings tremendous waves to the world and displayed emotional turmoil, said, "Director Yeon Sang-ho summarized Jung-ja as an ordinary person, and I pondered what an ordinary person is. Characters inevitably have unpredictable facets that cannot be unified into one. I hoped that contradictory emotions and states in situations would be well arranged."

Park Jung-ja, who suddenly receives a death sentence to hell in front of her young children, is persuaded by the New Truth to participate in a live broadcast demonstration of the hellbound sentence, which causes great confusion among the viewers.

Kim Shin-rok viewed her as "a human being before being a mother. Among the environmental factors humans have, there are children." He pointed out, "I wanted to express the human effort and struggle to protect what is precious in the face of death."

He emphasized, "I hoped that Park Jung-ja, who works at a street food stall, would not seem worn out just because she is poor, nor that her life would look gloomy."

Park Jung-ja is significant as a character that permeates all parts of "Hellbound." Kim Shin-rok said, "Since it is a story of five days after receiving the notice, I paid attention to maintaining emotional density."

Most viewers who watched "Hellbound" showed great interest in Kim Shin-rok, who played Park Jung-ja. When asked how he viewed this, he smiled and said, "I feel thankful and excited."

He added, "Accepting death is the fate of humans, all of us. Perhaps viewers empathized, sympathized, and feared together during the five days of Park Jung-ja facing death."

Park Jung-ja’s ending was very intense. It ended with a shocking scene. Will her story continue in season 2?

Regarding this, Kim Shin-rok said, "Director Yeon Sang-ho has not mentioned anything to me. I saw an article saying he is talking with writer Choi Kyu-seok around the second half of next year," adding, "Whether Park Jung-ja will appear is uncertain."

If Park Jung-ja comes back alive, what kind of appearance would she have? He nodded and said, "I’m really curious."

He continued, "If Park Jung-ja wakes up, I thought people might revere her like a messiah. Around this messiah, a fascist society might be created again."

How was the filming of the shocking ending scene that makes you doubt your eyes? Kim Shin-rok said, "It took quite some time to prepare. There was makeup and glass shards scattered around," adding, "When we actually started filming, everyone was full of fighting spirit. Everyone said, 'Oh, good, good,' so it ended quickly. It wasn’t a one-take, but compared to the preparation time, it finished very quickly," laughing.

Kim Shin-rok is currently performing in the play "Mousepiece" and is filming JTBC’s new drama "The Youngest Son of a Chaebol Family." As the driving force that makes him run endlessly as an actor, he cited "continuously questioning what acting is."

He named his husband, theater actor Park Kyung-chan, as a source of inspiration and energy. He said, "My husband, who always gives me a lot of advice by my side, is always a great strength. Since 2008, he has continuously watched the works I appeared in and told me that this was the best acting I have done so far," laughing heartily.

"The energy I receive on stage helps me in front of the camera, and the concentration I feel in front of the camera helps me on stage. Isn’t it a good environment that creates synergy? I want to continue working through various works like now, creating synergy. I want to do a variety of roles, from small parts to leading roles. I want to be an actor with a wide spectrum who can express everything from dramatic works to ordinary daily life."

Photo = Just Entertainment

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