[Interview①] Kim Dong-wan "My Main Character is Shinhwa, Thrilled When Singing and Acting"

Photo by Hajunsa

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Kim Dong-wan referred to the group Shinhwa as his main character (original character).

On the morning of the 24th, Kim Dong-wan said in a video interview with Asia Economy ahead of the release of the film "A Long Day" (directed by Jo Sung-kyu), "I feel the most thrilling when singing and acting."

"A Long Day" is a film depicting the events that occur over the course of a day involving a man and a woman meeting, parting, longing, and reuniting, and it will be released on the 30th.

The film unfolds as an omnibus drama with four stories including "The House with the Big Persimmon Tree," starring Kim Dong-wan and Nam Bo-ra, "The Seafood Restaurant Where the Train Passes," and "The Studio with a Sea View."

On that day, Kim Dong-wan said, "I was drawn to director Jo Sung-kyu's scenario containing small and everyday dialogues," adding, "I also liked the filming site. I really like and dream about going to the set. The size of the role is not very important," explaining his reason for appearing.

He revealed that he is preparing to direct short films of 3 to 5 minutes in length, saying, "I secretly studied by watching the director's pre-production process," and added, "The work of conveying stories through music and videos came naturally. I want to organize my thoughts well and convey them, but I have many stories I want to tell, so I am dreaming. I am learning to write from scratch. When I actually try to write, I feel scared and it’s difficult, so I read a lot of books."

Kim Dong-wan said, "I am writing a story about two young men selling carp bread in Yeouido," and added, "I thought about acting as one of the young men, but I decided to cast another actor because I don't think I can direct or act well."

He continued, "After becoming a director, I understood why I am not easily cast. I realized that once an actor gains fame, people inevitably see that person as who they are," and said, "There are many voice actors who act well and actors active on stage, so I want to work with them."

Kim Dong-wan, who has many stories he wants to convey through films, said, "Society needs balance. Dividing things into right and wrong, pros and cons is pointless. It just flows out of balance, but I am writing a scenario about the need for balance in the world."

Kim Dong-wan debuted in 1998 as a member of the male idol group Shinhwa and started acting with the drama "Children of Heaven" (2002). He said, "I felt a thrill the moment I became someone else. I became addicted to that feeling," and added, "Acting is really attractive. I become another person, the other person becomes another person, and those two people tell different stories in front of the camera."

"Extreme sports always involve risking death. There is no insurance, and even if you get insured, the benefits are almost none. Nothing is as extreme as what I do. I walk on thin ice every day, but the moments when I sing and act are the most thrilling. These days, I feel that my life itself is an extreme sport."

Kim Dong-wan said, "I feel like I haven't been active properly this year, but I plan to be active properly next year. I already have plans for the first half of the year," showing his determination.

When asked about his New Year's plans, he laughed and said, "I want to somehow lose the 5kg I gained due to COVID-19." He continued, "I also want to cut back on drinking and, if possible, hold a Shinhwa concert," but added, "I will have to see how things go."

He then said, "My main character is Shinhwa," and added, "If the COVID situation does not improve, it will be difficult, but if it improves, I want to stand on the stage of a Shinhwa concert."

He also said, "I enjoyed variety shows last year and worked hard, but I wondered if I was 'no fun.' I didn't want to be a nuisance, and recently, while filming a movie, I became very interested. So next year, I plan to focus on one thing."

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