[Interview] Jung Woo-sung "Going to Toronto as a Director, Lee Jung-jae Was Happier"

'Hunt' Kim Jeongdo Role Jung Woo-sung
Lee Jung-jae's Directorial Debut with Triple Persuasion
Close Friend at Age 50, Action Acting 'Aigo'
Accompanied Invitation to Toronto Film Festival in September
Steady Production, Laying Foundation for Global Studio

Jung Woo-sung / Photo by Megabox Joongang Corp. Plus M

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Jung Woo-sung (49) said of Lee Jung-jae, who debuted as a director, "I wanted to be a colleague and partner who could lend a shoulder to lean on during tough times." Is there a more ideal companionship than this? The two actors, who appeared like comets in the early 1990s, have maintained their friendship for 23 years since the film The Sun Does Not Shine (1999). Their bond is built on strong trust. They are business partners and filmmakers who co-lead Artist Studio, which started as a management company and has grown into a global production company, and they are friends who get along well.

On the afternoon of the 4th, at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Jung Woo-sung said, "I wanted to support Lee Jung-jae's new challenge. Our appearing together carries a special meaning in the industry. Moreover, co-producing as well. At first, I hesitated to appear because I thought it might be hard to overcome the hurdle of people watching with a 'let's see how well they do' attitude."

Lee Jung-jae said he earnestly wanted to work with Jung Woo-sung, making a "three visits to the thatched cottage" effort. Jung Woo-sung said, "It wasn't a situation where I could just look at the script." He continued, "Lee Jung-jae discovered the Hunt script and then searched for a director while continuously revising it. I think he became convinced that the two of us should do it. He came after hearing suggestions from others about directing himself and asked me what I thought. Since it was his choice, I thought I had no choice but to support him unconditionally."

"When I was directing the film Guardian, I would come home around 10 p.m. exhausted, and I would say, 'Honey, are you okay? You're not going to die, right?' (laughs) But he wanted to open the gates of hell and walk through them. As someone who had taken on a challenge first, I knew the value of that, so I had no choice but to cheer him on. Directing is a big challenge, and appearing together added pressure. As the project went on for a long time, we worked fiercely to overcome the external concerns. We put all meaning aside and had a strong determination to do really well."

In Lee Jung-jae’s directorial film Hunt, Jung Woo-sung plays Kim Jung-do, a National Intelligence Service agent who relentlessly pursues and approaches the truth under orders to identify a spy within the organization. Park Pyung-ho (played by Lee Jung-jae) is ordered to investigate the domestic team led by Kim Jung-do.

The two actors, both approaching their forties, laughed as they said the action scenes were somewhat challenging. Jung Woo-sung recalled, "While filming the action scene on the stairs, I scraped my shin and got a bruise. I hope the making-of video of that comes out. Both of us are older and our stamina drained quickly. Even after just one rehearsal, we would say 'Oh no, oh no' and ask each other 'Are you okay?' It was a continuous tension to clash fiercely and create the scenes."

What kind of director was Lee Jung-jae on set? Jung Woo-sung began, "I hoped he would be a director who listens." "He chose a time of deep anguish and carried the burden alone, which I admired. On set, he looked tired. I felt sorry and touched. Some scenes must have been very tough; I wonder if he felt lonely."

"Honestly, I felt sorry. There were times when tears welled up alone. On set, I didn’t feel the need to say 'You’re doing well,' and I thought he naturally had to overcome it. I just wanted to be a colleague who could lend a shoulder to lean on when he said he was struggling."

When asked about the secret to their long-lasting friendship, Jung Woo-sung answered, "We don’t expect anything from each other." "We respected our differences and continuously gave each other positive influence. Our commonality is that we never settled for the situation. I think we have built our careers very challengingly."

Artist Studio, founded by the two, received high attention at the 75th Cannes Film Festival Film Market held last May. In the film industry, there is an atmosphere of expectation that it will play a significant role in the development of K-content in the global market. When this was mentioned, Jung Woo-sung straightened his posture and said, "We must not get conceited or arrogant."

"Lee Jung-jae became a global star with Squid Game, and BTS is also very popular. Interest in Korean culture has increased. We are experiencing a good era. I think it is important not to be arrogant and to continue making high-quality content as we have done so far. Approaching with intentions beyond the essence just because an opportunity has come could be a very risky gamble."

For a long time, Jung Woo-sung has steadily produced films both big and small. He has quietly laid the foundation for today’s Artist Studio. He said, "As a filmmaker, this is a moment of relief that I have not wasted the time so far." "'Hunt' is proof that Jung Woo-sung and Lee Jung-jae are seriously committed. I feel that many people will have a certain level of trust and interest. Through this work, it is a time for us to realize for ourselves, as filmmakers, 'Have we reached this level?'"

Jung Woo-sung’s directorial debut Guardian and Lee Jung-jae’s Hunt were both invited to the Toronto International Film Festival next month. The two plan to visit Toronto as directors and meet local audiences. Jung Woo-sung said, "I’m happy to be able to announce the invitation news in time for the release of Hunt," adding, "Lee Jung-jae was even happier than me about the invitation news for Guardian."

Jung Woo-sung said, "Recently, Lee Jung-jae and I have been talking about 'Let’s do something more often.' We want to revisit the projects we planned together before. Our perspectives and imaginations have changed, so we’ve been talking about giving it a try." He added, "I’m drawn to working on various genres simultaneously." He also said, "I want to make the works and roles that come to me feel 'me'."

"I think luck is something that comes to me briefly when the timing is right. I always have to be thankful. I’ve lived with the thought that I don’t need to have it forever or struggle to hold on to it. Praise and criticism are not really mine. I work while discovering the path I want to take and reflecting on 'Who am I?' Good things are not a given, so I don’t obsess over them, and difficulties are the same, so maybe that’s why I can overcome them easily."

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