[Interview] Park Ji-hwan "Direct Confrontation in 'Hansan', Living Life Brings Days Like This"

'Hansan: Yongui Chulhyeon' Na Daeyong Role Park Ji-hwan
'Ubble'·'Beomjoedosi 2' Best Year
Yi Sun-sin Park Hae-il, Calm Actor Like Taesan
"Not a Wae-gun Role but a Major Role, Hands Trembling"

Jihwan Park / Photo by Lotte Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Park Jihwan (41) is an actor whose tomorrow is more anticipated than yesterday. A few years ago, he was the most mentioned name among famous actors, the protagonist everyone eagerly expected to shine brightly in Chungmuro. Is it true that actors recognize promising actors first? He is having the hottest year yet. Starting with "Pirates: Goblin Flag," followed by the 10-million viewer film "The Outlaws 2," and the drama "Our Blues," he reached his peak with "Hansan: Rising Dragon."

On the afternoon of the 5th, Park Jihwan, whom I met at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, smiled and said, "I never thought a day like this would come." He added, "I receive many project offers and get to shoot commercials, so I am thinking about how to return this love."

In "Hansan: Rising Dragon," Park Jihwan portrays General Na Dae-yong, the designer of the turtle ship, revealing a new side of himself. He exudes a passionate and weighty presence, regarded as an indispensable character, drawing attention. When asked how he met this role, he recalled his first meeting with director Kim Han-min.

"It's still a mystery to me. (laughs) After the VIP screening of the movie 'The Battle of Bongodong' (2019), he came up to me saying, 'I'm Kim Han-min, can we talk for a moment?' Since I appeared as a sneaky troublemaker, I thought, 'Oh, another Japanese soldier role,' but he said I would play General Na Dae-yong, who helped Admiral Yi Sun-sin build the turtle ship. I asked, 'Why me?' and he said he thought it would work after watching the movie. A few months later, the script arrived, and my hands were trembling. Maybe because the character was so grand, I was also scared."

He had to deliberately erase the glory of "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" (2014), which gathered 17.61 million viewers. Park Jihwan said, "I kept wondering how to analyze and approach such a great figure," and recalled, "I decided to face it head-on." The pressure was significant. After much thought, he said he went to the Science Day memorial on April 21 without hesitation.

"I packed my things and left early in the morning, arriving first. I paid my respects to the general properly. I said, 'Hello, I am Park Jihwan, an actor in South Korea. Though I am inadequate, I am playing the role of the general. A small person has to act, but I can't think well. Please inspire me, even in my dreams.' One dawn, while walking by the sea, I imagined the scenes of war unfolding before my eyes. It was terrifying and dreadful, like seeing a hellscape. On the way to Hansando, looking at the seawater, I thought, 'During the Imjin War, this must have been all blood.' I felt what mindset I should have for this work."

Park Jihwan said, "Rather than analyzing what the general was like, the energy felt through the body was important." He added, "The smell of blood at sea, facing fears with courage, setting up a perfect formation in the middle of enemy territory, preparing strategies. Steering a ship into enemy lines requires courage beyond boldness. It felt like I received some energy that cut away trivial things and left only integrity."

He said he cannot forget the gaze of Park Hae-il, who played Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Park Jihwan said, "It was coldly restrained, fiery yet quiet. Anyone would want to express emotions, but he melted them all away and kept them inside. When I looked into the senior actor's eyes, I almost went crazy. We didn't have intense conversations, but I felt the energy inside undulating like waves. Didn't you feel that we were both tremendously surging inside? It reminded me of the line from Yi Sun-sin, 'Be calm like Mount Tai.'"

Director Kim Han-min reportedly shed tears while filming the important scene where Yi Sun-sin and General Na Dae-yong face each other. Park Jihwan said, "On the morning of that day, my body trembled, and my hands went numb. I didn't feel like myself. At the set, Park Hae-il looked me straight in the eyes and said, 'We have to shoot now. Everything is ready.' He told me not to lose my emotions and to do as I wished. Thanks to that, we started filming from that scene. Later, I saw the director crying in front. When I asked why, he said he felt a bit touched, imagining how the two men's hearts for the country must have been. I felt the director's heart was beautiful."

Park Jihwan gained popularity playing Jeong In-kwon, who runs a sundae soup restaurant at the oil market, in the drama "Our Blues." He received praise for his detailed character portrayal, with viewers saying he looked like someone actually working in the Jeju market. He said, "I am not confident in speaking elegantly," and began, "I wondered why the script by the writer Noh Hee-kyung, whom I admired alone, came to me. Just being able to do it made me happy and joyful."

"I couldn't dress up nicely and stand in front of the camera. To portray In-kwon, I ate without restraint. I didn't set fixed times for waking up or sleeping. I didn't wash my hair either. Life shows on the face exactly. I scratched my body here and there, wore pants with bulging knees and buttocks, and thought I had to look like an ajusshi (middle-aged man). Fortunately, the four actors had good chemistry."

Park Jihwan named his late mother as his hero in his heart. He said, "My mother sincerely answered all my questions during her lifetime. She said that even if I was immature and poor, I could be happy, and to change my way of thinking. She told me to look at how she lived and that I could smile."

"One day, I asked my mother, 'What meaning is there if youth disappears?' She replied, 'You don't know how joyful it is. Now life is tangible. You can understand and imagine what you thought. So don't lose courage and work hard.' I am truly grateful. I am approaching the things I vaguely dreamed of, and though I don't know the destination, I am walking precisely."

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