[Interview] Daniel Henney "The Whole World Is Talking About K-Content... Amazing"

'Confidential Assignment 2: International' Opens on the 7th
Daniel Henney as US FBI Agent
Connection with Director Yoon Je-kyun of 'Spy'
"Eager to Act in Korean, No Communication Issues"

Daniel Henney / Photo by Eco Global Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "When I was young, I wanted to look like a Westerner. I felt that way I would be safe. As I got older, I found myself drawn to Asia. I always wanted to work in Korea, so it's amazing and wonderful that the opportunity has come. I feel lucky."

In an interview held on the morning of the 6th ahead of the release of the movie Cooperation 2: International (director Lee Seok-hoon, 'Cooperation 2'), Daniel Henney introduced it as "a lively movie" and expressed confidence by saying, "Following the previous film, a younger brother as good as the older brother has appeared."

The sequel to Cooperation, which attracted 7.81 million viewers in 2017, will be released on the 7th. The story depicts North Korean detective Lim Cheol-ryeong (Hyun Bin), South Korean detective Kang Jin-tae (Yoo Hae-jin), and American FBI agent Jack (Daniel Henney) reuniting to catch a global crime organization, each with their own goals, embarking on a triangular cooperative investigation.

Daniel Henney newly joins as FBI agent Jack. He said, "With Jack's appearance, a new side of Cheol-ryeong is revealed," and "the adaptation process is portrayed."

Having previously played FBI agents in several works including the American drama series Criminal Minds, he said, "It felt familiar." He pointed out the difference by saying, "Humans are social animals who look for people connected to themselves. Jack is a character who struggles with cultural identity, so I liked him."

Daniel Henney revealed that he joined Cooperation 2 through his connection with director Yoon Je-kyun, who produced the movie Spy (2013). He said, "Afterwards, I heard about Cooperation, and we talked about the sequel for 3 to 4 years. I have consistently been interested in the production." He added, "Since I have always been warmly welcomed in Korea, I put 100% of my energy into meeting expectations."

Joining the sequel was not an easy decision. He confessed, "The previous film did well, but I was worried that the existing character relationships might collapse with the introduction of a new character." He continued, "It felt like going on a journey on top of the already established relationship between Jin-tae and Cheol-ryeong."

"I hoped Jack would handle the comedy. Since the previous film was a bit heavy and dark, I wanted comedic elements to be added in the sequel. The director and I were on the same page, and we reached an agreement somewhere in the middle."

Regarding the action scenes he performed with ease, he gave a humble answer. Daniel Henney said, "I want to be good at action, but I'm not an actor who is good at it." He added, "I was worried if I could keep up with the level, and I put a lot of effort into the action scenes in tight spaces."

The biggest concern was acting in Korean. He admitted, "Communicating in Korean on set and delivering lines were really different. It was so difficult I wanted to hide in a mouse hole."

"I usually understand about 80% of Korean, so communication is not a problem. This time, I managed the promotion by myself without an interpreter. Since my dogs are from Korea, I practice by talking to them in Korean. (laughs) I want to improve my Korean acting, but balancing it with my foreign activities is not easy. Preparing for a Korean drama takes about 3 to 5 months, so scheduling is an issue, but I won't give up."

Works like Parasite (2019) and Squid Game (2021) have been recognized for their achievements in the global market. Daniel Henney, who is active in Hollywood, said he feels the popularity firsthand. He said, "The whole world is talking about K-content."

"Korea is a creative and technologically advanced country. People are diligent, sincere, and passionate. I think the time has come. Even TV commercials have such high quality that people around me are surprised. It's amazing. I watched Squid Game. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk is a close friend with whom I worked on My Father. At that time, I was a rookie, and it was his first project too. Now he is a director going back and forth between LA and Hollywood. I hope creative works continue to come out."

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