[On the Record] Yu Hae-jin, Smiling Over 'Exhumation' but Feeling Heavyhearted... "It's Been So Long Since I Enjoyed the Theater"

Actor Yoo Hae-jin Interview

Film 'Pamyo' Undertaker Yeong-geun Role
"Director Jang Jae-hyun's Fresh Script Sparked Curiosity"
Learned About Independence Activist Name 'Hangil' Code During Filming

“I’m glad that ‘Pamyo’ did well, but ‘Dog Days’ keeps weighing on my mind. I don’t know what it really means to make a good film. I have mixed feelings.”

Actor Yoo Hae-jin (54) looked complicated. Meeting again after a month ahead of the release of the film ‘Pamyo,’ the first thing he brought up was the movie ‘Dog Days.’ He honestly shared, “My heart feels heavy and also scared.” Usually, he never loses his humor and never utters a word lightly, but this time he sat at the interview table with a face that seemed to have more to say than ever before.

Actor Yoo Hae-jin [Photo by Showbox]

The film ‘Pamyo’ (directed by Jang Jae-hyun), which was released on the 22nd, caught the right momentum. It attracted 1 million viewers in 3 days and 2 million in 4 days, changing the atmosphere in theaters. The first weekend’s momentum was strong. He said, “It’s a celebration,” adding, “There are some ‘dislikes,’ but fortunately, there are more ‘likes.’” Touching his face shyly, he said, “Last weekend was perfect weather to watch ‘Pamyo.’ If it had been too sunny, audiences might have gone out to the outskirts, and if the weather was bad, they would have stayed home, so it was just right.”

The Reason He Can’t Smile Fully Despite the Brief Success

Yoo Hae-jin has been staying at the theaters for a month. The film ‘Dog Days’ (directed by Kim Deok-min), in which he starred, was released on the 7th and he diligently did stage greetings even during the Lunar New Year holiday. Although it was a collaboration with JK Film, the production company behind the hit films ‘Confidential Assignment 1 and 2,’ it unfortunately only attracted about 360,000 viewers. Since last weekend, he has been meeting audiences with ‘Pamyo.’

“I’m glad ‘Pamyo’ did well, but my heart isn’t good. The ‘Dog Days’ team all worked hard on set. Director Kim Deok-min, the producer, and director Yoon Je-kyun who produced it all put in effort, so it’s disappointing and my heart feels heavy. It’s not easy for a film to do well. Even if I keep doing it, I don’t really know. Will there ever be a day I get used to it?”

Yoo Hae-jin could not simply smile because ‘Pamyo’ was well received. He sighed repeatedly, saying he had been going back and forth between cold and hot baths at the theater in just a few days. He confessed, “If this time also hadn’t had good results, I would have gone crazy,” and said, “Just like people have their fate (Saju Palja), films also have their own fate.” Then he added, “I don’t know how long it’s been since I felt the taste of a film, the taste of a theater.”

‘Pamyo’ depicts a strange incident that happens to a geomancer, a mortician, and a shaman who relocate a suspicious grave for a large sum of money. Yoo Hae-jin plays Yeong-geun, a veteran mortician who observes proper etiquette, and for the first time since his debut, he challenged the occult genre. He said, “It wasn’t that I wanted to challenge a specific genre. Director Jang Jae-hyun’s story, a story about the land, was fresh because it was combined with a genre.”

Actor Yoo Hae-jin [Photo by Showbox]

“There aren’t many fresh scripts these days. Most of them are similar when you receive them. But when I saw ‘Pamyo,’ I said ‘Wow.’ I felt the genius of director Jang Jae-hyun. I liked the impression that it was a ‘cinematic film.’ I was curious about how the story the director wanted to tell would be realized in the film, and I also had a strong desire to experience it.”

A Role Like a Comma... The ‘Anti-Japanese’ Code Discovered During Filming

Yeong-geun, played by Yoo Hae-jin, is not a towering character. He is not the main character leading the story but forms an ensemble among the characters. He plays a role like a ‘host’ who represents the audience’s feelings and guides the story.

He said, “It wasn’t a role where I tried to show something in the work. It’s like Baekseolgi (steamed rice cake) that tastes nutty even without dipping in honey.” He continued, “Among Choi Min-sik, Lee Do-hyun, and Kim Go-eun, who each have their own unique colors like rainbow rice cake, my character shines like an ivory color. From an objective standpoint, he also represents the audience’s feelings. He occasionally gently pushes other characters.”

“I liked the natural laughter. I like laughter that arises from the situation, not forced or imposed laughter. I hoped there would be something that only Yoo Hae-jin as Yeong-geun could do. I always think it’s necessary in a work. This time, I saw it as an ‘appropriate comma.’ A role that allows the audience to rest comfortably without overdoing it or stepping out of the work.”

'Exhumation' stills [Photo by Showbox]

Yeong-geun shares his name with independence activist Go Yeong-geun from the late Joseon period. The names of the geomancer Kim Sang-deok (played by Choi Min-sik), shaman Lee Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun), shaman Yoon Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun), and shaman Oh Gwang-sim (Kim Sun-young) are all actual independence activists’ names. The license plate numbers of the characters’ vehicles, such as ‘1945,’ ‘0301,’ and ‘0815,’ evoke Liberation Day and Samiljeol (March 1st Movement), drawing attention as an ‘anti-Japanese’ message.

He said, “I didn’t know before filming started.” Then he added, “I found out while talking with director Jang during filming, and it was surprising and fun.” He also said, “For a film to do well, I think it’s about creating stories through various interpretations.”

“The Door Opens, Yoo Hae-jin Comes In”

It is now the ‘Yoo Hae-jin era.’ Audiences no longer keep their guard up against Yoo Hae-jin. His recent releases like ‘Night Owl’ (2022) and ‘Sweet & Sour: 7510’ (2023) have been loved. From the ruthless King Injo to a pure researcher falling in love, whenever he appears, audiences inevitably open the door to their hearts. With his outstanding acting skills, he captures the audience’s hearts and makes them his allies. It is a gem-like talent made possible by solid acting skills.

“It’s not because I’m outstanding, but maybe people just look favorably at whatever I do? Fortunately, I think trust has been built because I’ve met good works so far. I feel a sense of responsibility for the positive image imprinted on the public. Recently, I have many thoughts. I worry, ‘Yoo Hae-jin, this time, I don’t know?’ I wonder what I should throw out with each work. I don’t think the quantity of works is important. While it’s important to act for a long time, I try to have a good perspective. I have to repay with excellent acting.”

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