Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Type-cast bad guy, Yoon Je-moon stars as warm character in 'Fukuoka'
Actor Yoon Je-moon / Courtesy of Indie Story
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Yoon Je-moon recalled that filming nostalgic drama “Fukuoka” was refreshing because he was able to throw away his usual character of a villain and transform into that of a kind and warm-hearted man.
In the film, Yoon plays Je-moon, a second-hand bookstore owner, who is dragged along on a trip by longtime customer So-dam (Park So-dam) to Fukuoka to meet his long estranged friend Hae-hyo (Kwon Hae-hyo).
The two parted ways 28 years earlier after falling in love with the same girl, who eventually left both of them. Hae-hyo moved to the girl's hometown of Fukuoka to look for her, but never saw her again. Struggling to get over his ex-girlfriend, Hae-hyo has been running a bar in the Japanese city and growing old alone, just like Je-moon.
Despite initial bickering, the two men and So-dam travel across the city and reflect on their past, wondering if things would have turned out differently if they had made different choices.
On playing the character of the same name, Yoon said he was able to bridge the gap between himself and the character and feel natural on camera.
“I share many character traits with my onscreen characters. Even if I play a villain, I try to bring out my dark side ― I think that there are similar personality traits or emotions inside of me,” he said in a written interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday.
“As an actor who has to express a particular emotion in a given situation, I tried to put emotion into and deliver each line perfectly without exaggerating.”
Yoon said he was thrilled to work with Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu again after starring in the filmmaker's earlier work “Ode to the Goose” in 2018.
Zhang started as a novelist in China and made the directorial debut in 2001 with short film “Eleven,” which competed at the 58th Venice International Film Festival. His other works include “Grain in Ear” (2005) and “Dooman River” (2011).
Referred to as the final film of Zhang's city trilogy ― “Gyeongju” (2014) and “Ode to the Goose,” “Fukuoka” centers on the Japanese city.
“Personally, it was a great experience to work with Zhang because I was his longtime fan,” Yoon said.
A poster for the film “Fukuoka” / Courtesy of Indie Story
The veteran actor also commented on starring alongside actors Kwon and Park.
“Kwon and I have been friends since we performed on stages in Seoul's theater district Daehakro. With 'Fukuoka,' we became closer,” Yoon said. “Although Park is much younger than me, I couldn't feel the large age gap. I was impressed by how she fully concentrated on her role when filming.”
Yoon is set to star in Im Sang-soo's “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness,” which revolves around two men who embark on a journey together in pursuit of happiness.
Yoon revealed that he has grown tired of playing bad guys. “I want to play genuinely nice, warm characters in the future,” he said. “I think the audience will find my character easily approachable in 'Fukuoka.'”
“Fukuoka,” which has premiered at several international film festivals including the 69th Berlin International Film Festival, will hit the local theaters on Aug. 27.