Why 'Wild Thing' viewers can't stop talking about Oh Jung-se over lead actor
Oh Jung-se, left, in a scene from "I Don't Fire Myself (2021)" / Courtesy of Jinjin Pictures
From endless auditions to scene-stealing stardom
The 2021 film "I Don’t Fire Myself" shines a spotlight on transmission tower workers, whose stories are rarely highlighted on the screen. Although they perform the critical task of inspecting and repairing power transmission towers, the workers are employed by subcontractors. The film vividly portrays their grueling work, hazardous conditions and unfair treatment. Jeong-eun (Yoo Da-in), an employee temporarily assigned from the main contractor, and Choong-sik (Oh Jung-se), the least experienced member of the crew, bring the workers' struggles to life.
The film was shot around Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, in late autumn 2018. Most of the transmission tower scenes were filmed at an electrical training center to ensure the safety of the actors. Before filming began, however, director Lee Tae-gyeom and the cast decided to climb an actual transmission tower to experience, even briefly, what the workers feel.
The climb was intended only as an experiential exercise, not an actual maintenance operation, so the director instructed everyone to stop halfway up. He himself climbed only to the middle. But Oh and Yoo ignored the director's instruction and continued all the way to the top, determined to understand firsthand what it was like to work more than 30 meters above the ground.
"I Don’t Fire Myself" premiered at the 2020 Jeonju International Film Festival, where Oh shared the Korean Competition Best Actor award with Yum Hye-ran for "Black Light." Released in January 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the independent film attracted 19,213 moviegoers — a respectable result considering the circumstances. The film's success reflecLee's commitment to authentically portraying life on the job and the cast's meticulous, dedicated performances.
The transmission tower episode offers a glimpse into Oh's approach to acting. He is known throughout the industry as an actor who invests significant time researching his roles and rehearsing extensively. Critics say that same diligence is one of the reasons his latest film, "Wild Thing," released on June 3, has resonated so strongly with audiences.
Oh Jung-se plays Choi Seong-gon, a ballad singer who rose to great popularity in the early 2000s, in the film "Wild Thing." Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment
Stealing spotlight in 'Wild Thing'
"Wild Thing" is a comedy about Triangle, a once-popular co-ed dance group that disbanded in the early 2000s after plagiarism accusations and rumors of drug-fueled parties. The 107-minute film follows former members Hyun-woo (Kang Dong-won), Sang-gu (Uhm Tae-goo) and Do-mi (Park Ji-hyun), who head to Gangneung, Gangwon Province, for an unexpected chance at a comeback two decades later.
Oh plays Choi Sung-gon, a ballad singer whose career was overshadowed by Triangle. Perpetually finishing second on televised music programs, Choi is unfairly forced out of the industry. When he unexpectedly crosses paths with Triangle again on the way to Gangneung, he finds himself caught in a string of unfortunate events again.
Although Kang is the film's leading star, much of the attention following the release of "Wild Thing'' has gone to Oh. Many viewers have echoed the sentiment: "I went to see Kang Dong-won, but came out talking about Oh Jung-se."
His portrayal of Choi — performing the sentimental ballad "I Like You" in a flowing white blouse and long hair while desperately trying to revive his career — has become one of the film's biggest sources of laughter. As of Thursday, "Wild Thing" has drawn 1.16 million admissions.
Actor Oh Jung-se appears in a music video of "I Like You," a song by Choi Seong-gon, a ballad singer Oh portrays in the film "Wild Thing." The music video does not appear in the film itself, but was created for marketing purposes. Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment
Production company About Film also created a separate music video for Triangle's fictional hit "Love Is" to use in both the film and its promotional campaign. During preparations for the release, the team came up with another idea: produce a music video for Choi's "I Like You," even though it did not appear in the film itself.
Believing Choi's comical persona would be an effective marketing tool, About Film moved ahead with the project. Director Lee Won-suk, who had previously worked with Oh on the 2013 comedy "How to Use Guys with Secret Tips," directed the video. Many members of the "Wild Thing" production crew reunited for the shoot.
The entire music video was filmed in a single day and was completed within three days, including post-production. Oh readily agreed to participate, and many crew members reportedly returned simply because they enjoyed working with him. It is uncommon for a film's cast and crew to reunite for additional filming after principal photography has wrapped.
Product of countless auditions
Unlike many of his peers, Oh never formally studied acting at a university. As a high school senior, he repeatedly failed entrance exams for acting programs and instead majored in journalism and mass communication at Sun Moon University.
His only formal acting education came through a six-month course at Actors21 Academy, an acting school run by veteran actor Myung Gye-nam. Among his classmates were actors Jung Man-sik, Kim Young-jae and filmmaker Yang Ik-june.
Actor Oh Jung-se attends a press conference for the film "Wild Thing" at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Songpa District, Seoul, May 18. Yonhap
Oh did not follow the traditional route of building his career through theater before moving into film and television. Instead, he developed his craft through countless auditions and on-set experiences, gradually becoming one of Korea's most respected character actors.
His journey remains a rare one in the Korean entertainment industry: an actor who bypassed the conventional pathways of university acting programs and theater stages, yet rose to stardom through persistence, preparation and extraordinary talent.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.