Leaping toward stardom

Actor Ji Chang-wook poses at a cafe in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, Tuesday, May 13. / Courtesy of Glorious Entertainment

‘Empress Ki’ actor outshines Ha Ji-won with breakthrough role

By Baek Byung-yeul

When MBC announced plans to air the period drama “Empress Ki” last year, it was actress Ha Ji-won, one of the biggest names in K-drama, who received all the media attention. By the time the drama ended a few weeks ago, it was the performance of budding actor Ji Chang-wook that had left the strongest impression on critics and fans of the drama.

The 26-year-old now finds himself well on his way to stardom after a compelling portrayal of an ancient Chinese monarch who passionately falls for a Korean peasant ultimately becoming his queen. Their intense love story made the 51-part series a huge hit for six months from last October to April. At a time when major broadcasters are losing drama viewers to cable channels, Ji’s impassioned performance led ‘Empress Ki’ to a rare ratings success.

In a recent interview with The Korea Times, the up-and-coming thespian, who’s also active in musicals and film, talked about some of the difficulties he faced with his breakthrough role.

“I was one of the last ones to join the drama, so I wasn’t sure whether I could properly deliver the complexities of my character,” Ji said. “I tried to convey the thoughts, feelings and appropriate behavior of an emperor.”

The tragic love story between Ha Ji-won, who plays Empress Ki, and Ji Chang-wook, a Yuan Dynasty king, in the MBC period piece ‘Empress Ki’ led to the broadcaster’s rare drama success in recent months. / Korea Times file

Ji played Ta Hwan, who later becomes Emperor Huizong (1320-1370), the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. He said it was one of the most taxing roles he had ever encountered. “Ta Hwan comes from a deprived childhood and has difficulty in showing his emotions,” Ji said.

Making his debut in the 2007 film “Sleeping Beauty,” Ji started to gain notice with the 2010 KBS drama “Smile Again,” where he had his first lead role in “Donghae.” “People called me Dong-hae way more than my real name at that time,” he said, admitting that sometimes he felt uneasy about the attention he was starting to receive.

Now, he feels he is more prepared to deal with the consequences of his growing fame. “Many may remember me as Ta Hwan because of my role in the Empress Ki, but I don’t think that I need to force myself to be detached from his image.”

At first, many were skeptical about his acting ability to match Ha, who plays his love interest from Goryeo (918-1392). Ji showed gripping chemistry with the superstar, who is nine years his senior.

When asked about his working relationship with her, Ji said he learned a lot from her and understands why she is a top star. “She was always cheerful,” Ji recalled.

“When we started filming, it was really cold. But she never had a frown on her face. She was the driving force behind the success of the drama’s hit,” Ji said.

“I could learn so much from other older actors, too. I was deeply moved by their devotion to their profession,” he added.

When asked to name a role model, he declines. “I know a lot of great Korean actors who can be an example for me. But as far as I know, those respectable actors always have their own style of acting, which I think I don’t have yet,“ he said. “Finding my own acting style is my ultimate, lifelong goal as an actor.”

Ji, who has been performing in many musicals including Korean productions of “Thrill Me,” “Jack the Ripper” and original musical, “The Days,” said acting is not a just a job. “For me, it is a vocation. The more I perform, the more I enjoy it.”

A string of future projects show Ji’s rising star power.

He has been cast for star director Kang Woo-suk’s new buddy cop movie, “Doo Pozol (Two Policemen).” Co-starring with actor Sol Kyung-gu, he will play the role of a police officer of Hanyang, an old name of Seoul in Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).

“Some may not understand my choice to do a period piece again, but I am simply happy at the chance to collaborate with such an esteemed director,” Ji said.