INTERVIEW Jung Woo says bringing corrupt cop to life was grueling journey

Actor Jung Woo / Courtesy of BH Entertainment

Actor Jung Woo shared his arduous efforts to portray a corrupt detective character with more convincing depth and authenticity in his starring role in the film “Dirty Money.”

"When filming 'Dirty Money,' I acted with a desperate mindset, as if I was grasping at straws," he said in an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Wednesday.

In this film, Jung portrays Myung-deuk, a detective who takes bribes from illegal businesses at night, together with his partner Dong-hyuk (Kim Dae-myung). As they attempt to steal dirty money for a life-changing opportunity, however, they are hunted by both a criminal organization and the police.

"Dirty Money" was filmed from December 2018 to March 2019, but its release was delayed until this month due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The actor said he recently saw the final edition of the film and did not feel at all that it was a movie that had not been released for years.

"I had a concern that it took time for this film to be released in theaters. I recently saw the final version, and I didn't feel at all that it was a film that hadn't been released for several years," he said. "I tried to convincingly express why Myung-deuk gets involved with the gangsters' money and I think that's well portrayed in the film."

Jung and the film's director Kim Min-soo were classmates at Seoul Institute of the Arts. However, the actor said they were not in touch during their school days, so he was surprised when he received the script for "Dirty Money" written by Kim.

"When I first saw the script, I found it simple and sexy, which was appealing. I wondered who the director was, and when I saw the name, I realized it (that I knew him). It was amazing. Kim Min-soo, who dreamed of becoming a film director, and I, who dreamed of becoming an actor, are now working together in the industry," he said.

The actor, who debuted in 2001, became known for the 2009 teen movie "Wish," for which he wrote the screenplay based on his high school experiences and starred in the lead role. Although "Wish" was a low-budget film, it unexpectedly attracted over 100,000 audiences and Jung won the Best New Actor award at the 2010 Daejong Film Awards for the movie.

He rose to stardom with his role as Kim Jae-joon, the main character in the 2013 tvN drama "Reply 1994," portraying a humorous medical student who is not only good at studying but also warm-hearted.

Actor Jung Woo plays Myung-deuk, a detective simultaneously hunted by a criminal organization and the police in the upcoming film “Dirty Money.” Courtesy of Acemaker Movieworks

The actor reflected that six years ago when he filmed this movie, it was a time when he was under pressure to perform well as an actor and could not enjoy his life.

"It's instinctive for actors to want to act well, but I think I was acting while being consumed by that desire," he said. "It was a period when I was overly ambitious about aspects of acting that I couldn't handle. I filmed 'Dirty Money' during that time, and the filming period was an extremely painful time."

He confessed that even after that, he suffered physically and mentally because he could not distinguish between reality and his work. With the support of his wife and fellow actor Kim You-mi, however, he now approaches acting with a more relaxed mindset.

"At one point, my body and mind were in a lot of pain. I thought acting was everything in life. I couldn't distinguish between reality and my work, and I couldn't even enjoy being on set at that time. So I took a break from acting for about two years, and that period was a time for self-reflection where I could realize many things," he said.

"My wife You-mi has been my biggest support. (I'm) grateful to have someone who prays for me every day, and now I'm fully appreciating how thankful (I am) to make a living doing what I want to do and to be with good people. Every day is enjoyable and happy."

The 43-year-old actor added that he no longer thinks of acting as "everything in my life" but now considers it a "precious part" of his life.

"In the past, acting was everything in my life. Looking back now, it was an extremely radical thought. Now it's a very important and precious part of my life," Jung said.

“Dirty Money” is available in local theaters from Thursday.