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| Actor Yoo Hae-jin / Courtesy of NEW |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Yoo Hae-jin had an "overwhelming feeling" when he was first offered King Injo's role in the historical thriller "The Night Owl." Despite his initial hesitation, Yoo ultimately agreed to play a royal role for the first time in his acting career.
"My first reaction was, 'Why me?' Director An Tae-jin told me that he wants to deviate from portraying typical kings of the Joseon Kingdom, who often appear as gracious and noble in other films," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Friday.
Yoo said he was afraid that audiences, most of whom are familiar with his fun, easygoing and free-spirited personality, might not accept his sudden transformation into a mad king who kills his own son, Crown Prince Sohyeon, to maintain his throne.
"I wanted the audience to be prepared to see a new side in me, so the director used a long, slow zoom-in when King Injo first appears in the film," he said.
The fictional plot of "The Night Owl" develops as the partially blind acupuncturist Kyung-soo (Ryu Jun-yeol) witnesses Crown Prince Sohyeon's death. He later finds out that King Injo is behind the murder. Kyung-soo has a condition called hemeralopia, otherwise known as day blindness, or the inability to see clearly in bright light.
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| Actor Yoo Hae-jin in a scene from the film "The Night Owl"/ Courtesy of NEW |
Although inspired by a real person, Yoo's take on King Injo was entirely fictional. "There are many records about King Injo, but I tried to reinvent the character completely. I focused on expressing his dark and complex character," he said.
Yoo may have a habit of pursuing comedic or lighthearted roles, but he said he is constantly on the lookout for new challenges. "I am finding myself more and more doing stuff that I'm afraid of or that is completely different from my real personality," he said.
Yoo lauded actor Kim Sung-cheol, who plays Crown Prince Sohyeon in the film. "While watching the film, I was surprised by Kim's eccentric acting methods. The way he adds his own touch to regular dialogue really amazed me. I think he is a brilliant actor," he said.
On collaborating with Ryu for the third time after "A Taxi Driver" (2017) and "The Battle: Roar to Victory" (2019), he said, "It must've been difficult to portray a disabled character, but he's done so well. I feel like Ryu continues to develop himself as a key pillar of the film industry."
Yoo encouraged people to see his film in theaters. "There is a different joy in going to the theater and watching a film with others. The situation is very tough these days, but I'm hopeful that the film industry will soon revive itself."
"The Night Owl" will hit local theaters, Nov. 23.
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