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| Actor Kim Rae-won in a scene from the film, "Decibel" / Courtesy of Mind Mark |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Kim Rae-won said he has begun to think about the bigger picture instead of focusing solely on his roles when working on a series or film. The actor, who has delivered many unforgettable performances since debuting in 1997 in the MBC drama "Me," reflected on how his approach to acting has changed over 25 years.
"I think way back when I was starting out, I had a desire to stand out as the lead actor. More recently, however, I have been thinking about how I should act out my character considering the entire storyline. For this film, I put much emphasis on understanding the flow, tension and plot," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Wednesday, ahead of the release of his latest film, "Decibel."
Kim said that for this film, he put much emphasis on understanding the flow, tension and plot.
"Even though it was a nerve-racking day of shooting for me, I would monitor my costars' acting. Studying their performances also helped me bring out a genuine emotional reaction."
In "Decibel," written and directed by Hwang In-ho, Kim plays former Navy lieutenant colonel Do-young who gets a call from a mysterious person who threatens to have planted bombs in several crowded places.
As Do-young tries to stop bomb attacks that explode when the noise level reaches a certain amount of decibels, the character's backstory and his relationship with the terrorist are revealed.
Kim is onscreen for nearly every frame. He did all of the action ― the car chases, jumping off high-rise buildings, diving into water and fighting ― instead of using stunt doubles. And ultimately, it proved to be rewarding for him.
"I'm very detail-oriented and I try hard, in a way that can be seen as almost destructive. I decided to perform the scenes myself to deliver the authentic emotions of the character better," he said.
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| Actor Kim Rae-won / Courtesy of Mind Mark |
Kim also talked about starring alongside actors Lee Jong-suk and Cha Eun-woo of K-pop band Astro, who is making his big screen debut.
"Although I'm a more experienced actor, I'm extremely careful about commenting on others regarding their acting. While shooting together, Jong-suk came up to me and asked for my opinion about his acting in a certain scene. It seemed like he wanted to do it again. So I gave him my advice. On the second try, he acted more flexibly," he said.
Of Cha, he said, "I think Eun-woo first joined the project lightheartedly, but then realized that this is not a joke. He's done his part so well," he said.
The 41-year-old actor keeps an intimidating schedule. This month, he is spending his days shooting the TV series, "The First Responders," which will air starting Nov. 12.
"I work day and night, doing PR work for the film and shooting a TV series at the same time. I have no time to pick up hobbies. The good thing is that I, at least, have time to stare at my phone. In the past, I left my phone at home in Seoul whenever I was away to shoot a film or TV series in other regions for months," he said.
Saying that he often takes advice from veteran actor Han Suk-kyu, he said, "I was talking to Han over the phone a week ago, and he told me that my age is perfect to hit a career peak so I should work harder. That reignited my passion for acting," he said.
"Decibel" will hit local theaters, Nov. 16.
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