`Ode to My Father’, a film in which TVXQ’s Yunho, who also has an active career as an actor, makes an appearance, opens May 16th. Director Yoon Je-Kyoon has responded to our interview during his recent visit to Japan.
TVXQ’s Yunho, whom Vogue Japan has covered many times in the past. debuts on screen (with ‘Ode to My Family’). Though he plays a cameo role that appears briefly, his outstanding presence gives a long-lasting impression. This would owe to the fact that he has been steadily honing his skills as an actor, recently through dramas such as `Queen of Ambition’ and ‘Night Watchmen’s Journal’.
Yunho gives an impassioned performance as famed Korean singer Nam Jin, using dialect. The protagonist Duksoo meets Nam Jin during his dispatchment to Vietnam, and becomes a lifelong fan of his. Amidst the solemn historical background that is the Vietnam War, the mood of the film lightens up in an instant as Nam Jin appears, with his jokes and sprightly use of dialect. We first asked the director about Yunho, who was given the role of such a charming character.
“Casting Yunho was truly a wise decision.”
– - Duksoo, the protagonist, participates in the Vietnam War as a technician. Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, Nam Jin fulfills his duty with abundant masculinity. Yunho’s portrayal of him, which stresses on how saving lives is a given for him and thus makes you feel his magnanimity, is very impressive. Had you hoped that Yunho’s own warmth and amiable personality would add to your intended depiction of Nam Jin? And was that one of the reasons you had cast him in this role?
Yoon Je-Kyoon: First of all, I think that it would better your understanding of the reason I had cast him if I explained everything from the beginning.
Nam Jin was a top singer back in the 70s. To put differently, we can well say that he was the 70s’ TVXQ. (laughs)
In choosing an actor to portray him, I had established 3 criteria.
The first one was that, the person who would play him should be a handsome, bigshot Korean star of our times.
Second, since Nam Jin hails from Jeolla-do, he should be a person familiar with the Jeolla-do dialect.
Third, he should posses a fine personality.
I have been in the film industry for more than 10 years, but to tell you the truth, I had been biased against idol singers. Since they’re adored by so many people, I’d thought they’d mostly be ill-mannered and arrogant.
There were 3~4 candidates for the role of Nam Jin. Jung Yunho was one of them. Because I’d wanted a good-natured person to play the role, I’d thought I wouldn’t be able to decide unless I had an up close and personal conversation with each of the candidates.
Upon meeting Yunho and talking to him, I was confident in less than 10 minutes in that it was him whom I wanted as Nam Jin. The prejudice I had long held for idols was gone in an instant. I cancelled all the meetings with the other candidates scheduled after that.
Though he is still young, he is very polite and well-mannered, and extremely splendid as a person. He is also very affable and has an innocence to him.
I had gone into the meeting thinking that since he’s an idol, he must be quite reserved with his words. But to my surprise –to the point of wondering ‘how could he talk so much?’—he was very chatty. He is one of the most talkative men I know. (laughs)
I had told him in person that ‘You’re like one of the ahjummas(middle-aged women) around me’. (laughs) Unlike the charismatic image he is well known for, his personable charm was just overflowing.
Thanks to Yunho, we were able to work in a very warm, cordial atmosphere on set. Yunho himself said that Nam Jin is a singer whom he deeply respects, and had properly prepared himself for the role accordingly.
He was very passionate during the whole filming process as well.
I have given many interviews up to this point since, and one of the good things about them was the fact that everyone showed deep interest in Yunho’s appearance in this movie. (laughs)
Yunho’s scenes were filmed in a jungle in Thailand. I would like to tell you some memorable episodes that happened there, as the opportunity to talk about them is hard to come by.
The scenes took place somewhere in the suburban areas of Thailand. We were accommodated at a condominium that is usually quite desolate.
I recall that at that time Yunho was in Japan, and had flown into Thailand from there. I received a call from the producer who had gone to the airport to greet Yunho. He said, “Director, we have a serious problem. About a thousand people have gathered here at the airport, and we can’t get out.” I asked him how that came to be, and he replied, “There seems to be an informant among the fans, and the airport is packed with Yunho’s fans from Thailand, Korea, China and Japan.” It took them a few hours just to leave the airport.
Even after they were finally able to leave, the producer called me a second time on their way to the location saying, “About 50 cars full of fans are following us. I’m too scared and I don’t think I can get back like this.” (laughs)
They managed to resolve the situation somehow, but about 100 fans came to the set every day, and would go “Kyaaaaah!!” every time they could catch even just a glimpse of Yunho. (laughs)
We stayed at the condominium for about a week. Being the director and all, I was given one of the larger rooms. Fans took up adjacent rooms on both sides, and would sing and dance to TVXQ’s songs at night. I couldn’t sleep very well. (laughs)
The fans would even follow us to the restaurant we went to eat after wrapping up our day’s shooting. Mr. Hwang Jung Min, who played the lead Duksoo, Mr. Oh Dalsoo, Duksoo’s friend, myself and Yunho would go together, and the three of us frantically tried to safeguard Yunho. (laughs) I guess that to the fans, we were just a couple of ahjussis(middle-aged men). (laughs).
Credit: Vogue Japan
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