Thoughtful man Yoon Kye Sang

by ay_link 

Source : jazzholic

 

Here’s a good read regarding Yoon Kye Sang’s upcoming drama, “Triple” :)
With all the good-looking man, I almost forget that Yoon Kye Sang will be in it :) Ah, it’ll be hard to choose… Lee Jung Jae? Lee Seon Gyun? Yoon Kye Sang? Hmmm…

“Triple” thoughtful man Yoon Kye Sang

MBC’s newest Wed-Thurs miniseries, “Triple” (script by Lee Jeong-ah & Oh Su-jin, directed by Lee Yun-jeong) has 3 handsome men portraying 3 guys on an advertising team. Of them, we met up with Yun Gye-sang to talk about the drama. He takes on the role of the good-natured Jang Hyeon-tae, who’s warm and funny and goes all-in when it comes to love. We’re sure he’ll capture the hearts of women everywhere.

- Do you like the character Hyeon-tae?
I do. He can come off as a bit of an oddball, but he’s not really. He just really has a strong conviction in what he believes. I guess you could say that he experienced some difficulties in life and now knows how to deal with the ways of life in a smart way. And he won’t give up ever if it’s for his happiness.

We’re more alike than any other role I’ve done so far. I’m ‘acting without practice,’ and ‘acting easily’ this time. Truthfully speaking, no matter how much I’ve tried to immerse myself a hundred percent in a role, it was never complete. But this time
is such a perfect match for me that I couldn’t be happier.

- If you were really Hyeon-tae, could you continue showing interest in a woman who used to be your friend’s wife?
I think I could. Even in real life it isn’t so easy to meet someone you really like. Because I know that fate doesn’t occur so easily, I don’t think I’d give up quite so easily.

- Director Lee Yun-jeong is known for her attention to detail.
What’s the atmosphere like on set?
She’s a very open-minded person on set. She hates seeing her actors being dull or stagnant. She thinks that the actors’ ‘feeling of being alive’ is the ’strength behind the drama.’ She always discusses things with us beforehand and convinces us then. ^^

- Did Director Lee Yun-jeong request anything specifically from Hyeon-tae?
“Hyeon-tae is a person motivated more by his true feelings than by that others think or their reasons. In a way, he is foolish, but he is a pure person.” She told me that and asked me to act it naturally.

- What expectations do you have towards “Triple”?
I’ve always tried to remain true to my characters in the past, but often I would come off too emotionally heavy or too frivolous and light. This character of Hyeon-tae, however, is a character that can highlight my good parts. I expect as good results as the effort I’m putting into this.

- What are your aspirations as an actor?
I’m trying my hardest to be remembered as ‘a good actor’ and ‘an actor who acts well.’
At first, I hated being labeled ‘an actor who used to be a singer’ but now it no longer matters to me. Because my dream is to be remembered as an actor, I will try my hardest.

(credit: MBC America)

Yoon Kye-sang still crazy about acting

by javabeans

Y’all know I have much affection for actor and former idol star Yoon Kye-sang. That affection endures despite his role as one of the most irritating characters in the recent drama Triple, and I’m eager to see the new movie he has coming out (the prison drama Executioners), which looks great. Here’s an interview with him as he promotes the new film.

“Even now, I’m still crazy about acting. And I believe in myself.”
It’s been six years since Yoon Kye-sang began acting. In 2004′s Flying Boys, he stood with uncertain eyes, not knowing where he was supposed to go, and is now a 32-year-old young man acting in movies. In the wake of his idol glory, he has been quietly walking the path of an actor. There were people who threw stones, and others who spit at him. Praise was scant, and his path was strewn with thorns. All the while, Yoon Kye-sang was always growing within his roles. No, the roles he chose reflected Yoon Kye-sang’s feelings of that time.
After he was released from military service, we met him in Crazy for Love after he’d split from a long-time girlfriend. The movie Lovers for Six Years was also an autobiographical project.

Yoon Kye-sang was called a traitor for leaving G.O.D. before the sixth album; they went on to release a seventh before disbanding (unofficially; rumors periodically surface that they may make a comeback). Yoon recently said that he had ended a six-year romance as he headed into military service, as both parties got busier and they naturally drifted apart.

He chose Beastie Boys because he’d wanted to try something new and try a change. Yoon Kye-sang grew within the film, and also grew through the film.
The film Executioners, which opens November 5, again shows Yoon Kye-sang growing. He plays the part of a man who ends a stretch of unemployment when he’s hired to work in a prison. He took a role that experienced another transformation as a new recruit who learns dirty methods and grows used to carrying out executions. This is how he attempted yet another transformation.

After doing depressing roles for a while, you’ve changed and done bright characters. But now you’ve come back to another dark and serious film.
“I think I’m more drawn to depressing, serious projects. I like the coming-of-age genre too, movies about a character’s growth. After deciding to act in Triple but before I started filming, I had some time, so I wanted to try something I liked again.”
What drew you most to this film?
“The script was good, but above all was the fact that Jo Jae-hyun sunbae would be acting in it. I really loved his movies like Bad Guy and Crocodile. First, I wondered whether I could do it, because if I can’t imagine myself in it, I can’t act it. I thought it could be most suited for me right now, at this age.”
You come across extremely naturally.
“I made a promise with the director. He told me to completely empty myself. It was my homework. He told me not to study and not to become accustomed to it. I was extremely uneasy, because if I couldn’t organize things, I would be very flustered. That’s why I stuck around the film set 24 hours a day. I didn’t have much dialogue within the prison, and it was mostly reactions. I had to see how all of my fellow actors would act.”
What did you gain from this?
“I developed my reactions. (Laughs) Usually, I’ve been very quick to sync up with my fellow actors. It’s partly because of my personality, but dramas are usually quick to go. However, doing this film, I think I developed some composure. I shot Triple right afterward, and I could feel that I developed more.”
Is that like growing along with the film?
“It’s like that. These days, I’m really thinking a lot. I think so much about acting and my life that I find it hard to fall asleep. I think about how I like coming-of-age movies, but that I should probably stop doing them now after this one. I think I’m right at that time in my life, which is why I think I chose this film.”
Whenever it comes time to choose a project, it seems like it reveals your dilemmas of the moment.
“That’s right. Whenever my emotions change or hit a turning point, I’ve done a project with that kind of character. When I did Crazy for Love and Lovers of Six Years, I was in a period of extreme pain and hurt over love. When I did Beastie Boys, I had a strong desire to show myself as an actor, although I’m disappointed that 40 minutes were edited out. (Laughs) When I haven’t picked a project in that way, I’ve felt a lot of hurt. It’s also the reason why I didn’t choose a project for eight months, until I did Triple.”
But Triple was able to become a success, either.
“I thought it would do well at the time. (Laughs) I was a supporting actor in it. To be honest, it made me think at the time, ‘I’m finished now.’ But the director Lee Yoon-jung asked me, ‘Kye-sang, what’s your forte?’ At the time, I’d said something like a bright expression, and then I felt like I’d been hit upside the back of the head. ‘Ah, I’d been wearing clothes that didn’t fit me,’ I thought. It made me wonder, ‘What do I do best? How was my beginning?’ I think to Flying Boys. That could be why I decided to do Executioners.”

When you switched direction to acting, you didn’t turn back and threw yourself into acting. Do you still have the passion you had when you did Flying Boys?
“Yes. Of course, if I have to say what’s changed, I’d say I’ve developed an efficient passion. Back then, I rushed into things. I was ambitious in wanting to succeed too quickly. But the more familiar I become with acting, the more I feel its depth.
“But I still have confidence. I have faith in my acting. I have faith in myself. I’m still crazy about acting.”
You must have thought a lot about the institution of capital punishment.
“To be honest, I hadn’t had a particular interest in the issue of capital punishment before. But in doing this movie, I did end up thinking about it a lot. In the past, when [kpop group] G.O.D. was at its hungriest, there was I time I killed a rabbit with my own hands. I couldn’t stand seeing it suffer. But I’ve never been able to forget that feeling that came from the tips of my fingers. To kill a living thing… I’m firmly against the death penalty.”
What have you gained and lost through acting?
“In order to pursue acting, I’ve lost popularity and found the natural person Yoon Kye-sang. I’ve gained confidence in my life.”
It’s been six years since you began acting. You have experienced a lot of difficult moments and enticements to return.
“I’ve experienced truly momentous occasions, and times that were incredibly difficult. But when those moments pass, I’m able to smile like this and talk about them. That’s life, and that’s what acting is.”
When you look at the projects that have earned you praise, a lot of them have been coming of age dramas. That can mean that when your established image hinders someone from becoming absorbed, at some point the audience accepts the change.
“These days in interviews, people don’t ask about G.O.D. as much as in the past. They ask a lot about the movie. I think people are gradually accepting me as an actor. That’s why I’m deliberating a lot about my next project. It’s confusing, thinking what I should do. Should I go for a project that is similar to the confusion I’m feeling? Ha, if I do a melodramatic film, does that mean I’ve fallen in love again? Oh well, I don’t know.”

 Source news.naver     via : dramabeans

The Return Of An Actor

This is another old interview, but we found it really interesting, so we share it for you. The interview conducted by Nylon and published on July 2009, enjoy!

Yoon Kye Sang met the journalists from Nylon at a coffee shop for their interview. According to them, he looks like a regular guy – one who chainsmokes and seems to have little fashion sense. When asked what kinds of clothes he likes, he answers, “Sweats and runners”. He doesn’t calculate his answers and his facial expressions show everything.

Yoon Kye Sang in Nylon (7/09)

Nylon: Compared to long ago, it feels like [you've] become slightly distant from society’s attention. There isn’t anything about your personal life and how you’ve been living.
Yoon Kye Sang (YKS): I liked staying at home back then too. I don’t really like going around much. I went around comfortably during the 10 months I was on break but I think because I’m not really a person of issue (interest), not much news was released. I want to meet somebody now.
Nylon: To date?
YKS: Yes. I go on [blind] dates.
Nylon: Who introduces you to whom and how?
YKS: I request those around me [for introductions] but my manager hyung won’t do it.
Nylon: Probably because [you have] high standards.
YKS: Mm, I do think my standards have been raised these days. To be honest, I’ve gone on about four blind dates recently.
Nylon: Recently? [Your] manager said that you don’t even have time for interviews because of the shooting schedule for the movie Executor (집행자) and the drama Triple….
YKS: You must put in the effort if you want to date even if you’re busy. But it hasn’t been working out well.
Nylon: You know the reason why it hasn’t been working out well, right?
YKS: I get the feeling that I’ve changed. Now that I’ve aged a little, I’m starting to see flaws. Before, I would think, ‘I like that about that person’ and my emotions would run high; but now I think, ‘Everything’s good except for that’. I think I’ve become unfortunate. I guess I’ll [eventually] find someone.
Nylon: Some say that all celebrities say they don’t have girlfriends when it’s time to do an interview, but then a few days later [we]see that a scandal broke out and they say they’re getting married.
YKS: I wish a scandal would start. So I can just date them. Haha.
Nylon: It seems like you don’t fear scandals as much as you did a while ago? You tried to hide it while in the idol group (g.o.d).
YKS: Even back then I wasn’t afraid but the [management] company blocks it. It’s stranger if I don’t have a girlfriend at my age. I should tell the truth if I have a girlfriend.
Nylon: So will you publicize it if you get a girlfriend?
YKS: I’m not purposely going to publicize it. I don’t want to say things like, ‘My girlfriend is ___; I love her.’ It seems pretentious.

Yoon Kye Sang in Nylon (7/09)

Nylon: You said that you don’t like being a news item. Although you say that, isn’t it true that anybody who’s a celebrity secretly enjoy being a hot topic?
YKS: Not really for me. Being a news item isn’t all positive, I think. Although you may become a hot topic because you’re loved [by the public], I think it would be a minus to my life in the end. Receiving attention is an uncomfortable matter. No matter what you’ve become.
Nylon: Have you not stuck your nose into TV programs or brand events because you don’t want to receive attention?
YKS: Yes. If there was anything that might defect my acting, I didn’t do it. Because I thought I might appear easy. I thought I would be seen as a singer if I went to those things. Even now, when I watch variety programs, I think that it would be fun. But [I'm afraid] it’ll be a scar to the work that I love doing.
Nylon: You received positive reviews right from your debut in Flying Boys so I would think that there weren’t many hardships, no? Why do you try so hard to emphasize your sincerity?
YKS: The public gaze was discomforting. There were misunderstandings about me created due to the prejudice. And I didn’t really act well either. Haha. All I wanted was [for people] to recognize my effort but people tried to judge me as a supplementary entertainer. At the production conference for My 19-year-old Sister-in-law, there were a lot of people who said, ‘You transferred quickly without delay [to acting] because the music industry is in recession’. Back then I quarrelled in interviews. I responded offensively, ‘That’s not right’. I regret it now. I tell myself, ‘Loser, you were too thoughtless. If you were more broad-minded and deep-hearted, people would have acknowledged you more.
Nylon: Do you think you’ve proved yourself now?
YKS: No. I haven’t been able to prove it yet. My heart is still the same now. I’m doing it because I enjoy it so much. But even while [acting] because I love it, there are times when it’s difficult.

Nylon: Like when?
YKS: When I acted just as I believed (hoped to) but it doesn’t come out like that in the production. There are people who invested in that production and people who worked hard on it so I’m unable to be honest. I have to say they did well when they didn’t. It’s really hard then. And embarrassing.
Nylon: Which production didn’t you like?
YKS: Beastie Boys [...]
Nylon: Why not, what was wrong with that? It was okay.
YKS: Six Years in Love was like that too and….
Nylon: Wait a moment. Or else it seems like all of your productions might come out. Do you mean that your own acting wasn’t particularly good?
YKS: Yes. I was sad that there was a lot deleted while editing. Truthfully, I rested for 10 months because of Beastie Boys. I considered not acting [anymore].


Nylon: Just because [some scenes] get edited out doesn’t mean that you can’t act. That’s the director’s personal authority so you can’t do anything about it. 

YKS: That’s true [...but] I had a hard time because I didn’t understand why it had to be cut like that.
Nylon: Why didn’t you just ask?
YKS: I was disappointed even though the director was very good. Although I enjoy acting so much, I couldn’t do it because I was so stressed. It was hard. I wondered whether I could be happy as an actor again. [The stress] progressively went away after spending 10 months not watching dramas or [movie] productions. That’s why I can do this interview too.

 

Source  nylonmedia     via kpculture    picture : as label

Kim Ha-neul says "first time receiving such a moving script"

  
    Reporter : Wee Geun-woo.
    Editor : Lee Ji-Hye.
    Editor : Lucia Hong.
    Via : 10.asiae

'The promise of friendship and love that is fulfilled 60 years later' is the main copy for upcoming MBC series "Road No. 1" which is set to air on June 23. The drama shows the the turbulent times of the Korean War, but its story revolves around the three main characters Jang-woo (played by So Ji-sub), Soo-yeon (played by Kim Ha-neul) and Tae-ho (played by Yoon Kye-sang) who experience love and friendship during the chaos of the war. The audience is probably expecting more from the three actors since the star-studded cast is already bringing enough attention to the drama. Will the stars be able to pull off the roles of ordinary characters Jang-woo, So-yeon and Tae-ho who are faced with the war? Below are the excerpts from the press conference attended by actors So Ji-sub, Kim Ha-neul and Yoon Kye-sang.

10: The faces of the male actors have gotten very tanned -- it shows that you were faced with many hardships. Both of you look rugged as well.
So Ji-sub (So): I have gotten very tanned and also have heavy makeup on. I lost three kilograms and some of my muscles too because unlike in other productions, I can't have the image of being in shape.
Yoon Kye-sang (Yoon): I play the role of an elite military officer, who among his troops, gets hit by the most grenades because he has to fail in order for Jang-woo to rise in the ranks. There are many scenes where I fall and I think a lot of them will turn out well from seeing how rough my hands have gotten.

10: It must have been dangerous.
Yoon: There were many dangerous scenes but I worked hard while in shoot because the director said it looked 'cool.' (laugh) I wasn't worried even a bit despite the scenes being difficult because I knew the director did a great job shooting each scene.

10: You may not have had as hard of a time as the two male actors in the physical sense but I bet as an actress, it isn't easy to let go of the visual aspect of how you're seen to the audience.
Kim Ha-neul (Kim): I have never felt burdened by that at all. I think the biggest concern as an actor is how to do well in expressing a character that I really like. What was most important was how I understood my character Soo-yeon and act it out. That doesn't mean that I don't think about how I look but the producer said that the drama would fail the harder I try to look pretty. (laugh)

10: What were your reasons in choosing this particularly difficult production?
Yoon: I read the whole script from part one to part 20 without stopping for ten hours straight when I first received it. I felt that if they made the drama exactly like the script, it would become a memorable production for the audience and it was really fun as well. I couldn't help taking it on because I liked the drama itself so much more than my character.
Kim: This was the first time I have received a script that is fun and moving even though I have shot over 20 movies and dramas in total. I don't think it's important that the role of my character Soo-yeon is small compared to my roles in the past. I took on the challenge of playing the role of Soo-yeon because I felt that she was someone with big presence. I had my doubts, wondering whether I would be able to pull off a character that felt like my mother and my home, as opposed to in the past when I felt I could play whatever role I decide to take on. That's why I had a hard time.
So: I think luck was on my side since I was able to star in this drama. People say I choose productions that are difficult but it's not fun to play the handsome guy wearing a suit. I like roles that allow me to get physical. Maybe I'll pick a difficult production for my next role again.

10: Since you have finished shooting over 80 percent of the drama, are there any memorable scenes or episodes that come to mind?
So: I remember every scene, not just one. I recommend the viewers to watch it from the beginning to end because it's hard to say exactly when to start watching.
Kim: I agree with So. The scenes containing my character are very strong, even if I may not have as big as a role compared to my past characters. Some scenes are usually edited out after they're shot but most of my scenes won't be cut. Not only are they scenes which have impact but they're also necessary for the flow of the story.
Yoon: Honestly, I can't remember a thing. When we shoot the war scenes, I just think about how to get about, as if I was in an actual war situation, thinking about how I should avoid the enemy and on focusing on Jang-woo when I see him.

10: Kim Ha-neul, what are the strong scenes that you just mentioned?
Kim: I have never shot a melodrama as if it's an action scene. I would end up with bruises on my body after the scenes because that's how full of energy I was when shooting it.
So: We really did shoot the romantic scenes as if in war. I think you may get to see something you have never seen before. I myself was surprised while shooting them.
Kim: I wonder if the show will meet the censorship criteria. (laugh)

10: It must've not been easing being an actress who usually does not shoot revealing scenes. What made you do it?
Kim: First of all, I trusted the director and like I already said, the situation wasn't forced at all and it was a much needed scene for the drama. I don't think it's right to bare your skin if it makes me think 'Why do I have to?' but it's understandable in our drama.
So: When you watch the drama, it'll seem more beautiful than risque.

10: You would have to become close with your co-stars in order to play the role of someone who falls in love with both actors -- So with whom you modeled for fashion brand Storm and with Yoon you had filmed the movie "Lovers of Six Years."
Kim: Yoon and I already been for quite a while since we had shot the movie together. We would joke around and make fun of each other on set. Sometimes he would provoke me. (laugh) I think that is why it felt comfortable while we were shooting. But this was the first I had seen So since 1997. We didn't really talk that much at the time because we were both introverted and it wasn't that long after we made our debuts.
So: I think we had only met about a total two to three times.
Kim: We had to have good chemistry quickly because in the drama, we are two people who are deeply in love with each other. Sp we worked really hard at it and were able to complete the shoots successfully.

10: Did you try to meet outside the set to become closer? For example, go to drink?
So: We never went drinking together. We had such a tight schedule, where we would come on set on Monday and go home on Saturday.
Kim: We became closer after shooting the love scenes.
So: I think we'll make many headlines today. (laugh)

[INTERVIEW] Actor Yoon Kye-sang - Part 3

    Reporter : Kim Hee Ju.
    Photographer : Chae ki-won.
    Editor : Lee Ji-Hye.
    Editor : Jessica Kim.
    Via : 10.asiae.co

There was a limit to how far you can go with your acting in "The Greatest love" but on the outside, you did gain something you haven't experienced before, such as high viewership ratings or popularity.
Yoon: From the very beginning I felt that there wouldn't be much to show in terms of the acting. That's why when we held the press conference for the show before it went on air, I said that I want my character to be someone who gets loved by the public and that I'd quit acting if it didn't happen. (laugh) Otherwise, I didn't think I'd be able to do the acting I was asked to. I mean, I had to play someone who covers up the girl's ears when she hears something she doesn't need to, would hold her wrist to check her pulse -- someone who is the sweet, every girl's ideal guy. But I think this drama taught me that what the public wants lies elsewhere. There is definitely something I've gained through "The Greatest Love."

Well you can't not do dramas from now on but the words 'skill' and 'Yoon Kye-sang' somehow don't go together.
Yoon: That's why I'm doing both. The things I was disappointed or was angry about in terms of my acting in dramas, I release in movies. With "Poongsan," I contained all my stories with In-ok in even the scene that I'm smoking a cigarette. There have also been times that I've acted unaware of which angle I was being shot from. That's my style of acting. But actors are the ones who get chosen so I do have to keep elevating the status of my brand power. With pure acting, there are plenty of actors who are better than me. And I felt it while filming "Road No. 1" because a lot of actors in it used to be in theater. They didn't know where the camera was and not skilled but they're acting was great to the point that I felt embarrassed of myself and out of place. And I chased them around all the time to improve my acting. As long as I keep my acting real, it'll improve so what I came to learn this time was that in order to improve the exterior conditions, I need to work on dramas that'll be popular.

You definitely need to appear in dramas that'll be popular to have more opportunities to show people how your acting has improved.
Yoon: If I was the Yoon Kye-sang from four months ago, "Poongsan" couldn't have become so talked about. Of course, it's also because it's by director Kim Ki-duk but people wouldn't have been as happy over it. So although I was a supporting actor in "The Greatest Love," I was lucky to see "Poongsan" get released at that time. That's why I'm thinking that I need to become at least a bit more powerful. I would've usually always worked on a movie after a drama but I'm considering a drama as well now. In that sense, "Poongsan" has definitely been a turning point for me. Regardless of how people will evaluate the movie, I've definitely shown something in regards to my acting and it's going to be difficult to find a project that's better than this soon so I think I should take on whatever I can that'll reveal my appeal better. Then when I can become more helpful, I could become helpful to directors like Byun Young-joo or Juhn Jai-hong. Then after that, whatever it is, even if it may be a really weird movie, I think something will come out of it.

You mentioned "Road No. 1" which didn't receive much attention because it got low ratings but lieutenant Shin Tae-ho was a character that stood somewhere in between the characters you played in "The Greatest Love" and "Poongsan." He was extremely masculine yet when he falls in love, changed to the point that he lost his mind but fundamentally was friendly and humane.
Yoon: He's Poongsan and Yoon Pil-joo put together. That's where the egg for Poongsan was born. I think I was able to play Poongsan because I had played Shin Tae-ho. I would've probably been quite worried about "Poongsan" if I hadn't found out how to put on my gazes through Shin.

It seems that the sense of inferiority you felt over your own acting has been expressed as sort of a yearning and in the end, that yearning is probably what has made you grow. The reason you're still acting while being so critical of yourself and fighting this hard fight is probably because you like acting so much but why is this so?
Yoon: I was really bad at my school studies. I was a kid who always loved to imagine. And I have a past that is something you'd see in a movie but it's pathetic, not amazing. And by chance, that kid got to receive a huge amount of love. But he always felt burdened by that love. I'm an honest guy so I need reasons to make myself understand what's going on. But I felt uncomfortable receiving so much love when I'm not even a great singer. If someone compliments me for what I'm worth, I'll accept it confidently but not when that's not the case.

So you have to know why for yourself.
Yoon: That's right. But that really wasn't the case when I was a member of G.O.D. Everyone else was always so good so it felt like I had just gotten very lucky to become part of them. And that's when I saw what acting was and I felt like I could do a good job with it. The only thing I could be good at. That's why I can't give up. And that too happened to me when I was 26, at a time when I'm all grown up and thinking about life so imagine how much I must've obsessed over it. It felt like I didn't have enough time and that time was very precious. So that's why I don't waver even if people speak ill of me, really. Because acting is something that is my own - it's not something will take away from me. And I gradually see more and more people acknowledging my acting so I will definitely not get crushed. I'm still under the same mindset. I treat my colleagues well on set too because I don't want to let my guard down even a bit when it comes to my acting. I don't want to give anyone room to misunderstand me.

Well it showed well in "The Greatest Love" but the entertainment industry is a place that is very easy to be misunderstood.
Yoon: : It's very easy to be misunderstood and slam down other people's reputations so if you want others to see you as who you are, you have to lead an honest life, even if it may not be easy to do. Of course I want to drink and go out. But I've lived my life in a way that I wouldn't be criticized in that aspect. And I think that's what's good about me. After that comes acting and that affects your acting. That's all there is to it. But in a way, I've also been thinking that I can live without this. I go to a cooking academy. My hobby is to cook so I want to become a chef. I've been in this industry so long that since I'm not a fool, I see when this life will come to an end. But I can only live by doing what I like so I'm preparing when I can. But as much as I'm an actor now, I don't want to be misunderstood. I will sing with joy and believe I have succeeded the moment that people think I'll have a reason for playing the roles I do, regardless of the character I play or project I take on. And I'll stay this way. I'll also stay honest. That's the only way I'll be able to show myself without being misunderstood.

Do you think you have good fortune in terms of having good people around you?
Yoon: So much. I think that's why I've become an actor and have been able to act till now.

Every actor or crew that has worked with you have said you're a "good person." It seems that being complimented by people you work with is as important to you as being complimented by the public for your acting.
Yoon: It's important. It's basically all there is to this job. I think I can go a step further and do another project only by them having good evaluation of me. I want people to see me as a good person before they see me as a good actor. People always want good people to do well right? So I think those thoughts will stimulate me to work harder and become a better actor.

[INTERVIEW] Actor Yoon Kye-sang - Part 2

    Reporter : Kim Hee Ju.
    Photographer : Chae ki-won.
    Editor : Lee Ji-Hye.
    Editor : Jessica Kim.
    Via  10.asiae.

Well you mentioned that you feel bad to your juniors for landing the main character for your debut role but I’m sure that couldn’t have been all good. A lot of idol stars pursue acting careers nowadays but at the time, I don’t think you would’ve had anybody to help you or give you advice so you must’ve had a hard time getting through the difficulties you were faced with on your own. But it was almost if you showed that you have overcome all that, particularly through the scene in which you jumped over the Military Demarcation Line with a pole. It left a strong impression on me.
Yoon: Wow, thank you. (laugh) In a way it was about me fighting against the prejudice that people had of me and it was a long and lonely fight. One that I couldn’t win no matter what I did and how I went about it. So things happened for me after I turned 32 and gained somewhat more experience, not because I suddenly improved to the extent that it could seem similar to doing a high jump on a pole. I actually think everybody has the ability to act. Just like everyone can lie. I think anyone can act, as long as they’re not conscious of the camera. So it goes down to how sincere you are in your approach and I think I have never gone wrong in that aspect. A lot of people helped me on the way and I’ve been lucky so I never missed that aspect of it. I honestly didn’t expect “Poongsan” to become so talked about so I’m sure it has to do with me having played Yoon Pil-joo in “The Greatest Love.” I do think I got lucky. I had filmed the drama about four months before I started working on the drama but I think it had great synergy effect. People may have thought I’m putting on acting that’s doable if there was only “Poongsan.” But they’re both surprised and in awe about it because they’ll think that Yoon Pil-joo is doing it. Because a once oriental medicine doctor who was always checking on one’s vitals has had his hair cut, has grown out a beard and is muscular. (laugh)

But you can’t predict when you’ll be lucky. Hence it’s not easy to fight against that prejudice until you get lucky.
Yoon: It is a very lonely fight but I’m extremely stubborn and hate losing. I may look soft but I’m not all that mild-mannered. I was able to bear through everything because I had already started and accepted that what I’m doing is mine. I’ve also said nonsense along the way but they’re mistakes I made because I didn’t know what I was doing, and I’ve apologized for them then moved on.

It’s not easy to but it seems like you apologize very easily.
Yoon: Because they’re mistakes I made because I didn’t know what I was doing. Saving my face isn’t what’ll let me keep my job. I wasn’t ashamed because that’s honestly how I felt. People can’t lie about things they’re not sure of keeping a lie forever. So I think it’s better to do what I want and be honest about it, no matter how hard of a time I may have because of it. The reason I work on low budget films like “Poongsan” too is just me doing what I like but I’m a bit too lucky this time so…

Are you scared?
Yoon: I am. Also about how I’m being perceived as an acting expert.

On the other hand, have you ever thought that you’re not lucky?
Yoon: No, no. I really think there are so many people in our country that act well. Of course, you can’t rank whose acting is better but there’s a sense of self satisfaction involved with it.

Like you said, "The Greatest Love" and "Poongsan" came about at a great time. You were met with good opportunities when your career as an actor had gotten longer than that as a singer. I guess you could call it sort of a junction.
Yoon Kye-sang: Well, I don't really think of it as a junction. I have the memory of being a singer and that's when I reached the top. The thing about the popularity of celebrities is that when you're getting attention, there's no other star in the world that you would want to become. But when you're not getting attention, you become someone that's even less important than ordinary people. That's why I know that the momentary love I'm getting right now won't last. And it's simply my personal greed and goal to not let go of that. I'm extremely happy over the fact that "Poongsan," which I had such a hard time filming, is getting shown to the world and getting attention due to "The Greatest Love" and my popularity from it. I still have a long way to go as an actor. Doing acting where I express myself without words? It may have turned out well because I'm lucky. I wouldn't be able to act properly again if I think it's only natural. An actor's life is over the moment he thinks, 'What do I do with my next acting role?' after receiving a lot of love for his previous acting because that pressure will become a burden. But I don't think like that so I'll do things the way I please. Even if I may be receiving the most interest right now, it's not like my acting has changed and I've always been under the same mindset -- it's just that it all looks different because of the popularity. The public may criticize me in the next project I take on but that'll be the way I take things because that's just simply who I am. Of course, I don't know if I'll be able to continue to act well but like I've done so far, I'm going to do my best. And if I still don't improve, then there's nothing I can do about that.

Because you're only human.
Yoon: Because I'm human I do get angry momentarily but it doesn't make me cower or anything. Not getting satisfaction out of my acting is rather what I have a hard time over. When I shout out, I still do with sincerity rather than skill so when I'm supposed to get angry, I stutter. I always lack when it comes to the details because I actually act with that emotion I'm supposed to feel. I know I shouldn't stutter because I need to deliver but I can't control such things because of my emotions. And it's because I'm not a great actor. But I don't think I could get anymore sincere and genuine with my acting. I'm already obsessing over it so much that I'll probably die if I do anymore. (laugh) Nonetheless, I'm going to try to stick to this mindset. Who knows, I may give up at one point but I'm going to do all I can. I've beared it up till now so I'm sure I'll be able to another five or six years.

It must be extremely difficult for you to come out of a character because you throw yourself into it so much.
Yoon: It was at a climax when I was working on "Beastie Boys." But this is the thing. I think I've come to acquire sort of this skill after working on about a dozen projects or so. The skill to come out of a character without missing on the sincerity. Dramas in particular are about how well you do with the bust shots so it's impossible to express everything like you do in movies and also unnecessary. The two are in different environments in terms of how they are watched and the level to which people focus on them. But I've come to have somewhat of an idea of at what timing I need to show my face to which extent. If I had focused fully on my acting from 1 to 100 in the past, nowadays, I think I know to use skills from 1 to 30. But you have to be real from 30 to 100.

[INTERVIEW] Actor Yoon Kye-sang - Part 1

 Reporter : Kim Hee Ju.
 Photographer : Chae ki-won.
 Editor : Lee Ji-Hye.
 Via : 10.asiae.co.kr

The Yoon Kye-sang that appeared in front of the public for the first time in 1998 was 20 years old, a heartthrob, and the vocalist of boy band G.O.D which enjoyed huge popularity for over half a decade. However, he left the quintet in 2004 and turned to acting.

The Yoon Kye-sang that 10Asia met with 12 years later was kind and smiled considerately, just like his character Yoon Pil-joo from recently ended MBC TV series "The Greatest Love." And although he does not say a single word in film "Poongsan," telling the story only through his eyes, facial expressions and bodily movements, this rather made the interviewer realize that Yoon has eyes in which one can see more of the lower area of his white of the eyes, meaning that he is stubborn, competitive and unyielding, according to phrenology. And that is at least what Yoon seemed to be like.

He was the type of guy that will throw a fast ball into the very center of a catcher's mitt, even if the batter may hit a home run with it, proven by how he was unhesitant and honest in answering every question and during his eight-year acting career, has believed that an actor must throw himself into his role completely ahead of becoming one that is skilled.

Hence, Yoon's life has not been all that smooth since becoming an actor but he recently reached a meaningful turning point with "The Greatest Love" and "Poongsan." Below is 10Asia's interview with this man who still, rather than getting excited or fully enjoying the acclamation, so stubbornly does not withdraw the harsh standard he has applied to himself.

"Poongsan" is a movie that'll probably get mixed reviews because it is evidently fun in some parts but strange in others. One thing for sure is that it is no ordinary movie so what sort of movie would you say it is?
Yoon Kye-sang: It does differentiate itself from other movies. I think it's funny in a different kind of way. With other movies you can predict where or how they're going to be funny but I think the appeal to this movie is that the scenes that don't seem that way, turn out to be funny. It's funny because lines that you'd usually leave out because they're so obvious, such as "Was it a kiss? Or was it CPR?" are actually spoken. And amidst all that, the actors are very serious yet do well in mixing it in, in a way that is not immature. It's also interesting in that it shatters prejudice over movies that deal with North and South Korea or heroes. It doesn't take a single side nor does it show only the cool and heroic sides to the main character.

Despite being in such humorous situations, you had to be serious from start to finish. You didn't have a single line to say but you had to focus an extreme amount for your acting.
Yoon: I felt that expressions and actions was everything to Poongsan so I calculated each and every one and constantly discussed on them with the director. I thought a lot into the details regarding his eyes, body and movements because he wasn't armed with any lines to say.

In what way in detail?
Yoon: The intensity of my gaze. I don't know if you'll be able to see what I mean if I explain it like this but (momentarily tenses up and then relaxes eyes) simply put, I calculated things like whether I'd give more of a glare or show my emotions a lot or let my eyes shake. This may sound easy but it's actually difficult to show. And if I weren't able to express these details, it would have been hard to convince viewers of Poongsan's actions in the latter half of the movie. It would've been impossible to do were it not for director Juhn Jai-hong who picked up on those details.

Yoon Kye-sang [Chae ki-won/10Asia]
What about the scenario to "Poongsan" were you drawn to?
Yoon: Actors always get excited over getting to make new attempts when it comes to acting. Of course we're also interested in what sort of environment a movie will be produced in but getting such scripts in itself gives us courage and energy. And I think "Poongsan" did that for me. It was time for me to change my acting and I was somewhat aware of the image people had of me so I felt that this film would help me take a step forward as an actor. I didn't care that I wasn’t going to get paid a guarantee fee for my contract. I believed that the movie would be a great asset to me and encourage me a lot.

I heard that you felt there was a moment that Poongsan should talk, at least one word, but didn’t because the director said not to since it would reveal his identity. What had you wanted him to say in which scene?
Yoon: I approached the movie with a very simple mindset -- that it would contain a lot of stories including the relationship between North and South Korea but that my responsibility laid in the love story between my character and In-ok (played by Kim Gyu-ri). However, I was worried about doing a good job of expressing his emotions. I felt that he should express his emotions through words at least once since they fall in love so suddenly and for the things he does for In-ok in the latter half of the movie to be convincing. I thought I’d be able to show it, even by just getting to call her name at least once but the director kept me from doing so, saying that we’re not filming a romantic movie. That’s why I went with his decision and I think he was right. I’m always doubting everything because my acting has yet to become complete. And in a way, being an actor makes me want to go further than I should. I want to pour fourth my emotions to the extent that if I have a crying scene, I want to cry so much that I’ll faint. It’s up to the director to control how far an actor goes with expressing him or herself which I think Juhn did well with.

I think that to start with, you have a high level of trust in directors. I mean, there are actors who start by believing only in themselves. And I think it’s because of your experience of working with director Byun Young-joo for your debut film “Flying Boys.” I heard she pulled out emotions from you by pushing you to the max.
Yoon: That’s right. I think that’s what education is about -- like how the first word you teach a baby will influence how that baby grows up. And that’s how I learned to act so I have absolute trust in directors. I actually do get greedy about directing while acting because I direct my own acting. And I’m gaining an eye for seeing films on the bigger picture. It’s more so because I started my acting career playing the main character, which I feel very bad about to my juniors in particular. You start wanting to take part in directing the film after you’ve played the main character a couple of times but I think the movie fails the moment you show that and try to take control of it. Because for example, for “Poongsan” I would’ve been looking at the movie from Poongsan’s perspective so I wouldn’t have been objective. And that wouldn’t have helped the movie in any way so I’m always trying to stop myself. Every film will be different in terms of what sort of project it is and what the director’s capabilities are but I’m the type that places absolute faith in the director.

It was very cold when you shot the movie so you shot the movie under extremely poor conditions. How would you say you performed for someone who was filming under such extreme conditions?
Yoon: I was the best. Really. (laugh) Because we pulled all nighters for all 25 rounds of filming so my mind kept coming and going. But the director pulled it off because he was capable of it and everyone, including the cast and crew, all did their best. Theatrical plays may be an art for the actor but a movie is an art for the director because there is a skill called editing that’s involved with filmmaking. I wouldn’t say I was the one who pulled things off because the director is the person who made the movie based on everything he looked at in detail.

Actors Kim, Yoon Gossip About Love

By Lee Hyo-won  via koreatimes
Staff Reporters

Actors Yoon Kye-sang, left, and Kim Ha-neul speak about the rules of dating during a press event for their upcoming movie ``Lovers of 6 Years'' at a Hongdae club in northern Seoul last week. / Yonhap

What happens when you've been dating for six years? Kim Ha-neul and Yoon Kye-sang show that the initial sparks are long gone but a deep sense of familiarity settles in, through the upcoming film ``Lovers of 6 Years,'' slated for release Feb. 5.

During a press conference last week at a Hongdae club in northern Seoul, director Kim Hyun-gene explained, ``I wondered how it would be for couples that date for a while, say six years. After six years, you grow so comfortable with each other that some break up and some overcome this and get married. I think six years becomes a bit of a turning point.''

``I was able to relate very much to my character, who is my age and generation,'' said the lead actress. ``I think that when men date someone for a long time they tend to unintentionally hurt their girlfriends with their insensitivity,'' she said. ``A simple `I'm sorry' can easily make up for it, but they don't seem to know.''

Kim, the queen of romantic comedies like ``Almost Love'' (2006) and ``Too Beautiful to Lie'' (2004), makes a long-awaited comeback on the big screen. Her co-star, Yoon, a former member of the boy band G.O.D., has also been making a name for himself as an actor ever since debuting in the film ``Flying Boys'' (2004).

The two actors, both 29 years old, spoke about the various rules of romance ― both on and off screen.

Regarding first impressions of each other, Kim said that it took a while to break the ice. ``(Yoon) seemed really shy at first. I was really concerned about playing the role of a person in a six-year relationship… But he was very considerate the whole time we worked together. He's a good friend, and I am very thankful,'' she said.

Yoon said, ``It was very awkward at first and I had heard that (Kim) was sort of snobby. I was worried, because to make this film work it helps to be close with your co-star. But as we worked together I saw that she was very passionate about her work and took each scene very seriously. I learned a lot from her as an actor.''

In the film, the two grow a little too comfortable. Kim's character doesn't hesitate to ask her boyfriend to do her favors like shopping for tampons.

``I'm the youngest in the family, so I actually ran such errands for my mother and older sister when I was young,'' said Yoon. ``They probably asked me to do it because they thought I was a clueless little kid, but it was mortifying for me to go make trips to the pharmacy. The tampon-shopping scene shows how family-like the two are.''

As much as the movie is about love, there was much interest in the sex scenes. ``There was no bedroom scene but there was one on a sofa as well as a one in a car,'' said the actors, drawing laughter and provoking much curiosity.

Yoon added, ``We joke how we shot the film for 18 and over (rated R) but edited it for 15 and over (PG). Even though Ha-neul and I discussed (the intimate scenes) a lot I got really nervous when we actually started shooting.''

As for their personal dating styles, Yoon surprised the crowd a bit. Contrary to his playful image, he said he always starts a relationship with marriage in mind.

In terms of ending relationships, Kim was asked whether she tends to dump or be dumped by her boyfriends. The actress said it usually ended mutually by bidding each other farewell in a cool manner.

Meanwhile, the movie had recently made headlines concerning a screenwriter identified as Choi, who filed a lawsuit against the production company Picasso Film. He claimed that the company did not pay him in full and went on with using his work without acknowledging him.

The makers announced during the press conference that there were no legal breaches on their behalf and the film's release will not be affected in any way.

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.k

Yoon Kye-sang: “Wishing love for everyone…crushes are heartbreaking!”

By sassychef  via dramabeans

The “Perfect Man” is back! For an interview, that is… The dynamic actor, who portrays the sweet and perfect Yoon Pil-Joo (Best Love) and the mysterious Poongsan (Poongsan, formerly Phungsan Dog) who crosses the dangerous border between the North and South Korea as a courier for hire, is the one and only Yoon Kye-Sang (Who Are You?, The Moonlight of Seoul, Best Love), who seems pretty darn close to perfect to me.

In an interview conducted by Money Today Star News back on June 14th, just as Best Love was heading to its finish, the star revealed answers to the many questions his fans wanted to know.

On one side we have an oriental medicine doctor who suffers from an unrequited love for Gu Ae-jung (Gong Hyo-Jin), a celeb who’s seen better days of her fame on the ever popular twice-weekly MBC drama, Best Love. On the flip side, there’s the dark and gritty film about a man that barely ever utters a word as he crosses North and South Korea’s dangerous borders as a courier. If Yoon Pil-joo is the perfect man within a fantasy, then Poongsan is the rough masculine manly man…you can say that Yoon Kye-sang is the perfect blend of both. So let’s dig a little deeper to see what Team Pil-joo’s Yoon Kye-sang is made of!

Poongsan has recently opened…It must have brought back a lot of memories of the tough filming conditions for you.
I very much enjoyed watching it on screen. Even though I was in the movie, once I saw the film as a whole, it made me realize yet again just how special this film is…also that the director is a genius. The movie staff was so passionate about the movie that it made me work even harder. Everyone including the staff and the actors gave their all for this film.

  There seems to be a lot of anticipation and expectation for this movie.

    I really hope it does well. My wish for the success of this film seems to be greater than usual. The staff worked so hard. But as the fate would have it, the robots of Transformers seem to have taken over at the box office… Darn those robots… (chuckle)

    We can all see how hard the filming must have been. We can even see the steam rising off the bodies in the film!

    Whew…it really was tough. I’m glad that the harshness shows through. I can’t even describe how cold it really was!

    Emotionally speaking, it couldn’t have been easy. Especially without speaking any words.

    I remember how difficult it was at times. The driving scene with In-ok was especially hard. Everyone is talking around me, and my character just watches the dialogue around him without uttering a word. I was to convey all my thoughts just through my expressions… Luckily the actors I was working with were so good that we were able to get through the scene. Thank goodness.

    Poongsan and Best Love couldn’t be more different from one another.

    I was determined to do Poongsan… While shooting Road No. 1, I was able to play a masculine character. Many viewers didn’t seem to know I could play such roles. This made me want to do another project where I can show everyone I can play those type of characters too when Poongsan came along. I knew Best Love would be more mainstream. I thought to myself that it may not be the best to typecast myself as the artist that only got involved in the artistic indie films. In my opinion, it is so much better to broaden your scope of work and also to work on some projects that can garner you much love of your respected fans.

    It looks like you did achieve that from Best Love.

    I was lucky that the show worked out so well for me..It makes me very happy.

    If you had to pick, would you say you’re more similar to Yoon Pil-joo or Poongsan?

    I would probably be more like Poongsan than the other…but that’s not to say that I’m not like Pil-joo. There’s definitely some of him in me. At first, it was a little difficult to play Pil-joo because he seemed so dull in comparison to Dokko Jin. So I started to let more of Yoon Kye-sang come through the character, and it seemed to work…and I got to become more familiar and comfortable playing the character.

    There seems to be a rivalry between Team Dokko and Team Pil-joo.

    I seem to be surrounded by Team Pil-joo. My sister and the married women seem to like Pil-joo better, so I’m getting the support…(chuckle)

    What do you wish for the ending of Best Love?

    I hope everyone finds their own love. I really dislike sad endings in dramas. For example…the ending in What happens in Bali brought me many sleepless nights. So that can’t happen. We need to give hope to the viewers out there with a great ending. Also, one-sided love is just too hard. Especially having three projects in a row having to portray that…it’s not even fun anymore… (chuckle).

    As Yoon Kye-Sang, who would you have picked between Kang Seri and Gu Ae-jung?

    Hmm… Gu Ae-jung’s draw is that she is brimming with common sense — in reality as well as in character. She has a lot of life experience and because she’s been hurt in the past herself, she knows how to care for others. Kang Seri on the other hand is so adorable. Even though she does some unsavory things, her adorableness pulls her through. I’m in a tough spot so I can’t pick. I don’t want to die from choosing one over the other… (laugh).

    Director Kim Ki-dok sang your praises in a letter.

    I can only bow my head in gratitude. He gave me so much support. Even when we wrapped the film, he said those kind words to me and I was so touched. I’ve admired his work such as Bad Guy since I was in high school, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to have worked with him.

    There seems to be a lot of focus on you as an actor these days.

    I don’t really know about any of that. I’ve only been working on projects that I thought were great and enjoyed working on. The only thing I know to do now is to keep looking for great projects to work on and to show everyone good work that they can enjoy. To be honest, since My 19-Year-Old Sister-In-Law, Best Love is the first well-received drama I’ve been a part of. I want to show the audiences more and more of my work that they will hopefully love. I’ve always said the same thing in all the interviews I’ve done. That is to become an actor. I feel like I’m beating the dead horse with that statement. But it is the truth. I even got made fun of by a director for repeating those words so many times. I want to be able to look back 10 to 20 years from now and be proud of the work I’ve done as an actor.

Don’t worry, Yoon Kye-sang, I have a feeling you will have plenty of fans now to cheer you on any future projects–and who knows? With all your Team Pil-joo members cheering you on, you’ll get the girl this time!