Q: You must be quite determined since this is the first drama you're taking on since being discharged from the military.
Chun Jung-myung (Chun): While I was in the military, I had mentioned to Zo In-sungthat I would like to take on a certain type of drama and it was similar in certain ways with "Cinderella." So I was happy when I got the part. I do feel pressured because reports have been saying I'm making a comeback for the first time in four years. I'm just focusing on my acting for now.
Q: What was it about "Cinderella" that worked for you?
Chun: I personally had wanted to do a film but had told Zo that it may be better to do a drama first since the reaction comes faster. After I made up my mind to take on a drama, I thought hard over which I should do. I didn't think I would be ready to take on genres outside youth romance so "Cinderella" worked for me in that aspect too. And more than anything, I liked the producer and scenarist. My close actor friends, such as Ko Hyun-jung and Zo In-sung, had been in dramas by Kim Kyu-wan. They said I'd have a hard time because my lines would be long but they told me it would be great and it would be an honor for me. Gi-hoon wasn't supposed to play such a big part in the drama. That's why I thought a newcomer would play the female role opposite me. But the script got changed the more I talked with the scenarist and my role got better.
Q: What was your first impression of each other Moon Geun-young and Seo Woo, since you two would constantly face each other in the drama?
Moon Geung-young (Moon): I did have a lot of interest in her because I had seen the roles she had played. I wanted to meet her as a fan because I had thought, "How could there be an actress like her?" but honestly, I was scared to act with her. There is a fear I feel when I meet an actress who I think may be better than me because I want to be good too. But I realized I had been having silly thoughts after meeting her on set and talking with her a lot. I'm going to have to act in harmony with her anyway. I'm shy so I liked Seo Woo who has a lively and warm personality. I think we're working well together since there aren't many actors our age.
Seo Woo: Moon is the so-called 'national younger sister' and looks young too but I felt a bit bad because I was playing the younger role in the drama. It's easy for the older person to act the role of the younger person even if you first meet but I thought it would be difficult to do it the other way around so I asked her to treat me as if I was younger. I didn't worry though because Moon has been acting for a long time now. There is a vibe about her which makes her worthy of playing the main character.
Q: You get to wear school uniforms in the drama.
Moon: I portray my character from when she is in tenth grade to eight years later. I didn't feel anything wearing a school uniform in the past because I was used to it but I was excited to get to wear it this time. It's been a while since I've graduated so I thought to myself that I have grown older.
Seo Woo: I've worn a school uniform for almost all the roles I've played so far. I'm doing my very best this time though, thinking that it'll be the last time I wear it because I think even the viewers might cringe at the sight of me still wearing a school uniform. I would feel bad wearing one again next year so I think I'll only do it till this year.
Q: Did you not feel any burden, before shooting the drama, because you were taking on an evil role this time.
Moon: I think I was most burdened by what viewers would think of me. I took on the role thinking that it would be fun and I wasn't expecting anything in particular but to others, this could be considered a change. And some were starting to say it's an extreme change so that's when I started to feel the pressure. I still feel it and I'm worried.
Q: But although you say that, there are a lot of actors who consider playing such roles as fun.
Moon: I'm not sure if it's fun because I have to be evil but it's fun because it's new. I don't use the normal form of communication -- I can be prickly with my dialogue and reactions while blowing punches so there's a fun I get out of expressing my character.
Q: Seo Woo, in your case, are there any difficulties with having to play the nice character?
Seo Woo: My character Hyo-sun is Cinderella but she's not the Cinderella who gets hated because she's overly nice. She can be quite straightforward and I'm trying to portray her in a way that the viewers will able to empathize with how even someone who is as nice as her could feel the emotions she does. I'm trying to make her into a more humane Cinderella. But at the same time, not stray too far from the original story which has been loved by so many people.
Moon, you're probably the most experienced when it comes to acting. Do you think you're playing a role as having that experience?
Moon: Age isn't really a factor once you start acting. You can't judge whether someone is good or bad from their years of experience. I actually don't know how I've helped because you could learn from a newcomer or a senior actor. Everyone has things that I don't have so I'm learning and realizing a lot. I do think I act like I'm more experienced around Taecyeon though. It's actually probably the first time I'm not the youngest on set so I sometimes feel like giving the treatment to Taecyeon. I ask him why he's late sometimes.
Seo Woo: She does that to me and Chun too. (laugh)
Q: Does your character Eun-jo change over time?
Moon: It would be hard to define her as a villian from start to finish but she's not a warm-hearted person either. She was cynical when she was young but becomes a bit more rational as she matures and makes new realizations. She's not the typical villain though. It's actually quite hard to define which characters are good or bad in the drama overall, so I think that will be the appeal about "Sister of Cinderella."
Q: Chun Jung-myung, have you gotten used to the atmosphere on set?
Chun Jung-myung (Chun): I think I got the hang of things quite faster than I usually do because up until part of the fourth episode, we've been shooting on rotation so being able to meet up with everyone and act with them has helped. I also tend to prepare a lot in advance, read my script a lot and I had constantly kept in touch and met up with the other actors so that has also helped me to understand my character more quickly. I've become better at anticipating what will be in the next script I get. I used to get the hang of things into the second half of a drama in the past so I'm glad it's happened faster this time.
Q: A lot of the roles you used to play were ones which appeal to the female audience. Were you under a bit of pressure because a new type of guys have become more appealing while you were away?
Chun: I had actually gained some weight by the time I was discharged from the military but I worked out crazily after hearing I would be shooting a drama with Taecyeon. I lost eight kilograms and am still trying to lose more but I'm nowhere close to Taecyeon. I'm just trying the best I can.
Q: Taecyeon, this is your first time acting. How did you decide to take it up?
Taecyeon: I tend to think that I need to see the end of whatever I go for. That's why when I first started as a member as 2PM, I concentrated on that, and when I did a duet with Baek Ji-young, I took on the challenge of going on stage without the rest of my group. In that way, I think I'm greedy when it comes to taking on new challenges. It was the same with acting.
Q: So how has it been?
Taecyeon: There are a lot of problems. (laugh) I know I still have a long way to go. But both the producer and other actors are helping me a lot so I'm trying very hard.
Q: What do the members of your group 2PM say to you about your decision to try acting?
Taecyeon: They too want to challenge themselves in a variety of fields so they are extremely envious of me. There are instances where singers who try to act end up becoming a topic of debate because of their acting skills but if you're good, it'll help the album so they've been rooting for me. They've been calling me by my character's name Jung-woo because I asked them to.
Q: What are the things you've been working on since starting to act?
Taecyeon: I hadn't been able to practice my acting too much after making my singing debut. I became faced with basic problems such as vocalization and pronounciation, but what was most difficult was acting out facial expressions. Everyone gives me advice on this. And I'm still lacking at this in many ways so I've been hearing different things. I had seen Moon Geun-young on TV since I was in elementary school so it's interesting to actually get to watch her but I also feel quite nervous around her because she's my senior when it comes to acting. I'm trying to become closer with her and she's been teaching me a lot so I'm becoming more disciplined.
Q: What do you think about Taecyeon's acting?
Chun: Since he's dipped his feet into acting, I'm hoping he will succeed as an actor. It could be hard to be good at both singing and acting so I'm wondering how he thinks of concentrating on acting. He keeps saying he's not good enough but he actually is good and he also tries hard.
Q: Most of you are of similar age. Does anything fun happen on set?
Moon: The set itself is fun. Seo Woo keeps saying her character has a charm which will probably help her gain anti-fans but it is definitely not true.
Seo Woo: Let's talk after we look at the message boards after the show starts airing. (laugh)
Moon: The atmosphere on set always lights up when Seo Woo appears and I don't know if he was in the army but Chun also seems to have a lot of fun and he plays a lot of jokes too.
Seo Woo: He plays a lot of jokes. The worst you could imagine.
Moon: But Seo Woo isn't any better either. I'm not too good at joining in with the jokes so I'm usually the spectator. I bully Taecyeon instead.
Q: Chun, are you happy to be on set for the first time in a while?
Chun: It's actually extremely difficult for me to get to set. It's like working out -- hard to get to but great once you're there. I was happy to see the people who I had only been seeing on TV. It's fun that everyone is unique and they have all treated me well.
Q: You referred to them as people you had only seen on TV. I'm curious to know who's photograph you had on the inside of your locker while you were in the military.
Chun: It was figure skater Kim Yuna. It was a full-shot of her posted in the military paper. It was Japanese actress Yu Aoi at first, then Brad Pitt and also Uee [of girl group After School]. The last photo I had was of skater Kim Yuna.
Q: With dramas, there is the anxious phase you have to go through while waiting for the show's ratings. Does this pressure you in any way?
Moon: A lot of other things do but I'm not too sure about ratings.
Seo Woo: I don't really pay too much attention to number of admissions or ratings because I haven't been in any of the more commercial films or dramas. But I'm guessing we'll do okay since Moon is popular, right?
Q: What is the message you want to deliver through "Sister of Cinderella"?
Chun: More than anything, the picture for our drama is great.
Taecyeon: There's a dual vibe to the drama so I don't think it will be blindly femine. I hope you will get to think that this is a drama where you can see a new side to the fairy tale of Cinderella.
Reporter : Yoonina, TV Critic
Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>
Credits:Asiae.co.kr
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