Yoo very frankly discusses Moon JaeShin, Twitter, and himself
All I can say is, he is such the Libra! I should know, I am, too. One characteristic we all share, we tend to all be way too far up our own heads. On me, it’s an unattractive neurosis, on him, it is rather charming. ^^ I always thought he had a cerebral actor-ness about him! I love that he has gained some well-deserved popularity and we fans can enjoy some media attention on him (translation: interviews!). Message to Yoo: Personally, I am glad you curse, drink, pass out, and have a life, or at least are willing to admit you do. Maybe not all of your fans would agree, but I say you party on with your bad self. Youth should not be wasted! And you are human. I like to curse, drink and pass out, why shouldn’t celebrities get to do it too? Anyway, here are some highlights from the interview he did with 10asia:
On Sungkyunkwan Scandal:
10: You wrapped up filming of "SungKyunKwan Scandal" on the day it ended its run. How have you spent the past few days? I think you must've been busy doing everything you hadn't been able to recently.
Yoo A-in: I've been drinking the whole time since I don't have to work at night. (laugh) But no matter till how late I drink, I've been waking up early because it's become a habit from filming "SungKyunKwan Scandal." It makes me angry. (laugh) I actually get drunk pretty easily, maybe off half a bottle of soju [Korean vodka]? And I stay that way until I pass out. But I can't pull all-nighters anymore. I go home at around two or three in the morning. Why am I talking about drinking?
Yoo A-in: I've been drinking the whole time since I don't have to work at night. (laugh) But no matter till how late I drink, I've been waking up early because it's become a habit from filming "SungKyunKwan Scandal." It makes me angry. (laugh) I actually get drunk pretty easily, maybe off half a bottle of soju [Korean vodka]? And I stay that way until I pass out. But I can't pull all-nighters anymore. I go home at around two or three in the morning. Why am I talking about drinking?
10: Let's talk about your drama. (laugh) You mentioned before that you took on "SungKyunKwan Scandal" with the determination that you would play the role of Moon Jae-shin. What was it about that character that was so appealing to you? Yoo: I think I was drawn to who he is within the drama. He would be away from the other students at the royal academy of SungKyunKwan, climb a gingko tree and sit there alone, as well as wear his clothes and hair differently but it's not because he wanted to stand out. At the same time, it was refreshing that he was only an outsider at SungKyunKwan, not from the entire world. I become curious about why he lived in that space like that when he had taken an exam to enter it and I felt he was similar to me.
10: SungKyunKwan is sort of a space you could call a school. Yoo: But it wasn't a school that the entire population went to or similar to the schools we went to. It was where people took extremely elite courses during the Joseon Dynasty. From what I know, there were less than 500 students at the academy and you got into politics as soon as you graduate from there so it was probably like law school. Being an outsider there is different from the kid who stares out the window at an ordinary school since it's usually not easy for kids taking such elite courses to act like that. (laugh) They're too smart and want to become mainstream, as well as being sly enough to know how to act in the right way at the right time. So I was very curious of what Jae-shin was thinking, how he could be so different alone.
10: Then what did you feel or discover while acting his role? Yoo: Towards the end I came to feel that he's a very tender-hearted person, that he's a real kid. (laugh) That's why it was difficult to control my acting in showing how he has trouble expressing his emotions versus him also being straightforward and blunt. I also think I may have gone too deep in terms of emotional expression when portraying how he feels towards Yoon-hee (Park Min-young). In dramas, female characters are usually slow when it comes to love but I too had played so little roles in which my character loves someone. (laugh) I thought a lot about how to shoot the scene where in the 19th episode, I drop off Yoon-hee in front of the prison Seon-joon (Park Yu-chun) is at and tell her to go see him by herself. I talked to the director a lot about this, on whether it's something that Jae-shin would actually do or if it just couldn't be helped because according to the plot of the story, he has to pull back.
10: I actually was curious on what it was that Jae-shin felt for Yoon-hee. Yoo: Yoon-hee was a character Jae-shin had been interested in from the first moment they met, even before he developed romantic feelings for her. He used to be a guy who has his back turned against the world, regards all students at SungKyunKwan in the same way, and is prejudiced about them just like they are about him. But I think he changes after meeting Yoon-hee who has a lot of spunk, is funny and interesting. And in that process, he develops feelings for her, then finds out she's actually a girl, so I think he came to want to protect and care for the lovely eyes and heart she has. And in both the drama and original comic, Yoon-hee is meant to end up with Seon-joon so according to that outcome, I tried to show that he also wants to protect her in a brotherly way.
10: It wasn't only the romance but also the process of how the characters grow that served as the framework to "SungKyunKwan Scandal." The moment that left a strong impression about Jae-shin in particular was when in tears, he says to his dad, whom he resented since the death of his older brother, "I acted up that I was hurting more than you. I was wrong. And I was sure that I loved brother more than you did. I was wrong about that as well." Yoo: What I felt was so child-like about Jae-shin was how poor he was at expressing himself and how he didn't know what to do about how he felt. He was so much of an idealist that he was trapped inside his own thoughts and felt, 'Nobody hurts more than I do. Nobody is having a tougher time than I am. My pain is the worst.' Because surprisingly, people with such pain or sadness feel that they're more superior. There was a time that I felt like that as well. Of course, I don't think Jae-shin has matured that much. But he's someone who has a hard time taking even a single step forward while others are taking ten, so even that single step is extremely significant. I think it's significant in that he tore down the walls around him, came to realize that his pain wasn't all that existed in this world, that he was able to talk about it in tears, and smile afterwards.
10: I actually was curious on what it was that Jae-shin felt for Yoon-hee. Yoo: Yoon-hee was a character Jae-shin had been interested in from the first moment they met, even before he developed romantic feelings for her. He used to be a guy who has his back turned against the world, regards all students at SungKyunKwan in the same way, and is prejudiced about them just like they are about him. But I think he changes after meeting Yoon-hee who has a lot of spunk, is funny and interesting. And in that process, he develops feelings for her, then finds out she's actually a girl, so I think he came to want to protect and care for the lovely eyes and heart she has. And in both the drama and original comic, Yoon-hee is meant to end up with Seon-joon so according to that outcome, I tried to show that he also wants to protect her in a brotherly way.
10: It wasn't only the romance but also the process of how the characters grow that served as the framework to "SungKyunKwan Scandal." The moment that left a strong impression about Jae-shin in particular was when in tears, he says to his dad, whom he resented since the death of his older brother, "I acted up that I was hurting more than you. I was wrong. And I was sure that I loved brother more than you did. I was wrong about that as well." Yoo: What I felt was so child-like about Jae-shin was how poor he was at expressing himself and how he didn't know what to do about how he felt. He was so much of an idealist that he was trapped inside his own thoughts and felt, 'Nobody hurts more than I do. Nobody is having a tougher time than I am. My pain is the worst.' Because surprisingly, people with such pain or sadness feel that they're more superior. There was a time that I felt like that as well. Of course, I don't think Jae-shin has matured that much. But he's someone who has a hard time taking even a single step forward while others are taking ten, so even that single step is extremely significant. I think it's significant in that he tore down the walls around him, came to realize that his pain wasn't all that existed in this world, that he was able to talk about it in tears, and smile afterwards.
10: Was there an emotion there that was difficult to show? Yoo: It was extremely difficult having to laugh at the end of the seventh episode when the king visits SungKyunKwan to give a religious service and shoots an arrow. For every role I've played so far, even when my character is someone who is extremely sad or in pain, I tended to smile a lot and show my emotions the way they are but I just couldn't figure out how to smile as Jae-shin. I got the script about a week or two before shooting the scene and standing in front of the mirror, I tried smiling this way and that but I just couldn't figure it out. Of course I can smile in a way that'll make me look pretty. (laugh) But I wanted to find an emotional link that could lead to laughter. I had the scene re-shot as well but I still don't think I pulled it off 100 percent.
10: I think you're the type that can't bear not immersing yourself in every scene. Yoo: It's because there's a reason I say my lines and put on expressions but I would sometimes end up doing them for no reason. I would say a line, laugh, or give a look without thinking about it. (laugh) Oh, and that's not automatic, I very much so do it on purpose. It's also a technical aspect. Of course, there are also people who want to see such things and it makes my job easier too. When I was tired, there were moments I thought, 'What's the need for a reason, I'll get an okay sign for it." In that sense, there are things I'm both happy and sorry that "SungKyunKwan" ended. Jae-shin wasn't a character I pulled off perfectly so maybe I could have done better.
10: In "SungKyunKwan Scandal," all four of you were of similar ages. How was that? Yoo: I was prejudiced about them. I wasn't able to get close to them in the beginning because of the thought that celebrities will be like this and that and that's why I usually don't become friends with them. (laugh) I understand that they can't help being self-centered, that what they feel is important, and they need to receive more attention. But I rid myself of a lot of them -- through Yuchun, my prejudice of idols and Hallyu stars, through Min-young my prejudice of fellow actresses, and through Song Joong-ki my prejudice of actors. So in the way that Jae-shin came out of his shell and came to accept Yoon-hee, Seon-joon and Yong-ha, I myself came to see these people in real life in a good way which means I myself matured as well. I had fun shooting the drama. I just wish we had more honest conversations about acting. But what I thank Joong-ki for is that he gave me a lot of advice comfortably. I came to realize that he's not just plain sly, he's sly in the sense that he wants what's best for everyone.
On Twitter & social media, and celebrity:
10: Writing is an act which contains your will to express something that you feel inside. You had mainly been writing on your Cyworld account and started writing on Twitter a few months ago. How has that been?
Yoo: When I'm away from home, I'm in dire need of the time and space that will let me go back to being myself. For three to four months, I felt uncomfortable not being able to live my life as myself. So being able to voice what I think and communicate with people through Twitter as Uhm Hong-shik, as actor Yoo A-in, was very comforting. In a way, it's a blessing and honor, and I learned a lot from the thousands of responses I receive from my single comment. Of course, some were just light or routine remarks but quite a lot of the responses awakened me and taught me lessons, as well as reminding me of what a closed person I am. So, I'm going to stay on Twitter. (laugh)
10: I actually think it's not easy to do Twitter because thousands and ten of thousands of people are reading it.
Yoo: A lot of people want me to stay on Twitter but at the same time, it makes me speak up less. And it's not easy to go against that. It's not like I was born as an independence fighter or anything of the sort. I like what's comfortable and I wish I had nothing to worry about. But that really means I would have isolated myself and I know it'll turn me into a miserable person so I sometimes force myself to write. It's not because I'm dying to write but because not being able to makes me very unhappy so I'm trying to continuously tell myself 'I can do it, I can speak up, I will keep speaking, I know you want to put a gag in my mouth but I will keep speaking, I will not lose, I am not incompetent.' It's very hard work.
(fyi, Yoo AhIn’s Twitter)
Yoo: A lot of people want me to stay on Twitter but at the same time, it makes me speak up less. And it's not easy to go against that. It's not like I was born as an independence fighter or anything of the sort. I like what's comfortable and I wish I had nothing to worry about. But that really means I would have isolated myself and I know it'll turn me into a miserable person so I sometimes force myself to write. It's not because I'm dying to write but because not being able to makes me very unhappy so I'm trying to continuously tell myself 'I can do it, I can speak up, I will keep speaking, I know you want to put a gag in my mouth but I will keep speaking, I will not lose, I am not incompetent.' It's very hard work.
(fyi, Yoo AhIn’s Twitter)
10: So are you saying that it's difficult to be your real self but you want to continuously make sure that you are being real? Yoo: Yes, and not just about acting. I think it's about everything about being someone in his twenties. I actually have a desire to just live a very peaceful life. I want to live comfortably, and of course I also sometimes think that I would like to make money by just smiling pretty but I think I also trying to push such thoughts out and try to force myself to be someone in his twenties. I'm someone who matured early and I know the rules to living life tactfully but I have to let go of them. I'm in the dilemma of being too realistic versus trying not to stay realistic because being mature means that you know the answers so you will stop and settle to protect what you have but that's immature. I think the true way to be mature is to continuously seek answers, ask questions and go forward as well as fail at times. That's why I wish people would use the world 'youth' in a different way. When people say, "He's still in his youth," it usually means that person is immature and a passionate idealist but I wish it could be used to refer to young people who are truly mature and are upright.
10: You've also written about labor and human rights-related issues on your Twitter account. And they're thoughts that anybody with a mind for social issues could have but celebrities are usually branded as being 'political' the moment they mention speak their mind on such matters. this could end up being very bothersome for you so aren't you worried about that?
Yoo: I am. I'm worried and scared to death. I can't sleep at night after writing such things. (laugh) But from what I judge, someone who can't do that is dead, or at least partially. I want to live a decent life, not just be alive because I'm breathing. I even think I should be allowed to talk about politics because like actress Ko Hyun-jung's character says in SBS TV series "The President," it's irresponsible to regard politics as a bad thing when we're all citizens living under strict political control. I won't do something just because it's good or criticize sharply just because something's a social issue. I just think that I can at least play the role of introducing what I can truly relate to, express what I feel feel and share thoughts with other people. Although it's sad that that's very difficult to do in the society we live in and the celebrity system I'm in.
10: I think it must be tiring to have to live according to a system or standards of society even when they don't mean much to you. Plus Korea has very high ethical standards of people who are in the arts in the commercial sense. Yoo: Because the moment I package myself, I'm not just showing myself to people in a certain way but I trap myself in that packaging. That's why I'm trying to make the size of my wrapping large and show that I'm someone who'll curse, who will drink and go clubbing. It's nothing really but I need to make conscious efforts to do that because it's as if right now, it's not permitted.
10: When you create the image of being an ethically faultless person, sometimes that's all there is left about you. Yoo: That's right. As our perspective broadens and our standard for culture heightens, I also want there to be a larger and broader variety of people to exist but I'm just a single 25-year-old actor. That's why I think it would be nice to have a senior in his 30s or 40s who says this because I could come off as rude. Someone who can show that they can find happiness as a human being even as a celebrity.
10: Won't that change since we live in times where even actors are changing? Yoo: I do feel that it's changing. But the problem is that young actors or singers adjust themselves to the system they're in. As if it's only natural. The young kids are thinking, 'This is what celebrities should do, they should smile and act like this, and celebrities have to wear hats that look like this...' I think it's very, extremely bad to get into this business before establishing your moral standards. That's why I wish young people wouldn't become celebrities at a young age. I too wouldn't if I could go back to being young. Also, it's almost impossible to establish a real sense of your self. Some people may say I regard work too lightly which they're right about. My work is not serious compared to my life and even more so compared to the real life I live as a human being. So whoever wants to become a celebrity, I hope they starts with the thought that becoming a happy person comes before becoming a happy actor. I just want everyone to be happy.
Yoo: I am. I'm worried and scared to death. I can't sleep at night after writing such things. (laugh) But from what I judge, someone who can't do that is dead, or at least partially. I want to live a decent life, not just be alive because I'm breathing. I even think I should be allowed to talk about politics because like actress Ko Hyun-jung's character says in SBS TV series "The President," it's irresponsible to regard politics as a bad thing when we're all citizens living under strict political control. I won't do something just because it's good or criticize sharply just because something's a social issue. I just think that I can at least play the role of introducing what I can truly relate to, express what I feel feel and share thoughts with other people. Although it's sad that that's very difficult to do in the society we live in and the celebrity system I'm in.
10: I think it must be tiring to have to live according to a system or standards of society even when they don't mean much to you. Plus Korea has very high ethical standards of people who are in the arts in the commercial sense. Yoo: Because the moment I package myself, I'm not just showing myself to people in a certain way but I trap myself in that packaging. That's why I'm trying to make the size of my wrapping large and show that I'm someone who'll curse, who will drink and go clubbing. It's nothing really but I need to make conscious efforts to do that because it's as if right now, it's not permitted.
10: When you create the image of being an ethically faultless person, sometimes that's all there is left about you. Yoo: That's right. As our perspective broadens and our standard for culture heightens, I also want there to be a larger and broader variety of people to exist but I'm just a single 25-year-old actor. That's why I think it would be nice to have a senior in his 30s or 40s who says this because I could come off as rude. Someone who can show that they can find happiness as a human being even as a celebrity.
10: Won't that change since we live in times where even actors are changing? Yoo: I do feel that it's changing. But the problem is that young actors or singers adjust themselves to the system they're in. As if it's only natural. The young kids are thinking, 'This is what celebrities should do, they should smile and act like this, and celebrities have to wear hats that look like this...' I think it's very, extremely bad to get into this business before establishing your moral standards. That's why I wish young people wouldn't become celebrities at a young age. I too wouldn't if I could go back to being young. Also, it's almost impossible to establish a real sense of your self. Some people may say I regard work too lightly which they're right about. My work is not serious compared to my life and even more so compared to the real life I live as a human being. So whoever wants to become a celebrity, I hope they starts with the thought that becoming a happy person comes before becoming a happy actor. I just want everyone to be happy.
On himself and the future:
10: You said before that you feel like you're becoming ill when you do interviews that aren't really about communicating with the other person or go on television. Everyone ends up having to do things that they don't want to at one point in their life but there are people who are particular sensitive about such things and have a tough time with them. Do you think you've gotten more used to it with age? Yoo: It's still difficult. But while in the past I rebelled against the logic that I should do whatever I'm told since I'm a newbie, I think now, I'm sometimes mistaken as having become arrogant because my name is better known. As if I have changed when I've actually always just been this way. (laugh) So I clashed with the agency the most in regards to this. I'm thankful that my current agency accepts me as who I am and we have found ways to compromise because I too want to work at an equal level with them. Of course, it's all possible only when you become famous. And I'm not saying that I've become popular. It's just that after working on this drama, it feels like my agency understands me much more. (laugh)
10: If having the freedom to be yourself is important, if that time and space is important to you, what sort of place is the home that you live in right now?
Yoo: The house itself is like any other house. What's important is not what sort of house it is but that I have my own space. But I easily get bored of living in one space so I move every year. It's very bothersome. (laugh) How I've changed from the past is that these days, my friends visit my place often and sometimes even stay for days. I've come to be able to do my own thing even when others are around me, not just when I'm alone and isolated. I think that's at least how comfortable I've become with people I'm close to.
10: I remember you having written on your Cyworld account that you didn't willingly accept how kind the woman at your convenient store was and then regretted it the day the store shut down. It made me think that you're still awkward when it comes to people who are nice to you unconditionally or praise you as a celebrity.
Yoo: Yes, it drives me crazy. (laugh) It's gotten worse because a lot of people watched our drama but I just can't stand it! Of course, as an actor and celebrity, it also feels good and I'm proud in a way. I'm so happy and thankful when ladies at restaurants come to me and ask for my autograph, saying that their daughters are my fans. But anything more than that is uncomfortable. I wish they wouldn't even say, "A-in, you're so good looking!" but keep it at around "I'm having fun watching your drama." I feel like dying when people tell me things like, "All the girls ever do when they get together is talk about you!" I just don't know how to respond to that and it doesn't seem right to say thank you. Or should I just be bold and say, "Yea, I was cool in it, wasn't I?" Anyway, it's hard for me to deal with more extreme forms of expressions. And it's not just me as an actor -- I think I don't feel quite comfortable with such things even when it comes to love or the person I'm dating.
Yoo: Yes, it drives me crazy. (laugh) It's gotten worse because a lot of people watched our drama but I just can't stand it! Of course, as an actor and celebrity, it also feels good and I'm proud in a way. I'm so happy and thankful when ladies at restaurants come to me and ask for my autograph, saying that their daughters are my fans. But anything more than that is uncomfortable. I wish they wouldn't even say, "A-in, you're so good looking!" but keep it at around "I'm having fun watching your drama." I feel like dying when people tell me things like, "All the girls ever do when they get together is talk about you!" I just don't know how to respond to that and it doesn't seem right to say thank you. Or should I just be bold and say, "Yea, I was cool in it, wasn't I?" Anyway, it's hard for me to deal with more extreme forms of expressions. And it's not just me as an actor -- I think I don't feel quite comfortable with such things even when it comes to love or the person I'm dating.
src: 10asia
hi there, what a great post of Yoo Ah In's interview. I heart YAI to pieces so it was a treat reading about him. Thanks. I can't get enough of him, and how I wish I could see him in person. lol. I had seen and liked Antique Bakery, but no lasting impression of the cast but two short years later, Yoo Ah In as Moon Jae Shin is my new found obsession of 2010. hehe. I strongly believe he can become one of the best actors of his generation. I yearn for more good projects from him. To me, YAI and Song Joong Ki were the "leads or stars" of SKKS. It was their ACTING that made their characters. I was happy or sad when they were on/not on my computer screen.
ReplyDeleteI want so much to watch his movies Boys of Tomorrow and Shims Family, but I can't find them online. : (