“I feel like I got on the last train” Jung Woo-sung, a melodrama and conviction that he only tried for 11 years [IS Interview]

“Can I do a melodrama again? (Laughs)”

Jung Woo-sung, who was often seen on the big screen, appeared on the small screen. And that too without a single line of dialogue. Genie TV’s original drama ‘Tell Me I Love You’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘Tell Me I Love You’) is a classic melodrama about the silent love between Cha Jin-woo (Jung Woo-sung), a painter who speaks with his hands, and actress Jeong Mo-eun (Shin Hyun-bin), who listens with her heart. This is a special work for Jung Woo-sung in many ways. It is a melodrama genre that is being attempted for the first time in 11 years, and it has been released 13 years after purchasing the Japanese original copyright.

‘Samalhae’ became very popular, recording a viewership rating of over 28% when it aired on TBS TV in Japan in 1995. Jung Woo-sung said that seeing the male lead’s voice being used as a narration “hit my heart.”Soon he decided to produce a drama.

However, 13 years ago, a romantic comedy about a male protagonist with hearing impairment was not easily accepted in society. Jung Woo-sung waited. And he came to fruition after 13 years.

A proud smile appeared on his face as he said, “Actually, I was impatient.” Jung Woo-sung said, “As time passed, the world changed little by little. “The era has come when dramas featuring people with disabilities are also accepted and favored by the public,” he said. However, as it took a long time, the age of the male protagonist increased from his 30s to his 40s. Jung Woo-sung also pondered, “Should I look for another male actor instead of me?” , but the conclusion was, “Let’s show it as it is.”

“Love isn’t something that only young people in their 20s and 30s do, right? I think love is an emotion that can be felt at any age, provided the conditions and circumstances are right. However, since the male protagonist is in his mid-40s, I acted while thinking about what kind of love people in their 40s should pursue.”

. Jung Woo-sung’s voice can hardly be heard in the play. Occasionally, the inner voice becomes a narration. Even in scenes where sign language is used, only subtitles appear without audio.

Jung Woo-sung said, “There was an opinion to include voices. However, at some point, the culture of attaching subtitles to all videos and recognizing the situation through subtitles unintentionally took root in our society,” he said. “I thought that the moment there were subtitles, an interpretation could be forced on viewers. “He didn’t put his voice into it because he wanted people to see Jinwoo as he is,” he explained.

Jung Woo-sung worked hard to speak sign language close to perfection. From tutoring with experts to review and pre-study, he never missed anything. When he received the script, he translated it into sign language and practiced by memorizing it.

He said, “It was fun to approach at first, but the meaning changed completely depending on the position of his hands. He laughed, saying, “When there was a lot of script, I got confused with similar words.” About three months after filming ended around October of last year, I still have sign language left in my body. Jung Woo-sung said, “As I got used to it, I started ad-libbing in sign language. “Even now, I still think about it,” he said.

‘Samalhae’ hovered around an average viewer rating of 1-2%. Although it is clearly disappointing when looking at the numbers, drama critic Gong Hee-jeong said, “It is a work that I want to watch over and over again.” It is evaluated as showing the essence of classic melodrama. Jung Woo-sung’s love for the work that he did not give up on for 13 years, his believable melodrama acting, and his chemistry with the female lead, Shin Hyun-bin, also played a big part in this.

Jung Woo-sung praised Shin Hyun-bin, describing him as a ‘rational person.’ “Shin Hyun-bin is a polite person. She also subtly has a higher rational quotient than an emotional quotient. If I came up with an idea, Hyunbin Shin organized it. “She was a lot of fun to work with and was a solid colleague.”

Last year, Jung Woo-sung had a more meaningful year than anyone else. 30 years after his debut, he became the first actor to earn 10 million won with the movie ‘Spring in Seoul’. When asked, “Did you expect it?” he shook his head and said, “I didn’t expect it at all.” “I think he just had good timing,” he answered plainly.

Jung Woo-sung, who debuted in the 1994 film ‘Gumiho’, appeared in numerous works and became an actor representing Korea in name and reality. The modifier ‘face genius’ is a bonus. Jung Woo-sung, who is already in his 50s, carefully shared his concerns.

He smiled shyly, saying, “Can I do a melodrama now?” and then added, “I really thought I couldn’t be late for ‘Samalhae’ anymore, so I felt like I was on the last train. “I am very grateful for the title ‘melodic master,’ but I try not to get too caught up in it,” he said.

Reporter Kim Ji-hye jahye2@edaily.co.kr