Recently, Jung Hae In talked about his upcoming film, his friendship with Lee Je Hoon, and much more in an interview with GQ magazine (available here).
In the upcoming short film "Blue Happiness," which will be directed by Jung Hae In, he will be a part of the "Unframed" project, which is a series of short films directed by actors. Jung Hae In's close friend Lee Je Hoon directed "Blue Happiness," which tells the story of people in their 20s and 30s who are navigating the world of stock market trading.
The interviewer mentioned that the starting point for this film was what people were most passionate about these days, and Jung Hae In agreed, adding, "Whether it's real estate, stocks, or cryptocurrency, people are very passionate about it." Although none of those were applicable to me, I believe I was cast because none of them were."
"I believe that's why Je Hoon kept me in mind," he explained further. It was in a personal setting that we were casually discussing this type of thing, and I casually stated, "I don't know anything about stocks." He might have been paying more attention to me because I said something like that."
Due to the fact that the two actors had never previously collaborated on a project, Jung Hae In was asked how they became friends. His response was, "A few years ago, I went to a national soccer match in Sangam-dong, where we happened to meet by chance, and I introduced myself to him." "It was only natural that we became close after that."
The actor Lee Je Hoon is also a passionate person, as Jung Hae In pointed out in his interview: "I'm a little curious about what Je Hoon is like at work [as an actor]." I'd like to meet him one-on-one as an actor-to-actor. People can be very different when you meet them in a personal setting as opposed to when you meet them at work, if you have ever noticed that? Je Hoon, in my opinion, makes a clear distinction between business and pleasure activities. He's a person who pays attention to detail."
"[Lee Je Hoon] is a lot more detail-oriented than I am," he continued. I've now had the opportunity to work on a set where he served as director, and he approaches all of the actors, not just me, in an extremely thorough manner. Because he was previously an actor, he comes to us with a better understanding of what it's like to be from the actor's perspective. I'm not sure how to put it. The fact that he would speak to us from the player's point of view made it easier to comprehend [what he was saying]."
"Rather than talking while having your head in the clouds or having abstract discussions, I enjoy having realistic discussions, talking about how to solve realistic situations, and talking about things that are happening today or tomorrow," Jung Hae In said when asked if there is a resemblance between his "Blue Happiness" character Chan Young and his real-life personality. Discussions that are constructive. "Discussions that are geared toward the future."
The actor Jung Hae In also revealed that he and his character share a similar outlook on life. "Living diligently," he continued, expanding on his point of view. If you work hard every day and live a disciplined life, you will see positive results. It's fine if someone doesn't understand what you're saying. Also, not taking any chances and putting in a lot of effort."
The interviewer went on to say that the phrase his character Chan Young hears the most throughout the film is "Ugh, this innocent guy." "How is it that you haven't changed at all?" Jung Hae In responded with a chuckle and the remark, "I'll have to ask [Lee Je Hoon] later," before laughing. If that was a direct attack on me."
The two also discussed the compliments that previous directors have heaped on Jung Hae In, particularly the fact that he is straightforward and forthright in his approach. "I don't mind hearing these comments," the actor responded when asked if he didn't like hearing them. They're very good comments, and they're also correct in their assessment. I'd like to express it as a statement of my commitment to work. "How I go about my work." "How I approach work."
"Ever since my debut, I've asked myself, 'Why does Jung Hae In act?' I've asked myself this question over and over again." What is your motivation for undertaking this type of work? 'Why are you still doing it?' I inquire. These are the questions I keep asking myself. At the end of the day, it's because it's entertaining, enjoyable, and it makes me happy. However, the more I do it, the more I realize that I don't just want to be happy for myself, but I also want the people who are watching and the people I work with to be happy alongside me. Ultimately, it is not something that can be accomplished on your own."
He went on to say that in order to achieve happiness, one of the most important things to have is self-confidence. According to Jung Hae In, when he's in the middle of filming, his self-esteem is around 40 or 50 points on a scale from 1 to 100 points. The reason for his poor performance, he explained, "Is that I'm constantly running into roadblocks and finding it difficult to get ahead." It's not like I'm particularly talented in the acting department. Even if I have strengths and weaknesses, if there is one thing that I excel at and another that I fail at, I am more likely to rely on others for the thing that I fail at. I ask for their assistance, I inquire as to what they think would be better, and I inform my fellow actors and colleagues that it is difficult and that I require their assistance. The director is the person I'm most interested in. I'm constantly sending out 'SOS' messages to my director. Because if I do that and the outcome is favorable, that is a positive development. Hopefully, the product that we created together will turn out well." Afterwards, he explained that "right now, [my score is] 100 because I'm not currently in the middle of filming."
Finally, Jung Hae In chose the words "working hard" and "taking on new challenges" as his keywords for the year 2021. "Everything counts as a new challenge," he explained, referring to the various types of challenges. Every day presents a new set of challenges. "Each and every project, each and every moment."
In the meantime, Jung Hae In's upcoming drama "Snowdrop" will premiere on December 18 at 10:30 p.m. KST on the OTT platform Watcha, with a release date of December 2021.