Lee Jong Suk for Ceci (Oct 2013) - Part 1 INTERVIEW (translated)

 Source: Ceci
Translator: hitoritabi
Translation note: A more honest actor you will seldom find. Refreshing, candid, welcomes you into his thought process, as always. Page 1 of a long interview, translation before breakfast. :D

It is not often that you interview one person for five times. It is especially rare when we are talking about our magazine, which goes after the people with the hottest issues and the most of public’s interest. In the ever-changing tides of trends and short attetion span, it is not an easy feat to receive the title of ‘Recent Trend’ again and again.

The Namsoon who wishes to live like flowing waters (School) allowed a flower to grow in people’s hearts, while supernatural boy Sooha (IHYV) caused that flower to bloom explosively. He returns as the stoic scholar in the midst of veteran actors, Jin-hyeong (The Face Reader), top swimming athlete Woosang (No Breathing) and the playboy casanova, Jong-gil (Blood Boiling Youth). All brought to you by actor Lee Jong Suk in 2013.

Ceci: Today’s is the advance screening for ’The Face Reader’. How do you feel? (The interview was conducted on 2nd September.)

LJS: The director showed me the responses on social platforms after the screening, and said that I did well. The sunbaes also gave me lots of praises. But to be honest, if I stand in the perspective of an audience member, I can’t quite nod my head and agree. Every time I come out on screen, I felt like I was breaking the smooth flow of the movie. These are splendid scenes crafted by sunbaes like Baek Yoon Shik, Song Kang Ho, Kim Hye Soo, Jo Jong Suk, Lee Hyuk Jae. My shoulders tense up from the sheer nervousness that I was going to screw everything up. And in the end, my worries came true.

Ceci: There are differences between the characterizations of Nae-kyeong, Paeng-hon and Jin-hyeong (Lee Jong Suk’s role) though…

LJS: The film and the events that happen in it are largely started due to Nae-kyeong’s (Song Kang Ho’s role) fatherly love. In the scenes that I share with my father Nae-kyeong and my uncle Paeng-hon (Jo Jung Suk’s role), it is obvious that I am not in the same league. I am so envious of the way Jong Suk-hyung and Song Kang Ho-sunbae work seamlessly with each other. And I am the only thing holding the scene back, looking rather silly.

Which got me thinking, “Couldn’t I have done better, and matched their level?” This made me feel regretful. To be honest, it is the first time for quite a while that I am as unconfident in myself as I am today. I feel so anxious and sad that I’m almost angry at myself.

Ceci: Just like how a watch needs different gears and parts to turn, a movie can only be completed due to the combination of different actors.

LJS: Well, this gear-piece is not smooth enough. I love movies and tv shows so much. So even when I watch my own work, I am the type to look at it objectively and criticize it impartially. This time my criticism for myself is stronger than usual, that is all. I always chase myself into a dead-end like this. I am so sorry towards the staff members working on today’s photoshoot, since I arrived on set with a greyish feeling…

Ceci: Let’s rescue you from that dead-end first. I remember you said last time that you could learn acting on set just from breathing in the air. “Gear-piece Lee Jong Suk” must have learned things from being in ‘The Face Reader’?

LJS: So there I stood, amongst all these sunbaes for whom acting is as natural as breathing. Even the air around me felt different, it was so wonderful. In ‘Bleach’, a manga I like to read, there is a scene where the main character collapses onto the ground from the gigantic aura of another character. That’s how I felt when I went to the script-reading.

Especially when Song Kang Ho-sunbae approached me in costume, all matted hair and scraggly beard, coming towards me in those boots; it was so unforgettable. For the first time, I felt this person towering over me. I made me realize that his aura came from somewhere internally — it was a majesty of leadership qualities. I wonder if I can have that aura when I get to that age.

Ceci: Luck favours the believer, so try to believe in yourself! The drama ‘I Hear Your Voice’ received insurpassable popularity, taking over search rankings from 1 to 10. To put it another way, daebak!

LJS: Both ‘School’ and ‘IHYV’ received such good response. I am nothing but grateful towards the writer and director who created these characters. I have been rather fortunate. Thanks to these projects, I have heard many praises. A certain piece of news used this analogy to describe my growth: Go Namsoon bought the land and Park Sooha built a tall building on it. I was very touched when I read that.

This year, I grew among my same-age friends and also tried my hand in romance for the first time. I met these characters and stories that won’t fade away in time, having my share of fun with them. More than anything, I am grateful to have accomplished work that is representative of myself.

Ceci: Sorry to say this, but I was actually rather surprised. The rahter unusual combination of supernatural boy and courtroom drama gave me the feeling that “the slightest slip-up would cause utter failure”.

LJS: I had heard about a drama treatment in KBS that combines romance, courtroom and fantasy elements. At that point, though I haven’t even read the synopsis, the genre caught my eye. It was a student role, somehow it seemed fun to return to school one last time — so my management was in the process of finding out more about the project, when all of a sudden, we heard that it was turned down by the review board and moved to SBS. At that time, I was receiving offers for nearly all the student roles that existed in Korea; plus, a movie which had first approached me back when I was filming ‘Secret Garden’ also came back in negotiation — that was ‘No Breathing’.

Ceci: So ‘No Breathing’ had been received over three years ago?

LJS: That’s right. I was troubled about what my next move should be after ‘School’, but I felt like I should be loyal to the director who had noticed me back when no one else did, so I decided to enter the production of ‘No Breathing’. However, right after the contract had been signed, ‘IHYV’ also passed the review board and approached me, it felt almost like a cosmic joke. It was crazy!

If I didn’t do it, I would regret it so very very very much, so I had to face the scheduling conflict head on. I felt responsible and loyal to the project I first signed up with, but it would also be such a pity to give up on ‘IHYV’. Filming both projects together no matter how hard it became, I felt it was my job to do it. Fortunately, both projects understood my situation and made the necessary adjustments for me to be able to do both simultaneously. It could have become a huge problem.

Ceci: So for actors, a lot of thought goes into the choice of scripts.

LJS: Everytime I choose, it’s like standing at a crossroad. I must give it serious consideration, then take up responsibility for it afterwards. The choice doesn’t affect only myself, but also the people who work with me. Therefore, it is always a difficult choice. Before the drama begins shooting, the production chooses actors that suit the taste of the public. For ‘IHYV’, there were people who commented that the combination of Lee Bo Young - Yoon Sang Hyun - Lee Jong Suk seems rather imbalanced.

But more than anything, the script is very interesting and it isn’t the kind that can be rushed out, due to all the complicated legal aspects that have to be included. “Hard work is a must”, these words from the writer is why I was attracted to this project. She seems to have placed all her feelings on the Sooha we get to meet through all his trials and tribulations.

Ceci: You have mentioned this earlier, but this is the first real romance in your acting work.

LJS: And I am also a drama fanatic who has watched countless romance dramas. Nothing is quite as heartrending as a man who looks at his woman with love in his eyes. Since I believe that this kind of scene can move people, I want to convey the sweetness as honestly as possible. I really tried my very best.

After Episode 8, I traveled back and forth between Seoul and Daejeon, alternately filming for the drama and the movie. Inevitably, my physical strength started to wane. However, concentration was absolutely necessary for conveying the three-level transformation of Sooha — taking revenge, losing his memory and then regaining it. From that point on, I became frightened when reading the scripts. I felt like I was reaching the limitations of my ability.

source: withljongsuk