April Snow

I heard the draft of the Huh Jinho-style affair movie ‘Outing’

Director Huh Jinho’s ‘Outing’ is about to start. After they wrap up preparation by finishing the local test shooting at Samchuk on January 19th, they will soon begin shooting in cold winter wind. His 3rd movie after 4 years since his last started with a little more noise than usual. The casting of Bae Yong Jun at the top of stormy Korean Wave and Son Yejin who is widely recognized in Asia draw far more attention to ‘Outing’ (produced by Blue Strom, invested by Showeast).

“I was drawn to Bae Yong Jun’s strength and Son Ye Jin’s intelligence”

Q: As I read the synopsis of ‘Outing’, I wondered if there would be scenes which show innocent happiness of love in this melodrama.

A: There will be. I wish there would. Moments of happiness will come out.

Q: ‘Christmas in August’ and ‘Spring days are passing’ are love stories but fundamentally they are stories of the male characters Jungwon and Sangwoo. Darim and Eunsoo are only part of the world reflected in their eyes. But Insoo and Suyoung in ‘Outing’ meet at one place after going around the circle on different paths like mirror images. Whose point of view will you take?

A: The story starts with the guy. And there will be more of guy’s point of view than the girl’s.

Q: Bae Yong Jun in the role of Insoo has something in common with ‘unaggressive’ guys in your movies. Is he someone you have waited for and observed? Or is there other factor in choosing him?

A: When I first saw Bae Yong Jun at Baeksang award, Ahn Sunggi, senior actor, hinted to me, “He is a strange fella in that he looks gentle but he gives the feeling of strength in person.” And I met him at the set of ‘Scandal’ and observed him. He was strong at one moment but gentle at another and sometimes strong and gentle at the same time. The energy that came out of the conflicting two qualities was interesting.

Q: Do you mean something similar to will power or determination by Bae Yong Jun’s ’strength’?

A: Yes. Insoo is a lighting director. A lighting director needs to be physical because he has to control lightings and does rough jobs. But on the other hand he looks very lonely when he is setting lights in front of a little console. Only lights and he exist in a big empty gymnasium. The performance on stage is spectacular but when the audience leave, lighting equipments are dismantled. The male character’s job is not a starting point of love like in the previous movie, but his profession leaves some trace in him. he is a guy who is sensitive to light and controls it..for example he notices quickly when a light bulb is about to go out. In that sense, I think it’s interesting that Bae Yong Jun plays this role of a lighting director.

Q: I think actor’s personality as a natural person matters in your movie, like the case of Lee Youngae who found her new characteristic in ‘Spring days are passing’. Once you complimented on Son Ye Jin’s acting in ‘Classic’.

A: I liked her acting in ‘Classic’. I initially thought she might be too young to play a married woman, but when we met, she had maturity and intelligence beyond her age. She not only saw her own part but was seeing the whole movie in the director’s perspective too, which I think is a strong point that directly leads to the ability to judge a scenario. The role of Suyoung will be set as a full time housewife who married young and has been so about a year. Son Ye Jun strangely well matches the role of a young married woman.

Source: Cine 21 and Bae Yong Jun Quilt

Many fans thought that Ye Jin’s acting career was fast and smooth because she was shot into prominence with “Sweet Proposal” and subsequently went on to lead female roles in several hits including “Lover’s concerto“, “The Classic“, “Summer Scent” and “A Moment to Remember“.

It was not like that.

In fact, Ye Jin was already contracted by her current management company, Tube management, when she was 17. At that time, she was a face model for Somang cosmetics. In the first one and half year, Tube introduced Ye Jin to several TV drama production companies and brought her to some auditions but there was no job offer for her. During those ‘jobless’ days, Ye Jin would turn up at Tube office and be trained in various acting and performance skills. She would turn up at the premise and walked quickly into her little room and start her training - lacking in confidence. Now Ye Jin would walk slowly, confidently and greet everyone with a bright smile.

Finally “Sweet Proposal” came along, and the producer of the drama was using many new actors/actresses so much so that veterans were turning down the roles in this drama. As a result, the first break of Ye Jin arrived and her performance in “Sweet Proposal” won her a best new comer award and caught the eyes of many top directors which helped to shape the “Queen of Melodrama” that she is today.

Officials at Tube management revealed that Ye Jin is a person who has high perseverence and work hard at all time even during hard times. She does not have many friends in Seoul since her family is not in Seoul. She leads a simple lifestyle of playing with her pet dog, swimming, watching TV and exercising when she does not have movie project going on.

Early version of Apirl Snow (at that time called Going Out) Poster created by Bae Yong Jun’s fans.

Source: BYJ Quilt