Idol group 2PM member Taecyeon is always sexy on stage but hardly shows it on the small screen. The image he puts on instead is that of an ordinary good-natured guy with a bright smile. Lucky for us, we get to observe the utterly sweet and sometimes charmingly stubborn side to him, which is the complete opposite to the charismatic Taecyeon he is on stage. But there was a reason he stayed consistent with the characters he played: he wanted to become a true actor through his own efforts instead of taking advantage of his fancy image as an idol star. It also explains the earnest attitude he has in regard to taking one step closer to achieving his dream.
Cable channel tvN’s Monday and Tuesday series “who are you,” which he starred in little less than two months from July, is the result of such a choice as well. He could have gone with a role through which he could utilize his image as an idol star but again, he took on a character that is far from being fancy. TenAsia sat down with the actor to find out why.
Watching you do your best for every take left a strong impression on me. It made me realize that that’s probably why you were able to become a top idol star.
Ok Taecyeon: No, it’s not like that. (He waved his large hands and frowned his face while smiling to hide his embarrassment.)
You’re filming the fifth episode today. What’s the process of gradually becoming Cha Geon-woo like?
Ok: I was very nervous at the beginning. I could tell how tense I had been in the first and second episodes after watching them. But I’m a bit more at ease now, thanks to what the director told me.
You mean producer Cho Hyeon-tak? What did he tell you?
Ok: He asked me, “Do you have fun when you’re filming?” and I said, “I not sure about fun yet. I’m just nervous.” And he told me, “Think about it. It’s a wonderful experience! With acting, you’ll let go completely one moment yet focus with the sound of “Action!” Then you’ll let go again with the sound of “Cut!” Think of the appeal to letting go and then focusing.” After hearing that, I told myself that it’s okay for me to let go a bit as well, and that I won’t do better by being nervous all the time.
What sweet encouragement.
Ok: Yes. I think it helped a lot.
Your partner So E-hyun said of you, “Taecyeon and I have great chemistry but he’s also so cheerful that he always brightens up the mood on set.”
Ok: It’s because she leads me well. She made her debut almost ten years ago and has been in 20 projects so she tells me things based on her experience and helps me out a lot. I just eagerly take up all [the help] she gives me.
What kind of character did you picture Cha Geon-woo as being ahead of actually acting the role?
Ok: Before we went into shoot, I only got to read the scripts for the first two episodes of the drama and its synopsis. And I started with picturing my character’s personality while reading them. He’s a hot-blooded person with the ambition, desire, and longing to return to the crime squad. But after meeting the team’s leader Si-on (So), he begins to lose hope. I felt that he was a character with big emotional highs and lows so I paid attention to showing this.
If you really think about it, the characters you’ve played so far haven’t changed in the sense that they are all far from being the fierce and manly guy you are on stage. Have you been doing this on purpose?
Ok: Yes, I did it on purpose. I would’ve limited myself in terms of the images I can portray if I had continued to pursue the fierce and masculine image for my acting. But I went for the pure romanticist in “Cinderella’s Stepsister,” and of course, the main reason it turned out well was thanks to scriptwriter and director, but I too wanted to create a vibe that is somewhat different from the one I show on stage.
To tell you the truth, in the beginning I wasn’t in the position to choose the roles I’d take. In the case of “Cinderella’s Stepsister,” my agency’s president said I should do it. But my opinions are put into consideration as well now and the first thing I look for is whether the story is fun, and the second thing is what kind of character I’ll be playing. The third is whether I’d actually be able to pull off the character.
Then of all the characters you’ve played so far, which character are you most similar to?
Ok: I played a character named Won-cheol in film “Marriage Blue” (tentative title, set to open in the latter half of this year). He is timid, quiet and has a hard time expressing his feelings. He’s most similar to who I am.
That’s surprising. I thought you’d be a very cheerful person.
Ok: I’m timid (laughs)
By the way, I really enjoyed the part where in the beginning of the show, conscripted policeman Sung-chan (No Yeong-hak) says he was in training to become a singer and your character Cha Geon-woo responds, “Wow, this is one guy that has had his life easy.” I was curious to how you felt saying this since you were an actual trainee and they live lives that are far from easy.
Ok: You’re right, trainees definitely don’t have things easy (laughs). But people who don’t know [the reality] see it that way when they see someone that wants to become a singer. So that line in itself was interesting. It made me feel like I was denying myself yet it was a scene that showed the perception people have of us.
Suzy of miss A and Kim Soo-hyun, who appeared in “Dream High” with you, are big names in the acting scene now. Hasn’t this made you feel like you need to catch up soon?
Ok: It always stimulates me. But their success hasn’t made me anxious to become like them. I know where I currently stand and it’s true that I want to get to their level by working harder. But actor Cha In-pyo once said on a show that every actor does different kinds of acting. And I think he’s right. My goal as an actor is not to become the best but to walk my own path.
Well, I’m sure you and the members of your group 2PM are more supportive than competitive of each other. Or maybe you don’t talk about acting at all because you guys are so close?
Ok: You’re right. The closer the relationship, the less talk about work. But the character I’m playing now is very different from the ones I’ve played in the past and I have a lot of lines because I’m the main character. This puts a lot of pressure on me so even when I’m doing concerts, I’m really busy trying to memorize my lines. In those cases, the members of my group help me memorize my lines. They also help me out when I’m pondering over the directions the producer gave me regarding my character.
In what sort of ways do they help you?
Ok: When the producer told me, “I’d like Geon-woo to seem a bit sleazy,” Wooyoung told me, “You should chew some gum.” Of course, it’ll make it hard to pronounce my words (laughs). But they help me a lot and it’s fun.
Junho received much praise with his movie “Cold Eyes,” and Chansung is building on his acting career as well. How do you feel when you watch other members of your group act?
Ok: I don’t get any feelings that are particularly different. And I don’t cringe [from the sight of them acting] either (laughs). It just feels like each of us are starting to show our abilities. But whether it’s for acting or a solo album, we’re still beginners. So we just encourage each other because I think it’s too early for us to even start hoping to make rapid progress.
via tenasia, news link: http://www.tenasia.com/archives/74395?fb_source=pubv1
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