- 편안함과 소탈함이 더 어울리는 연기자, 서지석
Comfortable and informal actor, Suh Ji Suk
Suh Ji Suk presents 2 kinds of facial expressions. One expression is the calm emotionless expression and another is the smiling expression with some wrinkles around the end of his eyes making him looks like a nice brother living in the neighborhood. In the beginning, it seemed that he could walk on a broad and smooth road when he was chosen to lead a daily drama. As a matter of fact, the role Yoon Jisuk in the MBC sitcom "Highkick3", who experienced the taste of failure and frustration while Yoon Jisuk is wholeheartedly dedicated to one woman, resembles Suh Jisuk's own past experience. Thus, this time he is comfortably immersed in this role of "Highkick3". The reporter meets Suh Jisuk for this interview at the filming site of "Highkick3".
Interviewer: Jung Suk Hee, Columnist (인터뷰: 정석희 칼럼니스트)
Question: In fact, I would like to meet you while your last drama was broadcasted by the cable channel tvN. I could not find fitted clothes until I heard that an idea is found.
Answer: I enjoyed filming the drama ("MANNY"). The role Kim Yi Han (이한) loves children and is a tough outside but soft inside type of man (외강내유, 外刚内柔) that resembles many aspects of my personality. It was quite difficult and interesting to film for the drama. However, it did not get many attentions from TV viewers because it was broadcasted on cable channel, which left regrets. I'd like to hug the little boy Jung Min (정민) whose father just left him. My father and I have never been separated since my childhood and I remember that we have been going to sauna, play baseball, soccer, and run together during weekends. The sudden recalling my childhood made me want to film the drama. Moreover, I really like the young actor Goo Seung Hyun (구승현) who played the role Jung Min. At filming site, young actor is among strangers and is hard to find people to take care of him. Thus, I gave Goo Seung Hyun rides in my car and we ate together on our way to the filming site. He and I stuck with each other and we collaborated much better than my female partners in the drama.
Answer: In fact, in the beginning of "Highkick3", Yoon Jisuk screams in 98 out of 100 scenes. At that time, my voice always sounds hoarse. Since this is my first sitcom project which I did not have free time to prepare for, I heard some criticism such as ‘bad acting skill’ once again, which was quite hurting. Yet, I was determined to keep finding a breakthrough method. As a result, I gradually grasp my character and then better evaluations start to come out. Very nice!
Question: So, which is the difficult project for you?
Answer: It was my first project after I completed my military service. SBS's "OB & GYN" was the most difficult one. Even though I analyzed the scripts more than 10 times, I couldn't do anything as soon as I heard the word ‘Camera!’ because my brain was blank due to being nervous and trembling. In one scene of eating a meal, my fingers couldn't even hold chopsticks properly. In the 2 years 6 months when I served in the army, the production system had changed quite much. My partner the veteran actress Miss Jang Suh Hee (장서희, 张瑞希) in "OB & GYN" gave me lots of helps as to how to grasp my character. The medical terms were quite difficult because my role was an infertility doctor. I wonder if you remember those straight-forward and embarrassing expressions and those improper script dialogs coming out from my mouth.
Answer: I learned the drama basics such as ‘close-up’ and ‘bust-shot’ for the first time from the KBS drama "Pure 19". Despite my little appearances in projects prior to "Pure 19", it was my first project showing my acting skill. In fact, I did not have actor's spirit at that time because I just recited the script dialogs from memory and my analysis on my role was insufficient and beyond my ability. In my military service years, I blamed myself as to why I could not change my acting skill. Now I look back, I realize that I was not an actor at that time because I did not have actor's spirit and that's why I got the criticism of bad acting skill. Afterwards, I became an actor who not only prepares well by myself but also could collaborate well with my partner in both "OB & GYN" and "GLORIA". In fact, my pronunciation and speech was not totally correct. It took me 5 years to correct them since I debuted in my early 20s. So, I am proud of myself for having made lots of progress thus far. I have been fixing my problems one by one.
Question: Is there any co-star giving you helps on acting skills?
Answer: As I costarred with Bae Doona (배두나, 裴斗娜) in the drama "GLORIA", I said to myself, "Ah! I have such good chemistry (collaboration) with my partner actress. My partner actress has great acting skill." In the past, I knew that Miss Bae Doona is an amazingly charming actress. During the period of our collaboration, I have learned lots of acting skills from her. I respect her.
Question: Did you perform in MBC's drama "Ireland"? I did not see you appeared in the drama even though I watched every episode.
Answer: I appeared in almost every episode! I played Miss Kim Min Jung's role’s younger brother. Many people did not know that I appeared in Kim Ming Jung's role's house. My performance was not memorable in that drama.
Question: I don't know if I should ask you this question. Was there a misunderstanding of one actress's remarks after you went to serve in the army? You were put in a difficult position for clarification and you were confused then.
(Note: the interviewer is talking about the incident caused by Goo Hye Sun's remarks in 2007. She said that one actor had been going after her even after he went to army. Jisuk clarified in his 2007 birthday fan meeting that he was not the man Goo Hye Sun was talking about.)
Answer: I was not the man, right? (laugh) I learned the news in the military training camp but I could not make the clarification while I was serving as a trainee soldier and private soldier. Finally, in the fan meeting held while I was taking my vacation after serving in the army for 100 days, even though I had to be impolite to that actress, I strongly denied the rumor and said that I was absolutely never in that position. Those who knew me including my fans certainly knew that I was not that man. My heart was hurt by those reports about bad acting skill, loss focus on projects, or female actress. Now I am not bothered by those past reports.
Question: You received more criticisms than praises about insufficient efforts while you were taking on the challenges of performing in SBS's "Kiss&Cry".
Answer: It was my first time of figure-skating on ice, which was more difficult than what I thought as a matter of fact. The most criticisms I got was when I skated by myself during the 1st round of contest. In my defense, other stars had already practiced one month more than I did. My drama filming schedule was progressing side by side with the schedule of "Kiss&Cry" till the 2nd round of contest. I saw or I heard many comments as to it made no sense to participate in the program if I could not compete constructively. As a result, I put in my full efforts. Yet, I couldn't get good result even though I was dedicated all my efforts to practice in the following 2 months. It was quite regrettable.
Answer: My mother is a really, really nice person. I have never heard a voice from her for fighting with my father. My mother gives me peaceful mind whenever I go home. I have emphasized that my father is the man I spent most time with since my childhood. He has brought me along with him to do lots of activities and to meet many people. He did not give me hard time when I was going through the period after the car accident.
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[The 2nd Interview] 3/15/2012
One drama can bring the fame of stardom and make an actor reborn by slowing sharpening or suddenly making him into a perfect-scored character. Anyway, Suh Ji Suk belongs to the latter. Now, I can't imagine the "Highkick3" without Yoon Jisuk. A sitcom being broadcasted 5 days a week is a scary project. My original appointment with Jisuk was at 8:00pm but the interview could not be held until 11:00pm due to the filming. If not for coming so far to Ilsan, I would have already left. I apologize if he sees my face and neck full of fatigue.
Question: Finally, the kiss scene happened. Although the kiss at the hospital hallway is good but the kiss scene under the sink is indescribably affectionate.
Answer: The kiss scene under the sink was filmed in the late evening. We were asked to take a little breath to film again and again. The detail of collaboration of this sitcom is more than any drama. My previous Manager roles were in many situations of falling in love with the poor woman I helped. This time, my role is a restless man who feels exhausted because he can’t confess to the woman he loves very much. Women around me say that this role is the best man they’d like to date. Thus, I do my best to focus on collaborate well with Miss Hasun.
Question: In the entertainment program, you showed a little bit flirting. Is the role Yoon Jisuk washing away that image?
Answer: In fact, I am the one suffering unfairness. Although I tried my best to perform in the MBC "Hot Brothers" and "Enjoy Today", I was misunderstood in those entertainment programs. As a matter of fact, since I was not familiar with those female guests in those programs, it was not nice to irritate them if I show that I have no interest in them.
In many ways, I behave like Yoon Jisuk. Once before, I bought a concert ticket to celebrate the birthday of the girl I liked. However, I saw another man celebrating her birthday with her in the concert. I was like a fool that I asked that guy to bring one of the tickets to her since I was busy. On the day of the concert, I was waiting for her absent-mindedly while the wind was blowing on my face. Very similar to the episode in which Hasun needed to go to the restroom urgently, I pushed every door open when my girlfriend needed to go to the restroom.
Question: What peculiar emotion you like to have on Miss Hasun?
Answer: My thought is to take care of her as my partner in the sitcom because I have been receiving lots of helps from other senior actors since I was a rookie actor. I understood and accepted those helps on my insufficient portion of acting skills. Especially, Miss Hasun has to show various images by over-acting and being ruined. It is right to give her my supports that she may shine more. Anyway, I don't consider her a woman. (laugh) , that's what being said in the sitcom. In the sitcom, during the period Miss Hasun did not know my mind, there were many women being nasty to her. In fact, I don't know if I fall in love with men. To me, all women look unconditionally pretty.
Question: You and Mr. Go Young Wook form a triangle love relationship and you really don't like him in the sitcom.
Answer: After Yoon Jisuk had given Miss Hasun his best, Youngwook got her to date with him simply in one episode. In fact, Yoon Jisuk was really pissed. (laugh)
Question: Many people predict that the ending of this sitcom will be a tragedy.
Answer: It is a fact that the sad ending of Jisuk and Hasun's love story will leave people a little more memorable impact. Yet, in my opinion, it is better to have a good ending this time. The sad ending will make TV viewers and I myself feel extremely confused.
Question: You have piled lots of experiences by acting in daily drama, weekend drama, miniseries, and sitcom. Is there any project plan that you are not afraid of to do now?
Answer: I felt embarrassed when I first heard of the criticism of "bad performance". There is no one who can't become an actor after he has been performed many genre of projects. There are always some reasons such as unable to grasp the character and time is insufficient. As to my future project ... I am thinking of taking some rest. In fact, I have not been able to take a little bit rest since I completed my military service. Not exercising makes me feel frustrated more than anything else. I have lost 6kg since I have filmed for "Highkick3". As a result, I can't take off my top shirt anymore now. I don't drink alcohol but I exercise to relieve my stress. If an opportunity arrives, I'd like to participate in photo shoots because I don't have experience of fashion project.
Question: What is your most confident sport?
Answer: I like soccer, basketball, and baseball. I founded the entertainers/artists basketball team last year. This time, I participate in the entertainers/artists soccer team. Especially, my great interests and passions in sports make me come forward to own the leadership. One team has more than 50 members. The members of the basketball team, involving in various activities, include the music group Yurisangja, Uhm Ki Joon, Huh Young Saeng, 4Men, M4, Jo Han Sun, etc. (유리상자, 엄기준, 허영생, 포맨, M4, 조한선).
Ah, Crystal (Soojung) and senior Ahn Nae Sang will join the basketball team. Not everyone is invited to enter the team. "Sincerity" is the requirement! For somehow, we have lots of expenses such as for frequent dinners and for uniforms. Yet, I don't regret it because it is my hobby, not my job.
Epilogue
In the hallway, we come across young actress Jin Ji Hee (진지희) who participates in the filming as a cameo. What made this pleased connection between each other? That's right! They were colleagues of "Kiss&Cry". Didn't they go through the tough time together? They hold each other's hands and their eyes filled with lights. Jisuk states that he likes child and this is the proof!
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(Note: After this interview, Jisuk modeled and MCed in the '2012 K-Collection (K-컬렉션)' on 3/11/2012, as he wished.