KOSOO Interview with NUMERO Magazine 2009

English translation by Bluesky and Rayvon..

Credit and many thanks to dear Bluesky and Rayvon for ur hard effort.

 

 

KoSoo : How about shall we share the interview overthere ?

Numero: The wall overthere? seeing against the wall?


KoSoo: Yes

Numero: Okay. Here is weird!
If we share to talk here something, I feel they will fade away.


KoSoo: Yes, they will do maybe,you may feel that.

Numero: For a couple of days I called your manager ,he used to say,
"Soo is blur blur.." When he called you as Soo, I felt your name
very gorgeous!

KoSoo; Yes it is nice name. It means the boundary of water.
Around the water, 洙.
My grand mother gave me this name.

Numero: I think there is only a few who received their names
from their grandmothers.

KoSoo: Yes. there is a few only. But I don't know why she gave me this name.

Numero: Moreover, you worked at the part of park & the green ground 
in a ward office.
It was so dramatic!

KoSoo: Yes, it was! It is marvelous that now I am living like this.
But I didn't forget the memories, surrouded situations,the things which
appeared in front of my eyes, the feeling is still very vivid.
They were absolutely different from now.

Numero: You were a common usual man of 100 %.



KoSoo: I used to feel yearings of those days. Thesedays I used to remind
the memory of one or two years ago not to forget them.

Numero: I wonder what memories you had.Please tell me your concrete memories.

KoSoo: I saw everything at a near distance. , between the trees..the bark of tree,
I went into the cluster of grass and watched the grass one by one..
in the case of earth ground..wet ground and dry ground..
thosedays I could see everything at a near distance..so nowadays sometimes
I also tried to see everything at a near distance like thosedays.

Numero: That's great!
Now you can see all those things again if you try to do?

KoSoo: Well..actually I do it of itself rather than by my will.
yeah..I just do of itself.
Because there are so many people who cannot see something
placed in front of their eyes and there are so many things
which we want to see but can't.

Numero: Considering your past interviews, I get an impression
that you have valued everyday's life above all.
But I think when you became a common usual man,
you must have some difficulties in enjoying the reality
to your heart's content.
Maybe you must feel an overwhelming fear or uneasiness
at the same time.

.

KoSoo: Well.. I think the oppsite side.
Actually I felt THIS job as OTHERs.
While doing that job thosedays, I thought THIS job was not MINEs.
So I felt EASY rather than uneasy.
It was so comfortable and good that I could forget THIS world
as black as pitch.
My all sensibilities in thosedays had a distance to HERE.
And I tried to settle there.
Having passed my times away, I used to imagine my future features
living all the way so that.
But even then I still had a CONTRACT......(laughter)
So I thought to do my best in THIS job.
Coz that world can be reached anytime
but THIS world is what people adore and
what I may meet the situation that I can't work anymore someday.
So I thought that I had to do my best when the situation was available.
But this resolution was made very recently.(laughter)
And YET I still deviate sometimes.

Numero: But the deviation is something quiet and inward ? (laughter)

KoSoo: Of course, yes. (laughter)

Numero: Was the time right to you?

KoSoo: Yes. But after starting the service I realized it.
Coz I have never intended but I had not been prudent as looking back.
Well...ungraceful? or keyed up to be dandyish?
Finally, I had a conclusion that I had to live with more authenticity
which I had had in former days.
I thought over something that I had never thought , even though I had done
my best. I guess you can't understand my words.(laughter)

 

Numero: I understand. Coz I have also the similar experience in
 the similar age like you.

KoSoo: Okay. The time was good. During 10 years I had had also a mannerism
unlike mannerism. But during two years I could not do anything that I wanted.
So I felt the sense of credibility gap between my thoughts and my activities.
But instead of it I thought a lot.

 

Numero: And now YOU became from twenty to thirty.

KoSoo: Yes I became. I feel more responsibility. And I became talkative.

 

Numero: Me, too. Why is this happening to us?

KoSoo: I think in twenties people don't have a certain values
so they could not talk over anything.
But now I think I have my own meanings about everything. How do you think?



Numero:Oh my! How astonishing it is when I found myself talking a lot!

KoSoo: Like a question to yourself when did you realize those things?(laughter)
Like a feeling, why do I, who don't know well, talk a lot?
Yes. Now I have more subjectivities than previous days.
(After a while) Let's be quiet, quiet!(laughter)

 

Numero: You choose stage-play for ur comeback and starred in two performances of <COME BACK MR. UM>

Ko Soo: This is what I really want to try. In my opinion, only to keep trying different things can realize the value of life. So how will it be when I appear on the stage? and I've been thinking about it for a long time. Although the timing is appropriate, I still worried about weather I would take it in harmony with these professional stage players. During rehearsal, I kept studying and thinking over about how to do better and meanwhile sometimes I got puzzled,but fortunately all of us were in a warm discussion and the atmosphere was quite good just like a study group. We talked naturally to the role of each one, so good ideas sooner came out. I felt good about all this. If given the chance to do so next time I would also like to.

Numero: Will you take action as soon as you want to do something?

 

Ko Soo: I will think it over and over,then if I still want to do so I will take action.

Numero:   Will you stick at sth if to do with difficulty?

Ko Soo: There's a saying"Go the last mile,never give up and enjoy the vitory". To think about ' I can't ' or to say it out does not mean really I can't. To me, saying ' I can't ' this kind of words is not be permitted.

Numero: There's not many report on the contents of your new film<BaekYaHaeng--Walking Through the White Night>. We just know about your role named John, he is a man willing to sacrifice himself for a woman.

 

Ko Soo: I think though he's a man alive, but to some extent he's not a real person.Even if he has a lover and the woman can see him whenver she want, however their meeting is not permitted. It's quite difficult to imagin in a real world. So, why they have to avoid seeing each other? I think this film will tell you the reason.

Numero: Do you feel pressure for Higashino Keigo's original works and the drama in Japan?

Ko Soo: I haven't read the original and haven't seen the drama yet. But I've heard about them and I just wanna concentrate on my character.

Numero: You said that choose <BaekYaHaeng>is a safe choice of ur comeback on the report article. But why your face looked a little grievous then. Or maybe it's the extension image of ur new film character.

 

Ko Soo:  Perhaps I always give people this kind of feeling.

Numero: So you mean this kind of image is not only the feeling, but also the nature of you? and you don't agree with what I've mentioned to you?

Ko Soo: Not yet, according to you words if there's sth inside me and it is in line with ur perspective, then I'll check it out optimistically.

Numero: Then that means you're an optimist,right?

Ko Soo:  yes.

Ko Soo: but what was the question again?

Numero: Oh, so that's why you made the safe choice to stick with the image youv'e
built  what is the reason behind the decision?

Ko Soo:Attempting to change my image is something that never occurred to me. Regardless
of what kind of role I undertake, my color is bound to rub off anyway. It's more im
portant to portray the role in a natural, truthful and realistic way but that doesn't
necessarily depend on how realistically I portray the role on the outside. The truth
fulness needs to come from inside.

Numero: Was it in any degree a strategic choice with the japanese fans in mind? In
terms of management.

Ko Soo:I don't know.(In a few moments) You make me think about a lot of things today.

 

 

Numero: No. it's just that I heard that you're opening a japanese website...

Ko Soo: I didn't really think about that... It just happened. I went to Jeju Island and
I took a script with me. I went and enjoyed watching it so I thought it might be fun
which made me want to do it. I found out about the original writing later one.
Other factors are really within my jurisdiction. To say this,hmm...i don't know what the answer is.

Numero: . In any case the character is very becoming. Moreover, to have been
partnered with Son Yejin. You both have these tear-filled moist eyes.

Ko Soo: Really?

Numero: Come to think of it,it's really right around the corner.

Ko Soo: It's as difficult as you make it but I don't want to think of it lightly. I want
to contemplate about about it and struggle with it.

Numero: What if things don't work out after all that comtemplation?

Ko Soo: I'll address that after i'm done with the movie.

Numero: After everything has beeen resolved?

Ko Soo:  Yup

Numero: I'll take that. [laughs] Isn't there anything that you can go on with?

Ko Soo: I really have no idea. I'm just focusing on the character's past and present.



Numero: I guess it might be better to just concentrate on the character. You've
been focusing on TV drama series thus far. I'm curious as to your thoughts on
those actors who work with directors characterized as 'script writers'.
Have you ever thought about being someone's persona?

Ko Soo: It'd be nice to have a relationship like that. It would be great.

Numero: But I think that could be both a strength as well as weakness for an 
actor. Looking in from outside, that's how it seems. In any case if you do feel that
way, do you yearn for such relationship or are you basically striving to be free of such relations?
Or is it that you just haven't met such a director yet?

Ko Soo: Hmm, I... I'm not good at making promises. I fear making decisions.
This is this and that's that sort of decisions. In some sense, I'm the big question 
mark that I pose to myself. That's probably why people look at me the way they
do(as I've mentioned before). But I don't know why I'm... like this..
I shouldn't keep saying things like this.[laughs]

Numero:You were just born that way.[laughs]

Ko Soo: I know. [laughs] Everyone around me are normal and happy, everything
very secure, yet for some reason I don't know why i'm... like this...
I shouldn't keep saying things like this.[laughs]

Numero:To interpret in a positive way, you're so reponsible that you are far more
retrospective that other people which hinders you from making decisions.

Ko Soo: I think so too. I always have thoughts therefore when the situation allows,
I tend to act on it quickly. Then when I've actually spat out my thoughts ...
In regards to what we were discussing before about 'persona' talking this into
consideration.. I don't know. I will not know in the future and I don't know what
to choose. It's just right to let this flow naturally. The heart that moves a person
to live a certain way and to act in a certain way is also self-driven and action follows.
To judge this and that person's personality is dangerous. Always, naturally.

Numero: To recap, the current status of actor Ko Soo is very unique. You're not
any particular director's persona or actor with definite acting credentials, nor are
you characterized as a fashionista like some model-turned-actors, but you're some
where in between those two, yet with strongly appealing character. It may just as
well be a one of a kind status in the country. I think it's definitely an attractive status to be in.
It's my personal wish that you secure that status.

Ko Soo: Oh, I Like that. That status, it's great. I appreciate you establishing my status.

Numero: One other interesting thing is you've always made your mark through TV 
commercials.
Bacchus ad is way too famous and you had an unprecedented self promoting ad,
and your latest Hyundai Securities ad is surprising as well. The Bacchus young man
we came to know so well have matured into a thirty-something. What's impressive
is that you gaze at the audience with no lines.
I realized an actor freshly discharged can mark his comeback in this way.

Ko Soo:Thank you.

Numero: In an interview way back, when asked about a 'tough man' you answered
in this way. 'A person who tries to maintain and uphold the very basics.'
So when you asked specifically about 'the basics', you replied with 'someone who
has no enemies and tries to be considerate at all time.' What if the same question
was thrown at you again?

Ko Soo: A tough man...(Few moments later) He's not a man.Maybe not even a person.

Numero: What?

Ko Soo:You know. The borderline between a child and an adult? A child may be an
adult vice versa. Since it's hard to live like a child forever and it's not like easy being an adult.

Numero: So you want to adhere to that borderline?

Ko Soo:I was given a job in which I can stand on that borderline. I'm thankful that
I can make a living still thinking in this way. When you start your job in work
force, you are coerced to become an adult pretty fast. It'd be nice to be able to
leap across the border between adulthood and childhood. You know Paul Newman?
I don't know him too well but I heard that when he was young, after James Dean
had passed away, he continued his rebel image to develop his own color as some
one masculine and rebellious and he held on this image for the rest of his life.
Yet on the other hand, he was able to keep his love his wife and family for fifty
years. Especailly in hollywood, fifty years is like eternity, someone who can secure
that kind of love makes him a tough person. One who knows to tone down at times
and volumn up when needed.i think that's pretty cool.

Numero; It requires time.

Ko soo: Of course. You can't just hide out like a little kid.... I don't know what will
happen. All I can do is watch what happens.

Numero: You like actor Tony Leung, don't you?

Ko Soo:I think he has composure. I don't know much about his personal life but
what he projects on screen gives off that feeling. Yet he still finds what he needs
to do without missing a thing. It's the toughness amidst softness that he has. It's
something that just spontaneously came into mind as you just asked me the
question. To be honest, I respect all actors. It's amazing how great they all are
and how they have their own world. I simple think they are all great.
They are many right here in Korea. (Moments later) Or is it because article about them is so
well written after interviews like this. No, in interviews I think everyone looks great, not just actors.
After all they are stories about themselves and who wouldn't
present their own stories in a cool way? Everyone would....

Numero: That's true... Do you have any complex?

Ko Soo:Complex... Well in some way, Umm... I don't know. yeah, there is but I don't want to say.

Numero: Because it's a complex?

Ko Soo: Yes

Numero: Got it. [Laughs] Are you weak toward temptation? Or do you tend to contemplate?

Ko Soo: When I hear a sweet story or listen to or see one, I tend to fall straight
into it. When I start to smell the odor, it's not like 'Umm~', but more like sniff, sniff. [Laughs]

Numero: Then it's more like facing it straight on?

Ko Soo: Yes.

Numero: Then you I guess you would know for sure if the temptation is right one or it.

Ko Soo:  I guess so. But when you are falling into it, you don't even realize. I don't
know if it's good or bad or it's the right or wrong way. It's like a swamp.
That's temptation.

Numero:To tell you honestly before meeting you I assumed that the actor Ko Soo
would be someone righteous and proper yet not very interesting.

Ko Soo:Me? I am a funny fellow, too. I am amusing, ain't I?
I guess others might think so coz I think myself funny.
It's just that the method is a bit different.
..
I think I am amusing.[laughs]
(Pointing to the corner of the studio) Uh, that person I don't know...

Numero: Yes... I now think you're pretty interesting.

Ko Soo: There's such thing as someone with similar codes. There are people whom
you just don't click with but there are always continuously good people.
Those you who can talk to.

Numero:Do you tend to be finicky with people? Or do you tend to mix pretty well
with everyone? You are the most uninhibited actor i've met.

Ko Soo:I think people are basically the same. But not everyone thinks so.

Numero:That's true. No one thinks that way.

Ko Soo: Yup. no one. If I hug someone just because I want to and I assume every
one would understand, people run from me and look at me strangely. They're like
"What is wrong with him?" (Few moments later) And I like awkwardness. Awkward
air. How should I put it... like the feeling of not knowing whether I should just lean
on the chair or not. I have a figure which I used to think sometimes.
There are four people at a table.
But when I approach to find out what they're talking about,
they 're all talking about different things.

Numero: Hmm... You're strange. Interesting.

...........