Thanks very much to Elsie..
There are many Ko Soo interviews lately, but this is one of the best…
English translation by Elsie
GOJIJEON: A frank interview with Ko Soo
; His sly reply as to why his face is the
biggest in the poster for GOJIJEON.
; His annoyance at being scoffed at making
a big deal of his body.
; On being a nice senior who gives money
to his juniors to spend when
drunk.
Ko Soo has said that he has developed a close bond with his fellow cast mates and this camaraderie seems to have blended well into the movie.
Actor Ko Soo (33) is deep thinker. We met him on a rainy evening at a café in Seoul. He was fingering the name cards that reporters had handed him, drawing a circle on the card with his finger tip as though trying to remember the name of the reporter.
He has been busy doing publicity for GOJIJEON lately. When asked how many interviews he had done today, he laughed and said he didn’t count.
There was the time when he shocked everyone with a wisecrack. When asked the reason why his face appeared even bigger than senior Shin Ha Kyun’s in theposter for GOJIJEON, he replied jokingly: “My face is smaller?”
Since his debut in 1999 with the Bacchus CF, he has maintained a pure, pretty-boy image. Even the image for his latest CF for a food product in which he cooks remains unchanged. He continues to capture a woman’s heart.
But Ko Soo has changed. He shows a 180-degree change in Jang Hun’s war blockbuster GOJIJEON in which he plays Lieutenant Kim Soo Hyuk, a violent character who is a victim of the 6.25 war. It is an intense role. However, when the director yells ‘Cut!’, Ko Soo is back to his smiling self again. Friends therefore call him ‘the 4 dimensional man’.
“I didn’t know that shooting a war film is so serious”
GOJIJEON is being commended by film critics as a Korean evolution of a Hollywood war picture. The battlefield scenes are not inferior to Hollywood movie ENEMY AT THE GATES. It must have been really tough for the cast. I asked Ko Soo what is the reason he wanted to do GOJIJEON. He said he didn’t know it’s so serious.
Ko Soo: First, because it is a war movie, my daily routine is as regular as in the army. I wake up in the morning, put on my uniform, get my gun and then ‘Action!’. I run around, I fall. Sometimes I have to repeat these action until I hear ‘Cut!’. When filming ends, I go down the mountain, humming a tune. I change my clothes and then rest. I lived such a life for 6 months from September last year. The film site is on a 45-degree sloping ground. I have to run and fall in my full military uniform and in the cold biting winter.
“I miss the scent of cosmetics” at a press briefing
Ko Soo: Well, let me try to explain why I said that. All actors wear their uniform when they report to the location site. These uniforms are thick to protect them against the cold and they are worn for a long period of time. The location site is on a mountain and there are a lot of battle scenes. So the uniforms smell of gun powder and after a length of time, there is a not very pleasant smell. The clothes are filled with dirt and are crumpled, so not very good for the skin. It is really a very rough environment. Therefore I feel homesick and truly miss the scent of soap. When there were visitors to the set, I looked at myself and at others (laughs). Their perfume (artificial scent) made me miss all these. That was the reason why I said such a thing.
While filming the battle scenes, many actors were injured but these were not made known to the public. Ko Soo injured his thigh when he fell on a sharp stone. However, when asked, he mentioned that he had never been injured to the extent that he was sent to an emergency room.
According to a reliable source, Ko Soo always brought with him a medical kit from home when he was filming dangerous battle scenes and he would personally apply medicine to his injuries. Ko Soo was angry when a reporter scoffed at his attempt. He said it’s regrettable to hear such a comment. He threw his body and soul into his work and the filming set is a dangerous place with sharp and hazardous objects. He therefore brought his own medical kit. Further, he had to run around, fall and tumble. So it will be inevitable that he will suffer injuries and a medical kit will be handy when he needs to apply medicine to his wounds.
During a break from filming, Ko Soo wanted to do mountain climbing but his co-stars Ryu Seung Soo, Ko Chang Seok and Le Je Hoon didn’t like going to the mountain. The 3 actors went to a space centre instead to avoid Ko Soo.
Kim Soo Hyuk, a timid, ordinary student who changed to a cold-hearted person while experiencing a war in hell
Ko Soo: The charms of Kim Soo Hyuk is his sense of duty and responsibility. Even in a serious situation, he is able to instil a strong will for his soldiers to live. As an actor, my challenge is to show the change in this character. Soo Hyuk is different from other military personnel. I want to take on the role of this three-dimensional person - when he was an innocent student to his transformation when experiencing a war.
How do you tackle the part of Kim Soo Hyuk?
Ko Soo: Kim Soo Hyuk is also human. He is a victim of the war. The Soo Hyuk who appeared later in the film is very rough, without a trace of his former innocent self. He also uses bad language. He said to a young child who lost an arm, “Your arm is in weak condition!” It is important to express the change in the character. When filming the part with the young child, there weren’t any children. Even though it is only acting, it would certainly have a big impact on a child when he hears such words. So I told Director Jang that I’ll film the scene without the child actor. Soo Hyuk hates the war really. But he it’s not possible to explain this to his friend Eun Pyo (Shin Ha Kyun), so he said instead, “What do you understand?”
After your stint with the army, you have gone to work on a few dark movies. Is there a special reason?
Ko Soo: I have become more cheerful. Maybe because I’m immature. I feel like I’m wearing clothings which don’t fit in the entertainment industry. (He became serious and thought for a while). Previously, I certainly had doubts about the work I do. But it changed after military service. Most male actors feel pressured about mandatory military service. But I have become more relaxed after going through that.
After filming a war movie, what are your thoughts about war?
Ko Soo: Men in South Korea are always living with misgiving about war. After leaving the army, we are still receiving reserve corps and people’s defence training. If war really happens, I have a duty to defend my country. Of course when filming. I get to realise that war is scary.
In the movie poster, your face appears to be bigger than senior Shin Ha Kyun’s. Is it because of your looks?
Ko Soo: My face is smaller? Just joking. That’s right. I don’t really know why.
Why do you think Director Jang Hun cast you for the part of Kim Soo Hyuk?
Ko Soo: When I first met Director Jang, I was filming PSYCHIC. I played a good natured chap who laughed a lot. So I met Director Jang in a happy and relaxed mood like Gyu Nam. However, everything changed after I received the script for GOJIJEON (laughs). I thank Director Jang for giving me such a good opportunity. In the script, Kim Soo Hyuk is an intense character. I felt pressure but it was a good opportunity.
Director Jang Hun has a really gentle image. How was he like on the film set?
Without thinking, Ko Soo immediately offered fruit juice to this reporter with a smile, “Please have a fruit juice”. “Please have a second helping”. “You have finished your fruit juice, please have another glass here”. Without suspecting anything amiss, this reporter finished all the juices. Ko Soo then let out…
Ko Soo: This is Director Jang’s style. His voice is ever so gentle and he is a good brother. He always talks to the actors in a gentle manner and encourages them that it’s possible to do. My first impression of him and now are the same.
Your were critical of your own performance during the press preview. How are you doing now?
Ko Soo: How many people would think that they are perfect? Anyway, I saw myself in the first preview. I also heard the comments from my fellow cast mates. It was a long and tiring shoot but I had a close bond with fellow actors and the production. The pleasant filming atmosphere seemed to have blended well with the movie. It was good.
How much do you drink?
Ko Soo: Just about a bottle of soju.
Heard that you often gave money to the juniors when drunk. And when you were in a good mood, you would give them 50,000 won each time.
Ko Soo: (Feeling embarrassed). Well, when I have money and when there’s time. I don’t have much concern about money. Filming was difficult for the children. Well, there are more important things than money.
The filming site was cold, so Ko Soo ssi supplied the firewood with his axe work?
Ko Soo: (Puffing up his chest with pride) Well, the children seem to be growing up nicely and there is a disproportionate ratio of adult to children.
I remember that 10 years ago you were very good at high jump. During a KBS ‘dream team’ program, you managed to cross the 270 cm mark over a box horse.
Ko Soo: (Stood up for a demonstration). What is more expensive and frightening than hurting my back? It was really urgent at that time. But now I chop wood, get the fire going, I like to go camping, exploring and I also like mountain climbing.
Ko Soo, man of the woods who considers mountain climbing as rest
There are a lot of speculations and stories about Ko Soo suggesting to go mountain climbing during rest days.
Ko Soo: I simply suggested that since tomorrow is a holiday, why don’t we go up the mountain? We will gather in front of the canteen in the morning. Though it is difficult filming on the 45-degree mountain slope, it’s still good going up the mountain.
Unlike Ko Soo, the other actors didn’t like mountain climbing. Ryu Seung Soo, Ko Chang Seok and Le Je Hoon went to the space centre while Ko Soo went mountain climbing. To avoid Ko Soo, the 3 men spent a miserable time at the space centre.
Besides mountain climbing, what else did you do?
Ko Soo: Running through the village with friends from the Alligator Squadron. When filming ended at Hamyang, I ran through the village and through the playground more than 10 rounds under the moonlight.
Ko Soo has a lot of fans. Which were the fans which left a deep impression? During stage greetings, there will be fans who will rush forward with fan letters?
Ko Soo: I remember an episode during a stage greeting at Pusan for WHITE NIGHT. It was radical but good. There was this group of ladies in audience who shouted loudly, “Soo, raise your head!” I was shocked and raised my head. I saw my fans. They were brimming with affection.
Please tell us what’s your next project and future plans
Ko Soo: I will decide on my next step after completing the stage greetings. Hopefully as early as possible. I’d like to do a variety of roles and genres, from the light-hearted to other types of characters.
Is there anything you want to say to the audience of GOJIJEON?
Ko Soo: Please keep the final scene of the movie in your memory. Think about the 4,000,000 casualties of the Korean war and the 3,000,000 people who sacrificed their lives in the scramble for the highland in the central front line for a tiny strip of land. It will depend on the audience of course but there are a lot to be gleaned from the movie. I think you will find it interesting.
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