[Yetterview] 'Firefighter' Joo Won, "Director Kwak Kyung-taek is like a dream..."I don't think about being on the show".

Actor Joo Won expressed his delight at appearing in the film directed by Kwak Kyung-taek, who is called the master of Chungmuro. He said he sympathized with the message the work wanted to convey, but above all, he appeared without any worries after receiving a love call from a respected director.

Joo Won, who is about to release the movie "Firefighter," met with YTN at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 28th and talked about the work. The movie "Firefighter" is based on the true story of the 2001 Hongje-dong fire disaster, a reconstructed film with cinematic imagination, and Joo Won plays the role of Cheol-woong, a new firefighter in the play.

The film is also attracting attention as a new film directed by Chungmuro master Kwak Kyung-taek. Director Kwak has been very popular in reality-based works such as the movie "Friend," which gained popularity in the syndrome in 2001, "Top Secret Investigation," and "Jangsa-ri: Forgotten Heroes," and he also told the story of firefighters with serious details in his new film "Firefighter."

Joo Won said, "Director Kwak Kyung-taek was like a dream to me. Since I was a generation who grew up watching the director's work, I was very nervous since Cole came, and I thought I was finally meeting him," he said. "Working with the director, I could see why he was a respected director for a long time."

Specifically, "The director does not spare praise to the actors on the spot and never force them to act." They made the actors not use energy in vain and created the environment. The director also showed me his acting, but he was so good and his comments were so catchy that it was more enjoyable than any other scene," he said.

Joo Won recited the masterpiece of director Kwak Kyung-taek. He said, "The best thing was 'Friend', and I enjoyed 'Top Secret Investigation' and 'Jangsa-ri'. But I told the director, "The director is called the 'friend' director, but now I want him to be called the 'firefighter' director." It's meaningful to the director, but it's also meaningful to me," he said.

The message that this work was intended to convey was also clear. Through the lines of the characters in the play, the necessity of improving the poor working environment and treatment of firefighters was pointed out. In addition, with a surprising sense of responsibility, we wanted to provide an opportunity to appreciate the firefighters who participated in each scene. Joo Won also explained that he deeply sympathized with the meaning of the work.

"When I saw the script, I felt like I should do it," he said. There was no agonizing process. Interest in pediatric surgery increased due to the drama 'Good Doctor' I starred in. I personally prefer those things. It's not like "feel it" after seeing our work, but I want to act with more responsibility, and it's good if it actually improves," he said.

"Firefighter" follows the gaze of new firefighter "Cheol-woong." While he has just been assigned to the fire station and is out of his mind, he has lost Yong-tae (played by Kim Min-jae), who was following him like his own brother, in a fire and is in a state of loss, but he is trying to overcome it with the help and support of his colleagues. I was curious about the effort to draw Cheol-woong, the narrator and growth character of the work.

Joo Won said, "I tried not to decorate Cheol-woong too much because he is a newbie who is not used to firefighters yet. I tried to express the fear and tension of the fire at the scene of the fire. He explained, "I'm becoming more and more qualified as a firefighter, and I think I've also gotten bigger and bigger playing that character." In accordance with the will of director Kwak Kyung-taek, who values

reality, 'Firefighters' reduced CG processing and filmed in a hot scene reminiscent of an actual fire scene. The cast completed a few weeks of firefighting training before filming in earnest, and went into the fire wearing an oxygen mask and postponed it.

Joo Won said, "I remember when I first went into the fire. It was hot even though I put something on my body and went in. I was scared, and I thought that if I wasn't nervous, I could be in big trouble. The equipment on the back was about 25kg, so it was physically difficult, but I wanted to show it as it is without mixing any techniques," he said.

Although he completed the film after so much effort, "Firefighter" lost some of its strength in preparation for its release as one of the main actors, Kwak Do-won, caused a drunk driving scandal. The release period was delayed more than expected, and Kwak Do-won was completely excluded from promotional activities, but there was a concern that the audience's immersion could be reduced by appearing in the work as it is.

Joo-won said, "I was in a bad mood because of Do-won. I contacted him at the production briefing and talked about my feelings. It would be nice to do it together, but I'm upset that I can't, and this movie is about a firefighter, not an older brother, so I said I'll do my best to promote it. My brother was so sorry, and he seemed to be reflecting on himself," he said.

'Firefighter' will be released in theaters on December 4th.

[Photo source = Ghost Studio/By4M Studio]

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