#translation magazine

(TRANS ) 2020.08 issue  — interview with elle korea

translated byfy!wdh+originally from elle korea
please do not repost translations on tumblr and always credit page 712, or fywdh when posting elsewhere. please obtain permission before translating into other languages.
click here for an alternate version with accompanying images.

This was never a planned farewell. The news of his enlistment a week before the photoshoot. This is what the star wrote in his handwritten letter uploaded to his SNS account. “Thank you for watching over and loving my twenties”. <Elle>’s preparation became even more frantic in the lead up to meeting him. And finally, 3 days before his enlistment, Woo Dohwan’s final photoshoot in his twenties began, taking place among the staff that he has worked alongside with for a long time. Possessing a masculine look and fierce gaze, he is an actor that very much belongs on screen. As a matter of fact, we were just recently starting to become a bit more curious about him. That is because he looked like a totally different person while playing the role of a funny and sly character - a side of him he had never shown prior to playing two characters in <The King: Eternal Monarch>. There are still so many things we want to know about this man who, played each role earnestly as if to make up for his slightly late rise to fame, shed tears at the last shoot of each of his productions, discusses his serious inner thoughts with honest words, and who ended up holding back his tears towards the end of this interview. Before putting on his last outfit, he reappeared in front of the camera after leaving the studio for a short period of time with a freshly cut short hairstyle. This is the last scene.

We abruptly heard about the news of your enlistment. Our meeting today has become a little more special. Yes Yes. This is my last schedule. I actually wanted to go out, meet up with people and eat lots of good food, but I held back for today. Because I wanted to be in my best condition for the possibly everlasting photoshoot that encapsulates the last days of my twenties.

D-3, how do you feel right now? I’m really feeling a lot of emotions. I’m the type who is always writing in my diary as well as using my mind,  in hopes that I won’t forget each day. I think the army will be a place that makes me reflect on a lot of things. I’m thinking about a lot of things; like how I have lived, the people who are truly the most precious to me…

<The King: Eternal Monarch> turned out to be your last production before enlisting. Now that I think about it, I think it was a relief that I played 2 characters. Because by showing off two sides of myself through the one production, it would have felt like I was in two productions to my fans. Since it was a production where I was able to work together with such great actors and staff members, I feel like I’m enlisting having gained a sturdy support system.

Jo Young and Jo Eunseob, it seems like it would have been hard playing two characters who are so different from each other. It was difficult. There were days where I had to play them on the same day, and there were others where I played Young, then Eunseob, then had to get back into the character of Young again. It wasn’t just me, but my staff members suffered as well, having to wash and style me over and over again. In order to become Eunseob, I needed to raise my energy levels right from the start. And when transforming into Young, I tried my best to be as calm and cool headed as possible. It was personally quite interesting and fun for me - trying to make out the differences between the two of them. It wasn’t easy of course. Above everything else though, the scenes where both characters I played were on screen at the same time were the most difficult, but at the same time the most fun as well. Because we had to calculate everything carefully, from our reactions down to the height differences of our eyes.

In particular, the character of Jo Eunseob showed off a completely new side to actor Woo Dohwan. How was it, playing a cheerful and high spirited character who also spoke in dialect? Those who are close to me all know. That I’m Eunseob (laughs). Since I’ve played a lot of serious characters, in the eyes of the public it might seem like I’m closer to Young. So I’m glad that I was able to show off a different side of myself. It felt new to me as well as I was acting. It was a role that I’ve always wanted to try, and now have finally been able to show everyone. I think Kim Eunsook scriptwriter brought to life parts of myself that she discovered.

It’s inevitable for everyone to have a different side of themselves hidden inside them. What do you think are the most conflicting aspects that the real Woo Dohwan possesses? When I meet up with people off-work in my own private time, I’m often told that I’m different to how I look. For example, people always say that I look like I would like to drink (alcohol). But I really don’t! And some people might have noticed through this production, but I really like joking around.

And another thing, we heard that you actually cry easily. Actor Yang Sejong, who you met during <My Country> gave us the heads up. That you bawled your eyes out during the last shoot. I’m the type of person who experiences emotions pretty intensely. Even when I’m acting, since I’m still lacking in the skills department, I try my best to focus on the character and my emotions. Speaking of which, Sejong contacted me, giving me a heads up on a lot of things since he enlisted before I did. We’re thankful for each other. He was the best partner.

If a parallel universe really existed like in the drama, and you were able to see what happens if the you of the past made a different choice, what would you be the most curious about? I think about what would have happened if I didn’t become an actor. You know how the people on both sides of the timeline in <The King: Eternal Monarch> had big changes to their careers? I think I’m the most curious as to what I would be otherwise doing. Because depending on what I was doing, I could be married, and my life could look very different.

9 years has passed since you made the choice to become an actor. Has it been a time that is free of regrets? When I was in my early to mid twenties and didn’t have much work, time felt really slow. Everyday was a continuous cycle of waiting, where I spent each day worrying about how to spend the day. And I think the time that eventually was given to me passed by so quickly that I didn’t even have time to process it. I think happy times are meant to go by the fastest. Like how people say that the first vacation you get from the army is over in 3 seconds (laughs). Of course, compared to other actors, I can’t say the period I spent in anonymity as an actor was long by any means, but I, too, had a period of time where I was waiting in desperation, and that’s how I came to get this opportunity. It’s because things didn’t go smoothly for me right from the start that I’m a lot more thankful. That I’m enlisting with the support of so many people.

Action, thriller, historical, romance etc Is there a production out of your wide spectrum of works that you would like to reminisce about? They really were all very different characters, and each production was a challenge. I think I was lucky. That I was able to take on so many challenges in my twenties. In the case of the drama <The Great Temptation>, I felt a huge burden since it was my first production after having received the best new actor award. And the fact that it was my first time taking on a lead role was also a huge sense of pressure. Being on set was really hard for me since I was lacking in experience back then compared to now. I worked really hard to try to find a way to break through it. Based on everything I felt and learned then, I shot two films, then when I was filming the drama <My Country>, I could feel that something had changed within myself. That maybe the job of being an actor is something I could enjoy doing. The sides of myself that I can show onscreen are limited, but I feel like the me behind the camera has changed a lot.

During did you have any period of hardships or concerns that you kept to yourself, that we might not have known of? It’s one of the serious concerns of every young actor and male celebrity - myself included. The thought of my enlistment has always been on my mind. That was my biggest concern and one of the largest sources of stress for me. When things weren’t working out, I thought ‘Should I enlist next year?’ which then turned into ‘I have to go when I turn 25’, but then in January the year I turned 25, I was cast in <Master>. And that’s how I got here. While my friends enlisted and were discharged around the ages of 20-21, I’ve learnt about what kind of place the army is by listening to their stories for almost 10 years - like I’ve learned it in theory. Now it’s finally time for me to go and experience and learn for myself.

Twenty nine. How was Woo Dohwan’s twenties? Do you think you spent it well? (Pauses) I think I spent it well. I’m not sure why but this question feels quite heavy. I met a lot of people, among them, there were some who hurt me, as well those who may have been hurt by me. I loved and was loved… I don’t want to answer the question of whether I spent my twenties well by saying ‘no’. Even if I didn’t, I don’t want there to be an ounce of regret in my heart.

It was just a quick, light-hearted question, but you seem to be holding back your tears. To be honest, age is nothing but a number, I’m not sure if it’s because my enlistment is right before me, but everything feels more emotional. Ever since last year, I kept asking my manager “What does it feel like when you hit your thirties?”. I kept asking him, but he said that it wasn’t a really big deal and that there was nothing that special. I asked other hyung’s, who all gave similar answers, but to me, I think that I’ll be a bit disappointed if that’s true. I hope that I’ll be a little different when I come back.

What kind of experience do you hope to have during your time in the military? To be honest, I really don’t remember what it’s like to meet and be treated as just me and not ‘actor’ Woo Dohwan. But just like how I naturally become the person who I used to be before when I’m with my friends, it should just be like adding more friends to that circle. I’m looking forward to it more than I am worried. Ever since I was young, I’ve had dreams about being a soldier. I think it’s such an amazing thing to be protecting something. I want nothing more than to do my best during this time that only comes once. And I hope that when I come back, even if it’s just a little bit, I want to come back more mature and cooler. I’m curious to see how my face will look in the mirror when that time comes.

If actor Woo Dohwan’s twenties were to be compiled into a film, what should you like the ending cut to be? I’d like it to be a scene where I’m smiling happily. But there aren’t a lot of scenes where I’m smiling in the productions I’ve been in. There’s a scene in <The King: Eternal Monarch> where Eunseob flips a coin - that scene should be enough? But instead of a coin, I would be like ‘goodbye my twenties’ (laughs).

translated byfy!wdh + originally from elle korea
please do not repost translations on tumblr and always credit ‘fywdh.tumblr.com’ when posting elsewhere. please obtain permission before translating into other languages.

(TRANS ) 2017.09 issue  — interview with elle korea

translated byfy!wdh+originally fromelle korea (via@712_gif)
please do not repost translations on tumblr and always credit page 712, or fywdh when posting elsewhere. please obtain permission before translating into other languages.
click here for an alternate version with accompanying images.

Your eyes linger on him even though he doesn’t say a word.
It’s not easy to erase him from your memory [mind].
[Just] One look at him and you’ll want to keep looking at him for a long time.
Woo Dohwan’s face, which has been closed in on by the eyes of the world.

elle korea: What did you do during the first broadcast of the drama <Save Me> last week?
wdh: I was watching at home with my parents.

How was it?
wdh:I had already watched episodes 1 and 2 beforehand during the vip screening. The scenes that I appeared in are a given, but I paid particular attention to the acting of the sunbaenims. [Because] I was extremely curious as to how they would act them [particular scenes] out when I read the script. As I watched, I couldn’t help but think that they are amazing. I still remember [and will continue to] the delighted faces of my parents on August 5th, the first day of the first broadcast.

You’re speaking very calmly [coolly] considering it’s the first production in which you play a lead role.
wdh:It’s the first production where I’m standing in the front line, and it’s a production I’ll never forget, but on the other hand it’s also a production that is testing me. Both my company and I had questions over whether the viewers would be accepting of the actor Woo Dohwan who appears on screen every episode with a significant amount of screen time trying to lead the drama. That’s why I didn’t think of else but that I had to do well.

Have you seen the various reactions [about himself] like ‘strong presence’, 'right person for the role’, and 'snatcher of women’s hearts’ after the broadcast?
wdh:My acquaintances sent my screen captures of news articles. I never expected that kind of reaction. [Rather than that] I had hoped viewers would [just] enjoy watching <Save Me>.

Have the looks in people’s eyes [expectations] as they look at you changed now?
wdh:Rather than saying that there’s a newly found sense of trust, I think people are looking forward to me [and his projects/acting]. From now on, they’ll probably watch me while questioning whether I will be able to do well until the end. I don’t think tests like these will be the last.

Depending on how you look at it, the character 'Seok Dongcheol’ might be a character with a lot of strength [power]. [Because] He has a cold [facial] impression, a rebellious temperament and even has a heart that’s full of wounds.
wdh:I had the feeling that more guys [compared to women] would like the character if I expressed the Dongcheol in the script well. [Because] I was drawn to Dongcheol’s manliness [masculinity] at first as well. If this friend [Dongcheol] is confident that he is right, he [is the style to] jumps right into it. To do that is easier said that done. To me, I think Dongcheol was probably a child that was like a blank canvas. As he grew up, he started to believe things one at a time as he experienced them. Like how he came to hold the belief that you should not, under any circumstance, hit women, and that they are to be protected after his mother left home because of his alcoholic father. And because he grew up with his grandmother, I think the only person he can trust in this world is his grandmother. In that sense, you could say that he’s a friend who is naive.

How have you come to meet such a charming character [Seok Dongcheol]?
wdh:After the movie 'Master’ finished, I started auditioning for roles again. <Save Me> was the tenth audition that I went to this year. I didn’t even know that the drama was based off the webtoon <out to the world> ['into the outside world’]. Even though it was a webtoon that I enjoyed reading. As I read the synopsis, Dongcheol’s pain and the bond between the friends of 'gang of 4 country boys’ really struck a cord with [touched] me. And the subject matter of a religious cult was also really interesting. I wanted to grab the opportunity no matter what.

Is there something that you’ve been told a lot since you’ve started acting and when you’ve attended auditions?
wdh:I get complimented a lot that I have a nice voice. There were also people who told me that 'your [his] eyes are your strength [advantage]’. At the start [when he first started] people told me negatives things more [often]. [They said things like] 'How are you going to be an actor with those skills’ 'Your low voice doesn’t suit your appearance. If you want to keep acting, raise the tone of your voice.

How do you feel when you think back to those times?
wdh:Now that I’m told what was once my weakest point [disadvantage] is now my strength, it makes me think that in the end, the person who knows your strong points the best is [no one but] yourself. You can’t just throw it away [without any thought] because others say that it’s your weakness. You need to keep thinking about how you can turn it into and show it off as your strength. That’s a know-how that I’ve gained along the way of going to countless auditions.

What kind of strengths do you think the director of <Save Me> saw in Woo Dohwan?
wdh:He told me that my eyes suited the Dongcheol that had been described in the script.

What kind of work [is involved] is it to play a character who is [already] portrayed so clearly in the webtoon?
wdh:It’s definitely a lot harder to approach. There will be fans who don’t like [the idea of the drama] straying away from the original [webtoon]. I too, really hate it when a production I like gets weirdly remade. So I can’t help but be worried. But still, there are parts that are of some help. <The Man Living in Our House> which I participated in last year was also based off a webtoon, so I was able to find characteristics of the role a bit more clearly whilst looking at the illustrations. Thinking 'that’s what it’s supposed to be like’ [while reading the webtoon].

Then what kind of character is Woo Dohwan?
wdh:Starting with my friends, I’ve been told a lot that 'you’re [he’s] living really well while doing the things that you want’. I guess the line differentiating between what I like and dislike must be very clear to them. I do have very clear views, I guess. If I think that something is right, then I go ahead with it first then wait to see what happens. My motto [in life] is 'It’s okay even if you fail, so let’s life a life without regrets’. But that has changed as I filmed <Save Me>. [It has now changed to] 'Let’s be happy together.’ I hope that all the actors and staff members will become happy through this production.

It’s a thought that’s suddenly come to my mind, but do you have the temperament of a leader [tendency to be a leader]?
wdh:I think that I’ve wanted to [be the one to] take the lead [others] to do something ever since I was young. In elementary school, I would make phone calls to around 10 of my friends’ homes every Sunday at 9am. I would tell them to come to this place by this time. Even now when I go on trips with my friends, I’m the one who does all the planning and am in charge of the money. 

Would those friends of yours have imagined that Woo Dohwan would be acting [become an actor]?
wdh:Absolutely not. I’ve had this talk before with my friends of 15 years. They all said that they were curious as to what I could be doing when I grew up. Which makes sense because I was [only] 19 years old when I decided to become an actor. But they said that one thing’s for sure - that whatever I did, I wouldn’t starve [he would do well].

But why did you choose acting [out of all things]? What was the decisive factor?
wdh:My father who involved in theater when he was younger had a big influence [on his decision]. I had wanted to pursue acting a long time before that, but was never able to express it outwardly. I wondered whether it would be okay if I did [pursue acting], and didn’t know if I would be able to do well. And it was when I was 19 that I finally decided. It felt like if I kept hesitating, [it would be too late and that] by the time I decided I wanted to [act], I wouldn’t be able to.

Have you ever gotten that feeling of 'as expected, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ since you’ve started acting?
wdh: I wasn’t able to see my father act, so I’ve only heard it from stories, but he has a lot of [natural] talent. I don’t think of myself as having as much [natural born] talent as my father. I get the feeling that 'the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ when I take photos with my father. The feeling [aura] we both exude are exactly the same.

Between your face in real life and your face on screen, which do you prefer?
wdh: My face on screen is better [nicer] by a mile. It’s the face that the best staff members have made [together]. When the lighting director creates lighting that suits me the best, the filming director then films me in a way that ensures that I come out well no matter what, and then the director says 'this expression looks good’, and uses [picks] the most suitable scene.

Is there anything else you have been continuing to do as steadily as acting?
wdh:[writing in] my journal and exercising.

Really? Why do you keep a journal?
wdh: Rather than some special reason, it’s [just] become a habit. At first [it was because] each passing day seemed like a waste. If I don’t keep a record of it, then no one would know about [what happened] my yesterday. I started writing in it with the resolve that I, at least, should keep a record [of his days].

How has that habit changed you personally?
wdh: As I [you] move along in life, I sometimes think that 'today’s tough’, and then I read back to the journal [entries] I wrote last year and the year before that and [see that] I had a hard time then too. I think [the only reason] I have this current moment in time is because I endured through those hard times somehow [no matter what]. I gain strength to keep on living through today by reading my past journals.

Do you remember? In the interview we had when you received attention through <Master>, you mentioned that you wanted to film a youth centric, school based production while you were at an age where you still suited a school uniform.
wdh: That’s right. I said that I wanted to try acting in a [school] uniform, a tsundere character, and action scenes, and I’ve been able to do all of them through <Save Me>. It’s not easy to have things go the way you planned [say] but the character that I’m playing right now is full of not only just the things that I want to do, but also sides of me that I am confident in showing others.

Your face lit up while talking about that. What is the thing that makes you smile in your daily life?
wdh: I smile [laugh] a lot. I’m always smiling [laughing], [it’s] to the point where it’s impossible for me to pick and tell you an exact instance where I laugh [more than usual]. I even often tell my friends 'let’s laugh and live’. You’ll know once you take a look at my instagram account. There are lots of photos of me smiling [laughing] - I uploaded them wanting others to smile at least once when they see my photos.

Then I guess we should do the photo shoot all over again. [Change the concept] To Woo Dohwan’s smiling face.
wdh: I think this is a bit different [a different story]. Haha.