Go Youn-jung Drama Interview - Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness, Can This Love Be Translated, etc.

The Netflix series <Can This Love Be Translated?>, released earlier this year, received a lot of love and ranked high on the global charts. How are you moving on from the lingering emotions of that work?

After finishing filming early last year, I spent a very busy time gradually forgetting 'Mu-hee,' the character I played. Perhaps because the series was released just as my memories were fading while preparing for a new project, I've been thinking back to that time lately. Even though a year has passed, the memories of filming remain vivid.

Since you filmed in several different countries, there must have been many memorable moments on set. Is there a scene that suddenly comes to mind?

It was my first time filming a drama overseas, and I naturally grew close not only to the actors but also to the staff, developing a kind of comradeship. (laughs) I remember the moments when we bonded more because communication wasn't easy, or when we shared Korean food if there was any left on set. Since the work captures all four seasons, looking back, it feels like I went on a long journey for a year.

(Omitted)

Recently, you've been showing a more honest and unfiltered side of yourself on the variety show <Manitto Club>. How do you usually express your feelings to those close to you?

I think the concept of the Manitto program—expressing your heart discreetly—fits my personality well. I'm usually a bit clumsy at expressing my affection verbally to the people I cherish. Instead, I express it by remembering something they mentioned in passing and taking care of it, or by doing things they like. Of course, if the other person wants me to express it in words, I try my best to do so.

You have a new project coming out soon. In the drama <Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness>, you play the role of 'Byeon Eun-ah,' a planning PD at Choi Film. What was your first impression of the work?

Since it's a story set in the film industry, there were many scenes I could relate to. The process of creating a piece of work is depicted very realistically. While it retains the unique atmosphere of writer Park Hae-young's works, like <My Mister> and <My Liberation Notes>, there are comedic elements placed throughout, which made it feel like a hopeful story to me.

Looking at the released stills, I guessed there would be a big difference in temperature compared to your previous work. What specifically did you find interesting about the character?

I think I felt a charm in the fact that she is the complete opposite of my previous character. If Mu-hee is a character who shines in colorful hues, Eun-ah is closer to achromatic colors. It was also interesting that while both harbor deep inner anxieties that aren't visible on the surface, their ways of handling emotions are different. Mu-hee is a character accustomed to expressing emotions outwardly, so she had a lot of lines, but Eun-ah is a person who constantly looks inward and asks questions, so there is a lot of space between her lines. She doesn't talk much, but the occasional words she drops contain sharp truths, so she's a friend whose words carry great weight.

In terms of how you handle emotions, which side do you feel you are closer to?

Both are very different from me, but I think I'm closer to Eun-ah. When I'm struggling emotionally or feeling anxious, I tend to organize things myself rather than pouring them out to someone. When my emotions fluctuate greatly, I prefer to wait quietly until they settle down.

Have there been any changes in you while playing a character with a different personality?

I think playing a character who is rich in sensibility, delicate, and sensitive makes me look more closely at the trivial emotions I usually overlook. I also realize that things I took for granted because they were familiar are actually things to be very grateful for. I think the way I understand people around me who are similar to the characters I've played has changed a bit.

Looking at the various works Go Youn-jung has done, I can feel an interest in diverse genres and narratives. Do you always choose novelty over familiarity when picking a project?

I think I've always chosen the former between what I want to do and what I'm good at. Of course, as my role and responsibility within a project grow, I naturally look for the intersection of the two, but the variables and possibilities I encounter every time I make a new choice always provide positive stimulation for me.

In an interview with Marie Claire two years ago, you said that you always feel happy heading to the set. Was there a catalyst for you to enjoy a set full of variables?

In the beginning of my career, I felt a lot of tension because I didn't major in acting and lacked experience. While filming the drama <Law School>, I created scenes while relying on fellow actors of my age, and that's when I first discovered the joy of being on set. The feeling of nearly 100 people working together to create a single result—that sense of belonging—was really great. Since painting is a strictly solitary task, I had never felt that kind of belonging. After going through <Alchemy of Souls>, <Moving>, and <Hospital Playlist: Residents (working title)>, I started to find joy in acting itself. As I gained colleagues, the set became more comfortable, and a natural desire to do better emerged.

As your relationships with the actors you work with have deepened, has your perspective on the works themselves changed?

Previously, I mainly watched works I liked, but these days, even if I don't have much free time, I make sure to watch the first episode of any new release. While filming <Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness>, I became more aware of the arduous process each script goes through before it reaches me. Regardless of whether it's a hit or not, I think I watch them with the mindset that there is a reason this work is coming out into the world now, and that it is a work by colleagues I will be spending a long time with.

As you experience various sets, are you gradually gaining confidence in yourself?

A little. When I painted, I always had confidence in what I was good at and what I wasn't. I think I painted in a relatively clever way, supplementing my weaknesses and utilizing my strengths. Now that I've passed the period where acting felt unfamiliar, those tendencies are starting to appear. However, since I've only just reached the adaptation stage, I think it's too early to speak of confidence. That's because whenever I think I'm even slightly confident, things often turn out unexpectedly. (laughs) So, I'm trying to let go of the desire to do well or the expectations and approach every take with sincerity.

With what kind of mindset do you want to continue your future journey?

I feel my mindset hasn't changed much from the beginning. I'm still curious and excited about what will happen tomorrow, on the next set, and what changes will occur in my acting. If you do one thing for a long time, there will definitely come a moment when you get used to new stimuli, but I hope that moment comes as late as possible in acting. I don't want to become numb.

Interview Source

Source: https://www.fmkorea.com/best/9789102671