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| [INTERVIEW] Jang Dong-gun finds success a double-edged sword | |
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| crown | 21 Apr 2009, 23:17 Post #1 |
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01 DESEMBER 2005 [INTERVIEW] Jang Dong-gun finds success a double-edged sword 2005/12/01 11:57 KST By Kim Hyun SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Jang Dong-gun, the South Korean actor who rose to stardom with a lead role in "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War," says the current mania for Korean pop culture in Asia can sometimes be a hindrance to him. Jang Dong-gun There is an unspoken pressure on him from fans to be portrayed as a star rather than an actor. "There are things that an actor shouldn't do," Jang said, "They make me feel I'm becoming a celebrity. I want to be an actor and I want to avoid them." The 33-year-old heartthrob often appears in the international media, including a recent cover of Time magazine. His image plasters billboards from Beijing to Bangkok, and when South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun visited Mexico City in September, a group of Jang's fans there held a rally to call on Jang to visit. The popularity of South Korean entertainment abroad has led to the creation of the term "hallyu," or Korean wave. Hallyu has helped to bring him fame, but has also brought with it added responsibilities. "I'm an actor and I'd like to be faithful to what is the essence of that. But then, it is not just up to me. I have to do things I don't want to," he said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency in a Seoul cafe. After "Taegukki," a tale of two brothers whose relationship is torn during the Korean War, Jang continues with the divided-nation theme in his new movie "Typhoon" due to hit cinemas here on Dec. 14. He plays a North Korean who defected to become a pirate in Southeast Asia and whose ambitions in South Korea are challenged by a South Korean security agent. Jang is trying to be careful not to become typecast as a serious, purpose-driven figure. "I think it's good for an actor to have a character, but I could become typecast into a certain image. Then audiences would not believe me when I play a different role," he said. The actor, who tanned up and lost 8 kilograms to play the swarthy North Korean character, says the most difficult part of preparing for "Typhoon" was learning to speak Thai and put on a convincing North Korean accent. His new movie was directed by Kwak Gyeong-taek, the director of "Friend" that first introduced Jang to international audience. It seems that most hit South Korean movies in recent times, such as "Silmido," "Taegukki" and "Welcome to Dongmakgol," have revolved around Korea's unique position in the world as a nation divided in two, an issue which Jang feels quite passionate about. "The confrontation between the South and the North is a deep tragedy, but it is also something that only Korea can do in a movie," he said, "I think it's good to continue to cast that question if the filmmakers do it with sincerity." Jang is to tour six Asian countries this month, promoting "The Promise," a U.S.-Chinese-Korean joint production also starring Hong Kong's Cecilia Chung. The new movie, directed by Chen Kaige, is Beijing's pick as its contender for an Oscar in Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards in the United States. Like other Asian stars, Jang says he is also looking ahead at a way into Hollywood, but he holds some reservations. "Hollywood is attractive, it has a good setting, but it also has a bias against Asians. It is not my goal nor my dream, but I hope to have a chance to experience it some time," he said. hkim@yna.co.kr (END) --------------------------------------------------------------------- terjemahan menyusul --------------------------------------------------------------------- source: Yonhap credit to: Adonis International Penterjemah: |
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2:19 AM Jul 12