“If it is unavoidable, who has to handle it?“
Private Ahn Joon Ho in Netflix’s series “D.P.” persistently asks questions as both a protagonist and an observer. The absurdity within the military base continues, and the reality does not change easily.
Actor Jung Hae In, who played Ahn Joon Ho in the “D.P.” series, said in an interview held at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on August 3rd, “I’m grateful that many people showed interest in and watched my work. Viewers in countries with conscription systems must have had sympathy, while viewers in other countries must have been curious. It was meaningful to present such a work and ask questions.”
In season 1, the chemistry between Han Ho Yeol (Koo Kyo Hwan) and Ahn Joon Ho, who caught deserters, gave heavy yet pleasant fun. In season 2, the lightness was reduced and the main characters had to express darker emotions.
Jung Hae In said, “I had to take all the things I experienced in season 1 and the emotions I felt on the first day of filming season 2. After Private First Class Jo Suk Bong (Cho Hyun Chul) made an extreme choice, I wondered if Ho Yeol and Joon Ho could be as noisy as before. Since season 1 ended with Private First Class Kim Roo Ri (Moon Sang Hoon) going on a shooting spree, we had to tell a deeper story, a structural story in season 2.”
Jung Hae In enlisted in 2008 and was discharged in 2010. In other words, after more than a decade, he returned to being a private. He shared, “When I was in the training center while acting, I recalled my memories of being a private. If I said I hadn’t experienced absurdity, it’d be a lie. I was scared when being treated badly, so I vowed not to do so when I became a senior, and I’m confident that I didn’t bother anyone.“
Since most men in Korea experienced military life, the drama became a hot topic and produced rich interpretations. Jung Hae In said, “The background of the drama is 2014~2015, so it may be a different story from previous generations’ military experiences. The army these days must have changed something. But I dare say, the army is still a difficult and unfamiliar place because you have to adapt and live with people you don’t know in a confined space.”
Jung Hae In, who rose to stardom with the works of PD Ahn Pan Seok, who created melodramas with deep emotions such as “Something in the Rain” (2018) and “One Spring Night” (2019), showed a different side of himself through this work. Jung Hae In took on the role of a new villain in director Ryoo Seung Wan’s movie “Veteran 2”, which will be released next year.
He smilingly said, “‘D.P.’ is a work like an inflection point for me. It’s a work that gave me confidence to think ‘I can express this kind of thing’. Thanks to the military material, I gained many male fans. There were quite a few men who came to my fan meeting after watching ‘D.P.’, and there were even those who came alone. It feels like I’m getting farther and farther away from melodramas.“
Jung Hae In continued, “It was a natural flow rather than intentionally choosing a genre. I think it’s time to do a melodrama again. I have a desire to show bright acting.”
Jung Hae In celebrated his 10th debut anniversary this year. He emphasized, “I think a lot of seniors who act for a long time without a break are amazing. It seems that I need to take good care of my mental and physical strength. Looking at the fans who filled the fan meeting, I pledged ‘The reason I’m loved is because of acting, not anything else. I’ll do my best in acting’.“
Source: Daum
