A household name after starring in Korean epics like Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War and Friend, Jang Dong-gun has been part of the explosive growth of the Korean film industry and has worked with a lengthy, star-studded list of talent over the last three decades.
However, Jang tells Deadline that there are still many actors and directors that he has not had a chance to work with yet, although he hopes to collaborate with them in the near future. This list includes fellow actors and friends Hwang Jung-min and Lee Byung-hun, as well as directors like Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook and Kim Jee-woon.
Jang says that he is also on the search for an “ordinary” role, after playing a wide range of characters with extraordinary and extreme backgrounds.
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“Over my past works, I have done a lot of roles that are not common, that you can’t see in real life usually, such as a soldier in the middle of war, a killer, as well as a zombie. I’ve also played a president, so all very extreme situations and occasions,” says Jang. “Going forward, I really want to try out some ordinary characters and roles that we can see in our daily lives.”
Jang recently wrapped production for Korean action feature Night Fever, which is slated for release in summer this year. Shooting in Thailand, Jang plays an Interpol officer investigating a drug case in the country.
Jang arrived in Hong Kong for the Asian Film Awards on March 16, where he received the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, alongside Tang Wei.
The Korean actor has mostly stuck to works for the big screen, although he has starred in the occasional series, including Arthdal Chronicles and the Korean adaptation of Suits. Jang says this is a conscious choice.
“I prefer to meet and greet my audience through the big screen, although nowadays people don’t usually go to the cinema because there are so many platforms,” says Jang.
When asked to pick the most memorable project from his storied career, Jang selected 2001 action neo-noir Friend.
“Although it’s a movie from long ago, I chose this film because it was a really critically-acclaimed film from both the audience and critics. Also, my image and character in the film are very different from what I am usually, so I think it’s been my most unforgettable project.”
Jang also picked out Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War as another particularly memorable project, as well as international films like Chen Kaige-directed film The Promise.
“In The Promise, I worked with Japanese and Chinese actors, which was really unforgettable. Also, in Dangerous Liaisons, I got to collaborate with Hong Kong actors and actresses. Working with actors from different cultural backgrounds is meaningful, as we work towards the same goals in a film,” adds Jang.
On the actors that Jang had looked up to when he was entering the industry in the early 1990s, he quickly singled out Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki. Outside of Korea, Jang says that Hong Kong’s Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung were major sources of inspiration.
Jang says he has witnessed a shift in the longevity of actors, since he first entered the film industry.
“When I first started acting, the career lifetime of a male actor is rather short, compared to what it is now,” says Jang. “But I do still see Ahn Sung-ki, Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung, how they are still working and are well-received by the audience and the industry.
“Along with my friends like Lee Byung-hun and Jang Woo-sung, we all started acting in our twenties, so it’s been around 30 years, and they still have a very strong existence in the industry, so I think this is the first generation of actors who’ve seen such longevity,” adds Jang.
The post Veteran Korean Actor Jang Dong-gun Talks Talents He Would Like To Work With & His Search For An “Ordinary” Role appeared first on Deadline.
