Jung Ryeo Won “I felt as if I was in both heaven and hell but now I’m happy”
When the film “Castaway on the Moon” released in 2009, she was likely to be known as a good actor though this film didn’t have a good box-office record. She played the unique character who loves one man in other place while she is living alone.
Jung Ryeo Won was having hard time when she became an actress from a member of girl group Chakra.
She seemed to make successful debut as an actress with MBC drama “My Name is Kim San Soon” but she couldn’t receive good reviews while appearing on “Autumn Shower” and “What Star Did You Come From?”. The film “Two Faces of My Girlfriend” that she appeared on as her first main character didn’t well at the box office. But another opportunity was given to Jung Ryeo Won as an actress. It was the film “Castaway on the Moon”
After three years, however, she has remained stationary while playing on the drama “Jamyunggo” and the film “Sleeping with the Enemy”. She tried to make a fresh start with changing her management agency and breaking off with her co-worker but the result was not good as expected.
The film “Sleeping with the Enemy” released last 28th has been with Jung Ryeo Won when she was in peak of her pain and loneliness. This film deals with the conflicts and resolution since North Korean army invaded one small town during the Korean War. She played a country girl who became falling in love with an officer in North Korean Army.
Jung Ryeo Won has written three volumes of diaries. It means she had a hard time and lots of thoughts as much as she wrote. As growth is always followed by pain, she was in pain so became mature.
▶ You seem to lose your weight…
- Because I just finished shooting the film “Pain”. I think I lost around three kilograms. But I didn’t even recognize as we have really nice and friendly atmosphere in the set.
▶ “Sleeping with the Enemy” was released, it seemed not be easy shooting.
- Director might have lots of stories about the character. I thought the character should just keep quite but there was gap between my thought and director’s.
▶ The character that you played went to Man Ju for carrying on independence movement when she was young. She was about to get married with one man in same town and was a teacher. But she fell in love with the officer of North Korean army. It seemed not be easy for you as an actress to play the character.
- The director tried to put everything he wanted to say in one scene. It’s the first time to experience this way so that I learned a lot, whether it’s good or not. While I played alone on “Castaway on the Moon”, this film let me play with many actors. And this is one of reasons why I choose this film.
▶ You seemed to have hard time last year as you decided to work together with your previous management agency.
- I wrote three volumes of diaries in 2010. I had difficulties in communication mostly. I broke up with my make-up artist who has worked for nine years for me. I wanted to look for new challenges. Throughout that time, I think I have learned a lot.
I didn’t even recognize that people around me did everything for me. I think I experienced growing pains to be mature and it was so painful.
▶ Do you have anything you gave up for atmosphere in the set? I heard there was a kiss scene but you didn’t do.
- I thought kissing while many people are dying is absurd. I knew I shouldn’t only insist my thought for atmosphere I the set. But I wanted to keep the right things.
▶ I heard you drew many pictures during the shooting.
- Yes, I drew pen-and-ink drawings. (She showed one of them.)
▶ Your drawing portrays snake Boa in “The Little Prince” and many people tangled and agonizing. And it’s like Picaso’s “Guernica” “The Little Prince”
- I intended to portray people should tolerate if the communication is disconnected. When Snake Boa swallows something, it should wait until digestion. So I thought when we try to say something and it isn’t delivered deliver well, we should wait and tolerate until the thing we want to say reaches to others.
▶ I thought you will grow up to a great actress but it was sad that you remained stationary from 2009 to 2011.
- I think I was getting more mature thought that period.
▶ It was unexpected that you decided to appear on director Gwak Kyung Taek’s “Pain”. You are not on the first casting list and the character should portray the sad love brightly. Moreover, the director was used to deal with men, so.
- Director Gwak Kyung Taek listens to others’ saying. He creates his own style with listening to stories. I thought he is a strong man. I wanted to make him to have desire to deal with other women’s story while shooting the film.
▶ You look so happy now after undergoing hard time.
- I felt like experiencing both heaven and hell. I think it is a great bless to work for what I want and love in this young age. If people like me, it’s another bless for me. I sincerely spent my blessed time.