Meeting actor Park Yong-woo in person probably would make you wonder if this dark-skinned man with throaty voice is the same one who plays Hwang Dae-woo in the movie "My Scary Girl", which is released today.
In this romantic horror movie, Park plays a 30-year-old English lecturer who falls in love for the first time with Lee Mi-na (Choi Kang-hee), a uniquely charming murderess.
"Dae-woo was a cynic of love or romance, a pessimist who closed his mind to others before he met Mi-na. She brings out the innocence and passion buried deeply somewhere inside him", says Park of his character.
Park himself, however, is not sure if he can love a woman even when he finds out that she committed murder. "Maybe if I was younger, but from what I have experienced, I realized that once the trust is betrayed, the relationship does not last", he said in an interview with The Korea Herald.
But the movie is not about betrayal or bitter feelings. As director Son Jae-gon said, when two people are in love, what might appear silly and ordinary to others, is a cosmic event for the two.
"My Scary Girl" focuses on those special "events" that take place in the lovers' mind, with Park leading the movie with his nonchalant comic performance. "I am not that humorous actually, but when I read the scenario I knew that I could play this role, and enjoy it truly", said Park who pulled off the character quite successfully. "It's about concentration. Timing and situation brings out the humor, I think".
Park admits that there was skepticism regarding him taking this role, especially after he received rave reviews for his cold-blooded, serial killer Kim In-kwon, hell-bent on revenge, in the movie "Blood Rain". It was an about-face for him, as he has played a series of mellow, softhearted characters since his debut as a screen actor in "The Trap" (1997).
"There are voices of concern, worried that I might lose the strong, sharp edge with this 'soft, small-budget' film. And the expectations were high after last year's 'Blood Rain'", admits Park.
However, he is content with the choice he made. "Personally, I feel most attached to 'Sweet, Brutal Love' regardless of the box office results", he said firmly, with a hint of the intensity that has kept him keenly dedicated to his profession over the last decade.
"I am ambitious when it comes to acting. I think I have gained momentum now but I am still restless, still waiting for a role in which I can consume myself completely", said Park.
Until he earns his satisfaction, he is not planning to take a break. Next month he will appear as a pizza parlor owner in "For Horowitz", a movie about a piano prodigy and small-time piano teacher. He is currently filming "The World of Silence", in which he is a detective who rediscovers passion and the meaning of life through a mysterious serial killing of teenagers.
Although both are supporting roles, Park does not mind. "I follow my instinct rather than certain patterns or rules. And I like the fact that I have made yet another uncommon choice", he said.
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