'Punch' pushes actor into next phase of his career

The new film "Punch" does not have an exciting story line, a swirling climax nor a vengeful villain at its center. But it does have the talents of an engaging young actor named Yoo Ah-in, who appears to have lost a bit of his boyish arrogance and is entering a new, more serious phase of his career.

The film, which was released yesterday, is based on Kim Ryeo-ryeong's novel "Wan-deuk-i", which has sold more than 700,000 copies in the three years since it was published in 2008.

It was directed by Lee Han, who previously helmed such works as "Lover's Concerto" (2002) and "Almost Love" (2006).

Like the novel, the film is a coming-of-age story that revolves around a multiethnic family facing dire circumstances.

At the beginning of the film, Wan-deuk is in his second year of high school. Although he is not a good student and gets terrible grades, he is a good fighter and knows how to defend himself.

He lives with his father, who is disabled, and the two are in living in extreme poverty. Wan-deuk has been able to endure his situation until now, but he is brought to the point of snapping when he learns of a long-held family secret: the mother who ran out on the two of them years ago is Filipino.

"Wan-deuk is a timid and mature, yet rebellious child. He's an outsider, but he doesn't try to leave the nest", Yoo explains. "But it's not like my character loses his mind or becomes disturbed when he discovers the secret about his past. I think I turned Wan-deuk into a much nicer kid compared to who he is in the novel".

Yoo said the story moved him so much that he was brought to tears.

"I've lost count of how many times I cried", he said. "The scenes of Wan-deuk carrying his father, a man half his size, on his back, and of his meeting with his long-lost mother were the most touching. It was moments like these that made me realize how grown up Wan-deuk is and I felt a lot of sympathy for him. He is the nicest kid in the world".

Putting his hand to his chest, he said, "It still hurts here whenever I think about him".

At its heart, the film focuses on the relationship between Wan-deuk and his homeroom teacher, Dong-ju. Although the two start the film bickering and fighting constantly as though they were enemies, circumstances force them together and they soon become like family to one another.

Yoo and Kim Yoon-seok, who plays Dong-ju, keep the emotional plot alive and could not have done more justice to their roles. They and the rest of the cast do a fine job of weaving a web of mirth and laughter to counter the film's complex and somber plot line.

It is easy to see why Yoo was able to play young Wan-deuk, even though he is seven years older than his character.

"I guess my baby face was an advantage", Yoo said.

He said that he also did his own research, talking with younger actors on set to learn about what high school students of today think about and go through.

Still, he said he was careful "not to make Wan-deuk stand out or look too cool on screen".

Yoo made his debut in the KBS drama "Sharp 1" in 2003, getting his first taste of fame. After appearing in a string of unconventional movies, he spent a lot of time out of the limelight and said he began to "crave fame like crazy".

He got his wish last year with a role in the popular drama "Sungkyungkwan Scandal". His role as one of the four main characters gave him plenty of opportunities to live the celebrity life and feel the adoration of his fans.

But he said the drama also taught him a valuable lesson about his craft.

"There was a time when I used to be stubborn and would say to myself, 'I'm an artist; I'll act as I please'," he said. "I had no love for TV dramas, and when I was shooting 'Chilwu, the Mighty' [in 2008] I even told the manager off, saying, 'After this, I'm never shooting a drama again'."

Yoo said, "I was stuck in an 'I'm only acting to act' phase, but after 'Sungkyungkwan Scandal' I became a more flexible actor".

By Ki Sun-min [[email protected]]