[Star Interview] Jeong Il-woo "I want people to think I've changed"

"High Kick!" 'Yoon-ho' Jeong Il-woo comes back...SBS "49 Days" scheduler.

Actor Jeong Il-woo has come back in 2 years.

After 2009 drama "My Fair Lady" Jeong Il-woo took a short break. He pulled the brakes on his hectic acting life he had been living since he turned 20. Like a frog that withdraws before leaping ever so high, he reserved himself for a bigger walk.

"I concentrated on school and acting studies. I was afraid that what I had was coming to an end. The past two years has been the time for me to refill myself. I trained myself performing in plays too".

The project he chose was new SBS drama "49 Days" (written by So Hyeon-kyeong produced by Jo Yeong-gwang). He plays the 'scheduler' who leads the dead to the other life. He is a modern angel of death. The dark and gloomy image of an angel of death had become lighter and more sophisticated when met with Jeong Il-woo.

"It's a friendly character we can see around us. Especially concerned with fashion. I think you might possibly see all the fashion that will be the trend this year. (Laughs) Managing the schedules for the dead is also done with a smart phone. If there was an angel of death in this world, it would probably be like the one in "49 Days"".

Jeong Il-woo lost weight for an image change. His cheeks went in as he lost 5 kg. This was a way to become a 'man' from a 'boy'. This drama should show us how Jeong Il-woo has changed in the past 2 years.

"I purposefully lost a lot of weight. I wanted to lose the baby fat and look more mature. It's difficult to explain, but when the drama starts you can see what Jeong Il-woo is doing. I have to show that the past 2 years haven't been a waste of time".

Jeong Il-woo rose to stardom starring in the 2007 MBC sitcom "High Kick!". The character Yoon-ho followed him around. He tried hard to get rid off the image. So he showed a more serious and heavy side of him in dramas like "Iljimae Returns - Moon River" and "My Fair Lady".

However, he realized that this was an obsession he had. When he realized that being an actor meant being the character that was right for him , he was able to stand in front of the camera more comfortably.

"I have been a dark and hot-tempered character. However, the character in "49 Days" is much like Yoon-ho. He is serious about his work but sometimes lets loose. I think it's just the right character for me. If I act comfortably, fans should feel comfortable too, right?"

Starring in "49 Days" Jeong Il-woo wants to hear that he's 'changed'. He is no longer the actor that just walks in and puts down a finger on the table. He has grown enough to be thinking about acting and character changes. He is an active actor who thinks about the general project and his accurate character.

"I think it's a matter for the viewers to decide rather than me saying what I've changed. I plan on showing you what I've built up in the past 2 years. You can look forward to it". /Sports Han Guk