Uhm transforms herself again

Film is another guise for the multitalented 'Korean Madonna'

Korea's entertainment industry experts love to nickname local stars after Hollywood celebrities. It's a surefire way to attract the public's attention. A young teen in an idol group who can dance and sing might be called "the Korean Justin Timberlake" or a skillful child actor who can burst into tears on demand is dubbed "Korea's Dakota Fanning", even though Fanning is all grown up now.

These would-be stars often fail to live up to their namesakes. But Uhm Jung-hwa - known as the "Korean Madonna" - may be the exception. Uhm is unafraid of transforming herself for a screen role - her characters have included a devoted wife, a lesbian, a single woman who wants to have a baby - while on stage, she sings disco with her hair in a bob, wearing skin-tight leather tops and shorts at the age of 41. She also loves to stir up controversy: Uhm was the first local singer to appear in public in her underwear.

A favorite of the public and paparazzi alike, Uhm has been an A-list screen darling for almost two decades, and she has 10 albums under her belt - every one producing at least one hit. No other Korean star has juggled acting and singing careers as successfully, or for as long, as Uhm has.

This spring, Uhm plays the role of a hysterical author involved in a plagiarism scandal in her new film "Bestseller", to be released next month.

In order to play the role, Uhm, who calls herself a gourmet, went on a diet and shed about seven kilograms (15 pounds).

"I'm not the type of person who easily slims down, but I had to do so to add reality to this nervous and hysterical character, because people who often get stressed out or sensitive are usually thin. So I walked on the treadmill for 100 minutes per day and ate protein instead of carbohydrates", Uhm said at a recent press conference in central Seoul.

To see her in this role, it's hard to believe the soft-spoken and amiable Uhm was once a regular in romantic comedies. The effort to expand the scope of her film career began when she played a serial killer in "Princess Aurora" in 2005. That film convinced "Bestseller" director Lee Jeong-ho that Uhm was right for the job.

"I think Uhm is the best and smartest actress in Korea, interpreting and understanding her roles better than other Korean actresses", he said.

Although Uhm still feels more comfortable with romantic comedies, she said she was hooked by the script of "Bestseller" after reading only a few pages. "When I do romantic comedies, I feel like I'm loved by many people, and it makes me feel good. But I think there is a different level of pleasure when I film thrillers. My eyes and facial expressions are gloomy and dark when I do thrillers", she said.

"The action scenes were really tough but really fun. I don't think I'll be able to forget the moment when I climbed up to a rooftop wearing seven-centimeter (2.8-inch) high heels. The director might not know, but I cried on the rooftop", Uhm said, laughing.

Uhm's co-star Ryoo Seung-ryong, also at the press conference, predicted the film would be a turning point in Uhm's acting career.

The actress herself was less sure.

"The audience will judge whether this is going to be my turning point or not, but one sure thing is that I found myself enjoying every single scene during production", Uhm said.

"Bestseller" is slated to open on April 15.

By Sung So-young

Related Korean Article (Open the link)

엄정화 `내 연기 인생에 터닝 포인트`


"액션 연기는 재밌기도 하지만 정말 힘들었어요. 연기 인생에서 전환점이 될만한 작품임에는 틀림없어요".

엄정화는 11일 오전 이화여고 100주년 기념관에서 열린 영화 '베스트셀러'의 제작보고회에서 "촬영 전까지는 어려웠지만 격투신이나 극한의 감정을 맛보는 것도 재미있었다"며 이처럼 소감을 전했다.

영 화는 표절 논란으로 슬럼프를 겪으며 재기를 노리는 베스트셀러 작가 백희수(엄정화)가 자신의 딸이 외딴 별장 어딘가에 사는 '언니'에게 듣고서 전해준 이야기를 소설로 쓴 '심연'이 다시 표절 시비에 휘말리면서 외딴 별장에서 일어난 사건의 진실을 찾아가는 미스터리 추적물이다.

엄정화는 "촬영하면서 힘들었지만 즐겁게 빠져드는 나를 발견했다"며 "내 연기 인생에서 터닝 포인트가 될만한 작품임에는 틀림없다"고 말했다.

엄정화는 극 중 희수처럼 억울한 경험이 있느냐는 질문에 "'결혼은 미친 짓이다' 촬영 당시 마약 혐의를 받은 적이 있다"며 "억울한 마음에 자진해서 검사를 받고 돌아오는 길에 너무 억울해 정말 많이 울었다"고 전하기도 했다.

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