Jung Woo Reveals Why He Took a 10-Year Break from Dramas After the Success of “Reply 1994”
In an interview on October 16 in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Jung Woo, who stars in the film “Dirty Money” (directed by Kim Min-soo), discussed his feelings ahead of the film’s release.
Set to be released on October 17, “Dirty Money” tells the story of two detectives, whose main job is investigating crimes but who also take bribes on the side. They become entangled in an unexpected incident while trying to pull off the perfect crime involving “dirty money”.
Directed by Kim Min-soo, who also wrote “The Merciless” and “Kingmaker”, the film has garnered attention with invitations to prestigious film festivals, including the 29th Busan International Film Festival, the 57th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival and the 44th Hawaii International Film Festival.
Jung Woo plays the role of Myung-deuk, a detective who takes bribes while also investigating cases. He shows synergy with Kim Dae-myung (as fellow detective Dong-hyuk) and Park Byung-eun (as investigation team leader Seung-chan).
Although “Dirty Money” began filming in 2018 and finished filming in early 2019, its release was delayed by six years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jung Woo revealed during the interview that he filmed both “Hot Blooded” (2022) and “Dirty Money” around the same time and confessed that he experienced a slump, physically and mentally exhausted.
After completing the two projects, Jung Woo took a two-year break. He stated, “I felt like things were going to go wrong if I continued. I was like an untrained wild horse, running fast but completely out of control.“
Jung Woo also opened up about his struggles with the pressure of acting, “I started with minor roles and worked my way up. Every time I met people in the film industry, I felt like I was being scrutinized. It made it hard to meet people or attend gatherings.“
Reflecting on his previous mindset, he admitted, “I used to think the result was more important than the process because I saw myself as a professional. But now, I realize the process matters more. If the process isn’t enjoyable or fulfilling, no matter how good the result is, you won’t want to work with those people again.“
Jung Woo also addressed “Reply 1994“, the drama that shot him to stardom. He said, “I couldn’t do any dramas for 10 years after ‘Reply 1994’. I felt like I was in a situation that didn’t suit me. I received too much for what I had contributed. It felt overwhelming, and I think I struggled to handle it.“
He added, “People kept asking why my next project wasn’t coming out quickly, and many offered me various works. Looking back now, I apologize to them when I see them again. I was stubborn back then. Some of the projects I took on after ‘Reply 1994’ didn’t do well, but I don’t regret any of them because they all helped me grow as an actor.“
Source: Naver
