2PM's Ok Taec-yeon (24) debuted as a film actor. He played a star chef Won-cheol on 'Marriage Blue' (directed by Hong Ji-young, produced by Soo Film), a film about marriage blue (the psychological anxiety or stress experienced by people who are getting married) that four couples experience a week ahead of their wedding ceremony. He became Won-cheol who believes that “marriage is life” while containing his boiling energy for a while.
The film has already drawn great attention with the combination of director Hong Ji-yeong from 'Kitchen' and Soo Film well-known for production of romantic comedies of 'All about My Wife' and 'Finding Mr. Kim’. The ‘romantic comedy version of Avengers’ features famous actors such as Kim Kang-woo, Kim Hyo-jin, Joo Ji-hoon, Lee Yeon-hee, Ok Taec-yeon, Ma Dong-seok, Guzal, Lee Hee-joon, and Go Joon-hee.
Ok Taec-yeon, who debuted through this film, was not outshone by the outstanding senior actors with his own presence and aura. He infused life into his character Won-cheol with detailed emotion acting as a calm man compared to the other lively male characters such as a baseball coach (Kim Kang-woo), an innocent bachelor of a flower shop Geon-ho (Ma Dong-suk), an employee of a urology clinic and mommy’s boy Dae-bok (Lee Hee-jun), and a gravel guide of Jeju Island Gyeong-su (Joo Ji-hoon).
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The 2PM members and producer Park Jin-young told me that they enjoyed the film. When I first read the scenario, I had a different feel for Won-choel from the film. He was a more remote man for So-mi (Lee Yeon-hee) than now. He valued work more than love. I understood the character through discussions with director Hong, Whenever I faced difficulty in understanding the character, I sent a message to her and she sent me a long line of messages (laughter)."
Director Hong highly complimented Ok Taec-yeon in an interview with TV Report. She said, "
He is such a promising actor. He confidently admits his weaknesses and makes endless efforts. Most of all, he is not like an idol star. He is very easy-going. He took care of the staff members by memorizing the name of each of them.”
When heard about director Hong’s praise, Ok Taec-yeon said with his signature polite smile on his face, "
It is nothing to be praised about.” He said, “
I believe that you can achieve a better result once you get close to staff members. Particularly, they are those who make a film together with me. I may meet them again in my next project. I can ask them about my weaknesses in acting once I get close to them. The same goes to stage.”
Won-choel and So-mi, who have dated for seven years, come to face a dramatic event a week away their wedding ceremony. So-mi confused with her feelings where she is not excited for Won-cheol meets Gyeong-su in Jeju Island where she went for a contest. A triangular relationship is created among So-mi, Won-choel in Seoul, and Geyong-su in Jeju. Won-choel has a disadvantage in appealing to the audience with his charm compared to Geyong-su, who will appear against the beautiful scenery of Jeju. Director Hong added the charm through cooking and fluent Russian speaking skills and the strategy worked.
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I thought about what charm Won-cheol will be able to show to viewers. It was a sense of 'stability’. He may be a boring man, but I wanted him to approach viewers in a more familiar feel. Speaking Russian was very challenging. I was sort of tutored by Guzal. I started to get nervous three days before shooting. I listened to a Russian tape over and over.”
Director Hong conveyed a subtle feel between a man and a woman through 'Marriage Blue'. According to her, "
The love scenes that are sensual without exposure and express excitement of the two people” makes viewers fall into the film. Particularly, the love scene of Won-cheol and So-mi shows the climax of tension when they meet in Jeju for the first time since So-mi is shaken by Gyeong-su.
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It took about two hours to shoot the scene. It was not hard. I did not think that I should lead an actress because I am a male actor. I had talked about it a lot with the director and the actress. There was no speaking line, but we created one during the shooting. We shot the scene three times. I feel relieved to hear that the scene is beautiful (laughter).”
He described himself as “
a person who does not set Ok Taec-yeon apart from an idol star Ok Taec-yeon.” He went on a package tour to the Vatican City, uses a bike and a public transport, receives allowances from parents, and reads the novel ‘Goguryeo’ by Kim Jin-myung despite a busy schedule. He is far apart from what the public usually think about an idol star.
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I do not set myself from an idol star Ok Taec-yeon. I do not want to hear that I have changed. My students from high school say that I became more stylish than before (laughter). I am concerned, however, when ugly pictures are released on the internet since my agency (JYP Entertainment) expects a certain value from me as an idol star.”
When asked, “
Why do you keep yourself so busy?”, Ok Taec-yeon, who has recently entered the Graduate School of International Studies of Korea University said, "
I want to live crazy for work. Now, I put work first. That is why I entered the graduate school and keep myself busy. How I plan my life now determines the rest of my life. I have not met a crucial turning point for my life yet, but I always try to enjoy myself. I am sad that I could not do such things that other people in my age enjoy such as a blind date or a long march through the national land.”
Source: Kim Soo-jung swandive@tvreport.co.kr / Photograph=Kim Jae-chang freddie@tvreport.co.kr, Cinus Entertainment
