Film "Sad Movie" Ranks 5th on Hong Kong Box-Office Charts Thirteen days after its release in Hong Kong, the film "Sad Movie" directed by Kwon Jong-kwan has reached the fifth spot on the Hong Kong box-office charts.
"Sad Movie" stars Chung Woo-sung, Lim Soo-jung, Cha Tae-hyun and Yum Jung-ah, and opened at 19 theaters in Hong Kong on Feb. 9. According to the agency "Box-Office Mojo" on Feb. 23, the film recorded 7,731 dollars in box-office ticket sales on Feb. 21, finishing fifth on the Hong Kong box-office charts following "49 Days," "Munich," "Keeping Mum" and "Fearless."
"Sad Movie" had ranked fifth the first weekend after its release on Feb. 10-12 by earning 128,950 dollars. It has earned a total of 314,392 dollars over the 13 days since its release.
"Sad Movie" portrays stories about the parting of four couples.
<Sad Movie> Im Soo Jung - Vague Scent of a Beauty
**Translated by Dahee Fanel
Writer: Lee Soon Joo
Photographer: Lee Bo Kyung
Source: Movie Week, 2005-10-17
Original article:
http://www.movieweek...0200020201.html
I thought with all my heart that she was just a young girl. Because Im Soo Jung's past face and ignoring, uncaring eyelight were of an unfailingly right adolescent girl. But time passed, and even to her, big and small changes occurred. To the Im Soo Jung who has returned to the screen after two years with <Sad Movie>, the scent of a matured beauty who one day got to know the sorrow of love has clung to her.
"I'm sorry, but I can't smile. I can't seem to smile."
Just two and a half years ago, Im Soo Jung, whom I met when she was about to reveal <A Tale of Two Sisters>, said this with an awkward face. This was after the photographer urged her to "Smile brightly", and she tried to smile. But the corners of her lips could only hitch upwards repeatedly. At the time, she was suffering from the worried look she sported in <A Tale of Two Sisters>, so that her body completely experienced the enclosed and separated pain and sorrow she felt. It was as though she was being possessed by the movie <A Tale of Two Sisters>. And other than the part of her that had become her frowning character, I thought there was nothing important in her.
Maybe it was because of this noticeable ability to concentrate all her energies on something, and her passion. That year, Im Soo Jung made a clean sweep with various kinds of new actor movie awards with <A Tale of Two Sisters>. And with <...ing>, she received recognition for her stable acting ability, and stood on tiptoe as a "Next generation movie actress who leads Chungmuro*". It was at this point in time that her smarts were illuminated. Despite receiving much interest and love calls, she tidied up her rhythm for a while and chose her next production with care. The drama <I'm Sorry, I Love You> was, from many angles, an excellent choice. This drama that was the topic of conversation, and that caused the nurturing of an uprising called "MiSa Pyein", caused people to have an interest in Im Soo Jung's noticeable characteristics, and furthermore, allowed her to put on the image of the sweet and lovable Eun-chae. She combined acting talent with popularity, and was reborn as a unique young actress.
To her satisfaction, Im Soo Jung is standing in a different position than in her former days by returning to movies after two years with <Sad Movie>, which weaves together the separation stories of four respective couples. She, who was once a "Newbie Receiving Expectation", has grown into a star who isn't deficient in representing the seven distinguished actors who are shooting <Sad Movie>. This is not the only change. Her face, which once looked like it held the message "I don't want to think it's important", is starting to hold something more of softness and gentleness. Now she smiles more, and talks with less reserve. At 26 years, the actress Im Soo Jung has changed from a girl to a beauty, and like her expressiveness, is maturing "little by little".
Recently, <I'm Sorry, I Love You> (shortened to <MiSa>) has been airing again. Have you rewatched it?
Oh, I'm too embarrassed to watch it. Because I keep seeing regretful parts. If you feel regret while shooting it, you will feel regret while watching it. If you look at it from the point of view of the drama's shooting formula and schedule, there isn't enough time given to the actor, no matter what you do. There's always regret left about my acting, and after it's over, I feel empty.
I heard that you have an introspective personality. So didn't you feel burdened when a sudden spotlight was focused on you after the success of the drama?
Of course. I received the kind of love I'd never even dreamt of. I thought about it, and I think it was all thanks to a character like Eun-chae. Thanks to the lovable and bright Eun-chae, I think I was able to receive, together with her, such a positive image that brings about favourable impressions. Before this, there were people who liked my showing a young but dark, deeply-scarred, internalized-world acting, but I didn't receive highly widespread favourable impressions. Thanks to Eun-chae, I was able to comfortably get closer to more people. I think even my real personality has become more flexible than it was before. With one production, so many experiences accumulated for me, so I guess something became more relaxed? Then two years later, I returned to the movie shooting location with <Sad Movie>, and I was so nervous. During the first shoot, when they snapped the slate shut for action, my heart was pounding, and I stuttered while speaking my lines. I liked it, but I became afraid.
During these past two years, you only shot one production, <MiSa>. How did you spend that time?
Before I did <MiSa>, for about a year I rested and waited for a good production I wanted to do. After <MiSa> ended, I watched movies and listened to music. I spent time for myself. These days, I've fallen deeply for Coldplay. In the past, I would have just stayed at home like that, but these days, I meet with good people and talk and eat with them. I've started to like that kind of thing more and more. Of course, I'm not an energetic person, so my outings aren't frequent, but I think something developed so that I can now comfortably see people. Still, maybe it's because I'm still deficient in seeing other people, but there are widespread rumours that I'm polishing doctrines at home? (laughs)
In <Sad Movie> you play the role of the longterm lover of a firefighter, Mr. Jung Woo Sung. From <...ing> to <Sad Movie>, the line-up of your male acting partners has been impressive. (laughter)
Yes, I'm struck by it, too. In my next movie, <Lump Sugar**>, I have to match rhythms with a horse. I doubt I can love a horse more than I did Mr. So Ji Sub or Mr. Jung Woo Sung. (laughs)
It must not have been easy to act with Mr. Jung Woo Sung, who's such a strongly famous actor.
People around me often asked whether I felt a gap between us or not. But since I only saw him show his soft and sentimental side at the shooting location, I thought he was normally a comfortable person. (laughs) One time, while I was shooting a very important, emotional scene, I became completely tattered mentally, and lost my sense of self. Although it was an urgent schedule, I had to stop shooting for a while to go and moan by myself. At that time, sunbae*** came to me and said "It's okay. Don't think about anything else and just start over." He continually encouraged me by my side. It was like when someone sits beside a moody child and humours them by saying "Oh my~ Someone did that to you?". And then the child's feelings gush forth and he or she starts bawling. Just like that, my disappeared feelings rushed back to me. When I received such help, I learned something. I always tried to start again from the middle and fidgeted, but that didn't fill me with feeling. Like Woo-sung sunbae said, it's okay to start again from the beginning.
Since we're talking about connecting feelings...I heard that there were a lot of situations where <Sad Movie>'s shooting schedule made progress sparsely.
That was a little hard. But it was a new and fun experience. I chose to challenge myself and do this film because I was curious about how it would turn out if each of these different actors accomplished their marvelous creations in the story. I liked that since there are many main characters, there was very little feeling of burden from outside the movie. But that way, I felt more of a burden towards my acting. I came to realize how hard it is to properly present my character in a short space of time. I really respect actors who leave strong impressions as supporting characters and who shoot a few scenes as the main character's friend.
Out of all the productions you've done, <Sad Movie> is the production that allows you to be closest to your real age, right?
This is the first time I'm acting as a person who's the same age as me. (laughs) She's a sign language interpreter, and is preparing for marriage. Before I started shooting, the people around me worried more than I did. Will formal dress look good on Soo-jung? What should we do if they look like an uncle and his niece, rather than lovers? (laughs) But it turned out that you can't hide your age. If you look at my atmosphere with my slight change in style.
As an actress, has looking younger than your real age ever felt like a burden?
I've never thought of it sensitively. It's a great gift for me, since looking young allowed me to do such good productions as <A Tale of Two Sisters> and <...ing>. It's true that I can look younger than actors who are the same age as me, but Im Soo Jung herself can't help but become mature. When that happens, wouldn't I be able to play a mature role without burden? If I try right now to show a mature image unnaturally, that would just produce an adverse result. Because if I try it selfishly, without proper preparation, it'll look false. While thinking "someday...", I'm waiting, little by little.
**********************to be continued************************
mygirl 02-17-2006 11:01 AM
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**********************continuation**************** *********
There's a lot of scenes in the movie where you use sign language. How much did you practice?
I learned twice a week for two months. I just had quick, superficial training. Normally, you have to learn sign language for 6-10 years in order to do it correctly, and become a sign language interpreter. Thankfully, my fingers are strong, so I was able to easily use signs that need to bend the ring finger. The hardest part was when I had to use unfamiliar signs and speak lines and add emotions at the same time. I had it tough. (laughs)
In <Lump Sugar>, you play a jockey, so you have to ride horses. Do you normally like challenging yourself in new areas?
When you challenge a new area properly, then your accomplishment is big, but while you're doing it, it's very hard. Honestly, I chose these two productions because I wanted to have it hard. After the drama ended, I felt a lot of regret about my acting, so I thought that I had to do a production that was strenuous on the body or mind. Strangely enough, I really needed something like that. I thought that I wanted to drop myself into "hard" waters. So I jumped in, even while knowing how hard it would be, and spoiled everything. I'm gasping for breath right now. (laughs) Honestly, my real personality doesn't like challenges. Since I like stable, familiar things, I try to avoid the unfamiliar. But strangely, for acting, I think I need to do it, even if I'm scared.
Maybe that's why acting is a kind of psychotherapy for actors. It fills up the part of you that feels lacking.
I think that's right. In acting, the more you do it, the harder it becomes, and the more you come to know it, the less you know. But one thing I know for sure is that acting gives you a very free feeling. Because I'm not a child, I can't perfectly show my feelings in everyday life. But when an actor's standing in front of the camera, they have to be very faithful to the character's feelings. At those times, I pull out my diverse feelings and display them...And I feel "Ah, it's natural". I think I'm acting because of that charm, although it's hard. Someday, I'll play a wicked woman, too! (laughs) I think I'll be able to do it well. (laughs)
It's now been five years since you started acting. You probably feel regret over losing your self in everday life.
It is regretful that trivial things are disappearing. Like water, when an always-present atmosphere disappears, you realize that you desperately need it. That's the joy of everday life. I want to play with simple "male friends" instead of boyfriends now, but I have to be careful, in case it gets noisy. But you can't have both. And it's not like I can change things now just because I'm unhappy. I chose an actor's life and came all this way, and I have selfishness as an actress...I'm just receiving the present time. I can't complain about having it. Normally, I like receiving honesty instead of quick abandonment. Bitterness, sorrow, bad situations...If I can't change it, I hurt for a little while, and receive it that way. That is the distinguishing characteristic of type A Cancers. (laughs)
If this is your present time, I think you don't mind letting go of those things. (laughs) To you.
*Chungmuro - Like the Korean version of Hollywood.
**Lump Sugar - In other words, "Gaksurtang". The more literal translation is "Sugar Cube", but I read somewhere that the official English name of it is "Lump Sugar", so...
***sunbae - an "older" (higher up in rank) colleague, usually in work or school.
credits to Dahee Fanel of soompi forums
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Posted 25 February 2005 - 10:54 PM
MultiQuote
:dance 
Posted 16 September 2005 - 11:27 PM
............hehe............and she's pretty too............hope to see more of her stuff........... 
