Hell Park Jung-min There is no religion, but I believe there is a God Interview

* This interview contains spoilers.

Netflix’s original ‘Hell’, which is currently considered the world’s most loved content, is a drama about the chaos that occurs after an unbelievable trip to hell in the middle of Seoul. In dramatic characters such as a just lawyer and a new religious group that takes advantage of chaos, Park Jung-min takes on the role of the most realistic person, broadcasting station PD Bae Jae-young.

Park Jung-min, who also wrote a recommendation for the original webtoon of the same name drawn by director Yeon Sang-ho, creatively interprets the characters in each of his works such as the movies ‘The Watchman’, ‘Dongju’, ‘Byeonsan’, ‘Sabaha’, and ‘That’s My World’. He is an actor who has been well-received for his work. In ‘Hell’, he plays Bae Young-jae, who is working on a documentary for the Saejinrihoe, even though he is against Saejinrihoe.

“‘Hell’ is gaining worldwide popularity, but I’m not feeling an explosive reaction,” said Park Jung-min, who calmly shared his impressions of appearing on the show. . He also said, “If given the opportunity, I wanted to play ‘Arrowhead’.”

Park Jung-min, who once again appeared in a work with religion as the main theme, from the movie ‘Sabaha’ to ‘Hell’, said, “There is no religion, but I think that God exists.” I didn’t,” he said clearly.

‘Hell’ has maintained the No. 1 spot in Netflix’s global TV category for over a week.

When I was in high school, I was contacted by my homeroom teacher. It feels good to be number one in the world, but I don’t feel it. It’s not that there’s an explosive reaction around (laughs), so I don’t feel anything. Still, seeing a lot of people around the world watching and talking about the work, it feels good to see the direction and reaction that the work ‘Hell’ conveys.

What do you think is the secret to popularity?

Is it popular? (Laughs) Maybe it’s because they give you material that you can talk about while watching. There must have been people who wanted to see a work that gave a discussion point and expressed about the phenomena occurring in this society and the world, but I think they liked that part. There are many opinions, but I think that everyone is interested in the work ‘Hell’ because of the conflicting opinions.

K-content, including ‘Hell’, is gaining popularity worldwide.

As many seniors and creators say, Korean works have always been good. The road has been opened to Netflix, and it seems to be spreading to other platforms as well. It is encouraging to see that a forum has been opened where not only us can enjoy good things, but also people from other countries. The ‘creativity’ that Korean creators always want to challenge new things, please the public, and want to be praised is the result of finding a new path. There seems to be a part that made the road wider, like ‘Parasite’ or ‘Squid Game’.

Through ‘Hell’, there were many reactions that ‘Korea’s most annoying acting’. A video of ‘Annoying Smoke Collection’ appeared on Netflix’s official YouTube channel.

I reflected on whether I was too annoyed. (Laughs) I thought about how to express myself differently at home, but the most effective way seems to be irritability. It was convenient in the field. The director allowed me to do what I had prepared. I relaxed and was able to do my acting.

It seems that his affection is so special that he wrote a recommendation for the original webtoon.

The recommendation letter was written after I decided to appear. I wrote it because I didn’t write it. (Laughs) Still, I really enjoyed this manga. I thought, ‘If I were a creator, would I be able to talk like this?’ I enjoyed it, and I fell in love with it. I watched it again because the work was being made into a live-action film, and it felt even better because the cartoon I liked was turned into a video without much damage. I am grateful not only to the director, but also to the actors who gave me a great performance, and I think it is a blessing to be able to be in the midst of it.

What part did you want to portray while playing Bae Young-jae?

Basically, when I saw the character Bae Young-jae, I thought that it was very flat. Anyway, he’s one of the characters who draws the 4th, 5th, and 6th parts, so I thought about how to focus on it without getting bored. Rather than doing it because of a sense of responsibility, I tried to express myself as a person who can talk about what people are frustrated with by looking at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd parts.

The atmosphere in the part where actor Yoo Ah-in appeared and the part where Park Jung-min appeared was markedly different. (Actually, episodes 1, 2, and 3 in which Yoo Ah-in appears are based on season 1 of the original webtoon, and episodes 4, 5, and 6 are based on season 2.)

I thought the atmosphere was different and the way the characters conveyed it was different. The characters in episodes 1, 2, and 3 are dramatic figures who create a worldview, while episodes 4, 5, and 6 are the stories of ordinary people living within that worldview. But I didn’t think that I should go differently from episodes 1, 2, and 3, and I should have more fun. I was a fan of the original, and I really like season 1.

If you wanted to play a character other than Bae Young-jae, what kind of character would you like to play?

Kim Do-yoon’s ‘arrowhead’ was very attractive. I wondered what role I would have played. I wanted to say ‘I want to’, but they said that the casting was already over.

In an interview for the release of the movie ‘Sabaha’, which is a religion-themed movie, he said that he believes that there is no religion, but that there is a God. Has ‘hell’ changed your thoughts on religion and God?

still no I don’t think ‘hell’ is a story about religion. Religion may be involved, but I did not approach this work from a religious point of view. When this kind of situation happened, people thought and acted about what they would do. There is still no religion, but I wonder if there is a God.

In ‘Sabaha’, he was a member of a pseudo-religion, but this time he was a person who opposes the pseudo-religion.

I didn’t think much about religion, but as Bae Young-jae, I thought about a group called Saejinrihoe. I agree with director Yeon Sang-ho’s point of view expressed in the work. After I wrote a letter of recommendation and sent it, the director liked it too. He said that I saw what he wanted to say through ‘Hell’.

The director said that actor Park Jung-min is a ‘Giga Jeong-min’ acting in a planned way.

This is how the frame is framed. All learners are prepared. It’s not that I’m doing it with a lot of planning, but what the director thought and what I made was different, and I think there were parts that I watched on set. So I guess that’s what he said. ‘Giga Jeong-min’ is grateful, but over praised.

Which part was interpreted differently?

The director wanted it to be really ordinary, and I wanted it to be a little three-dimensional. The interpretation was different, but the conclusion was the same. There was a time when the director gathered the actors and gave a character briefing, but I couldn’t attend because of another project. So I prepared it on my own, and he believed in it. The process of resolving disagreements was the director’s patience.

Producer Bae Young-jae has many complaints and questions about the Saejinrihoe, but in reality, he makes a living by producing a promotional video commissioned by the Saejinrihoe. What did you consider to play a character who lives with a gap between real life and one’s own beliefs or beliefs?

Saejinrihoe is making a comeback, but I do not agree with it, but when I do it from above, the emotion that comes out of the situation of making something for them seems to be ‘irritable’. I don’t think Bae Young-jae is a strong believer. He was indolent, easy-going, and lived for his family, and even if he did not agree with the Saejinrihoe, he did not show much interest. However, I wondered how to express the process of being sucked into my family when this happened. I too have had a lot of similar situations. I try to work with beliefs and beliefs, but I also worry about how far I have to make concessions.

There have been several interpretations of the ending in which Youngjae and Sohyun met their deaths. What is your personal interpretation?

I thought that it was an irresistible ‘disaster’ that occurred in ‘hell’ and not a situation where God was meant to punish humans. It was just a disaster, and it was a natural disaster that we had to accept. It cannot be done by human power. Were there no traces of hugging when the volcano erupted? I thought it was a similar situation. I don’t think Bae Young-jae will appear in season 2 at all. The director said, ‘It doesn’t come alive’ (laughs).

Director Yeon Sang-ho performed a fatherly love performance that deserves the ‘Abby Award’.

I’m not married and I don’t have children, so I was worried about how to express it, but that’s how it felt. I approached it thinking that it might be similar to the love I have for my parents and my younger brother. What would I do if something like this happened to my parents in this situation?

How was your breathing with Won Jin-ah, who was a married couple?

it was good. I always thought she was a pretty and good actress, and Jina showed her strength. So, while looking at the monitor with the director, we talked a lot about good things without Jin-ah.

How was it with Kim Hyun-joo?

I wanted to see you more often, but I was either alone or dragged somewhere. We learned a lot every time we filmed together to the point that it was a pity that we couldn’t meet more. Looking at the elegant appearance of seniors, I thought a lot about ‘really cool’. Also, he cares a lot about his juniors. He came to me first and was blunt. I just had to follow.

I haven’t met Yoo Ah-in. It appears from the second half of ‘Hell’, but I’m curious to see how it feels to watch the first half of ‘Hell’.

It was in Part 1, 2, and 3 that I was fascinated by the manga ‘Hell’. When I saw the finished version, I was so happy and worried. Did you ever think, ‘What if people don’t look at me like this?’ When the casting article first came out, I thought we were both acting, so we said, ‘I look forward to it’, but I’m so sorry. I can’t even comment. I’m sorry too. Yoo Ah-in was an audience member who liked the actor. I hope the day will come when we can act together in the future.

From Bae Young-jae’s point of view, ‘hell’ seems to be a parent abandoning their child. In my personal opinion, what is true ‘hell’?

Could it be human greed? The moment human greed reaches its peak, it becomes hell. Depending on the external environment as well as how you deal with the situation and how you feel, it can be like hell.

‘Hell’ constantly asks what it means to be human. What is ‘humanity’ in your opinion?

Respect. I have to live my life as myself, but I am not alone. We live together with other people and create a society. Wouldn’t it require a minimum of respect and etiquette? I think that is the humanity of you and me.

If an actual notice occurred to you, what would you like to do during that time?

It was a line from a movie I like, and to the question ‘What would you do if you died in a few months?’, ‘Should I live until then? It is said that even the soul is demonstrated in ‘Hell’, but I want to live until then.

Looking at the filmography so far, it seems that ‘normal’ shines more when drawing an image.

Thank you for looking at it that way. I have a lot of troubles too. Leading a two-hour movie while acting as a ‘normal’ person doesn’t seem like anything anyone does. What do I want to do in the future? Seeing senior actors doing such a thing, I wondered, ‘Can I do it? Personally, I find it more fun to play an ordinary, ordinary person. So, I tend to pay close attention to the people around me.

What kind of work do you think ‘hell’ will remain in your acting career?

I didn’t expect ‘Hell’ to be such a good gift for me. I went to play and filmed. But it felt good to hear that this work was ranked number one in the world. I wondered if it would have been the work that most people saw among the works I participated in.

What is your future action plan? Are there any overseas love calls?

none. will be at home I have no interest in overseas activities, and I don’t think there is anything that will force me to go abroad. I want to do well in Korea. If you do well in Korea, just like now, people around the world love Korean content, so I want to introduce you to Korean things well. If there is an overseas love call, I will tell you.

Kim So-yeon, reporter at Hankyung.com sue123@hankyung.com