From being labeled as “the essence of handsome man”, Kim Ji Hoon surprises viewers with his extreme transformation into the hot-tempered Denver.
Acting as Denver in Money Heist Korea, Kim Ji Hoon shares how he took the challenging role filled with passion and determination.
With Kim Ji Hoon having a “noble man” appearance, some raised concerns after he got the role of Denver and said it was a missed casting.
In contrast to Kim Ji Hoon’s image, Denver is irritable and ignorant. Nevertheless, despite the pressure to achieve a perfect portrayal, the actor did not hesitate to take the challenge. He broke down his existing image and presented his rough and distinct charm as the Korean Denver.
During the interview he said,
“At the time of casting, I knew the reaction of worrying if I could do well. I monitored it a lot. Haha. I’ve never shown a performance that’s similar to Denver, so I thought you’d feel that way. But if you’re an actor, you have to try and overcome it with acting. That’s why I chose Denver. I wanted to show a new charm of actor Kim Ji Hoon that people couldn’t find.”
He also shares how he did not try following the original portrayal of the character. However, the trademark smile remained.
“Denver is hot-tempered and troublesome, but his basic beliefs are correctly embedded. He is also attractive when he admits to doing wrong and reflects on himself. I tried to find Denver in our script rather than Denver in the original. Since the time, place, and emotion are different, I thought there would be a big gap if I followed the original. Instead, I tried to take the laughter to inherit the originality. I thought that if Denver’s laughter disappeared, there would be a big regret for those who loved the original.”
In case you missed it:
Undergoing a complete transformation
In Korean’s version of Denver, Kim Ji Hoon had to learn how to speak using the Gyeongsang-do dialect to add a different point to his character. For two to three months before the filming, the actor said he practiced his Gyeongsang-do accent. He went to get a direct lesson from actor Bae Hyun Kyung and come to talk to rapper Simon Domic as well.
Suprisingly, a reporter from Gyeongsangnam-do who reviewed his performance approved his accent. when reviewed by a reporter. Every line was conveyed properly even though the tone was a little higher than his voice. This reflects how he put a lot of effort into learning the dialect.
“I thought it was necessary to speak in dialect to convince me of the big gap. I wanted to use it naturally, so I practiced a lot… The change in Gyeongsang-do dialect was surprising. It’s kind of spontaneous and there’s no fixed pattern. I don’t think it’s easy to catch the feeling unless you live in the neighborhood for a long time.”
For a change, the actor also had the idea to make his hair longer. He made a good decision as the viewers globally see him attractive with long hair.
To make his stance look like a martial arts fighter, he made time to do kickboxing for six months. He also tried to maintain his figure before shooting to prepare for the bed scene with Lee Joo Bin (Yoon Mi-sun), his love interest in the series.
“I worked out hard to prepare for my body because I had an exposure scene. I took off my top a few times, but it was embarrassing to take off my bottom. It was my first experience as an actor. I’ve been whining about the same concerns as Lee Joo Bin for two months. As a result, I was able to act up close without reserve. When I was filming, I focused on acting without thinking about anything else, and it ended faster than I thought.”
Despite the harsh comments towards his character portrayal, the courageous actor openly accepts the criticisms thrown at him. He is also grateful to be part of the Money Heist Korea: Joint Economic Area, as he was able to change his image.
“I accept harsh criticism and favorable reviews… I am trying to reform my image as an actor and show new charms. Money Heist Korea: Joint Economic Area is part of that effort. I’m grateful that my image has changed a lot.”
Before wrapping up the interview, Kim Ji Hoon sees himself continuing to go for different roles to show his different sides as an actor Kim Ji Hoon.
“I don’t feel joy in showing only the same role.” “I will continue to try to show you my new sides.”
You can watch Kim Ji Hoon’s acting performance as Denver in Money Heist Korea: Joint Economic Area exclusively on Netflix!
For more Korean news updates, interviews, drama recaps, and reviews, you can visit Kdramadiary’s social media pages and website!
Source: Sports Donga
Photos: Netflix
[wpedon id=”2271″ align=”center”]
