Ji Chang Wook, No Framework For Love

Korean star Ji Chang Wook who is popular among drama fans in Asia, came to Hong Kong recently for a press conference at Mikiki shopping mall and a fan meeting, and accepted an interview with Oriental Daily. Ji Chang Wook who previously toyed with a noona-younger brother romance with Ha Ji Won and Park Min Young in “Empress Ki” and “Healer” respectively, reveals that he is open to dating an older or foreign woman in reality, and feels that as long as both sides are able to communicate, age and language are not a problem.

Q: You once gave yourself 50 points for your performance in “Empress Ki”. How will you rate your performance in “Healer”?

A: I’ll also give 50 points! I’ve always felt embarrassed to rate my own acting, so I will just give half of the full score to allow room for me to improve. Because there’s no reason why I should give 100 points, neither is there any reason to give zero points!

Q: Did you get injured while filming action scenes in “Healer”?

A: Because I was worried that I will affect the filming progress if I were to get injured, so I did a lot of preparation and rehearsals before filming. There were also stunt directors at the film set, and I will be replaced by a stuntman if the scene is too dangerous. Fortunately my stunt double and I did not get injured.

Q: Is “Healer” the most tiring show that you’ve filmed so far?

A: In the beginning, the hardest thing was having to hang on the wire, because it was very difficult to be strapped to the wire and perform other actions at the same time. There was a scene in the show where I had to jump from the fourth floor to the ground using wires. I was very scared initially, but then I steadily got more familiar with it.

A sense of attachment to the action genre

Q: Will you refuse to act in an action film/drama next time? What kind of shows do you wish to challenge yourself with?

A: Men have a sense of attachment to the action genre, so I still hope to film one again. Although it seemed very difficulty at first, I believe my performance will be ever better if I act in one again. I’m greedy. I also wish to try out those characters that I’ve not attempted before.

Q: “Empress Ki” and “Healer” were very popular. Is there pressure in choosing your next piece of work? Are you anxious about viewership ratings?

A: There were shows that I’ve filmed previously that had viewership ratings exceeding 40%. I used to be very concerned about viewership, and worried that my next project wouldn’t do well, but as I continued filming, I wasn’t anxious about viewership any more.  I feel that it is more important to enjoy the filming process and leave behind beautiful memories.

Q: How did it feel to appear in the Chinese variety show “Happy Camp”?

A: Actually I was very uneasy before my appearance. I was afraid that I did not understand the local culture, and was worried that I wouldn’t perform well. Fortunately, the emcees took very good care of me. I even contacted one of them when I went to Shanghai a few days ago.

Q: You once appeared on the Korean variety show “Running Man”. Are you better in games that test your fitness or intelligence?

A: Especially when filming a show overseas, physical games allow me to offer more things for the audience to see.

Q: You performed a somersault at “Happy Camp” that shocked everyone. Do you practise stunts normally?

A: Actually when I was studying acting in university, I practised a lot of physical stunts.

Wanted to give up, but received encouragement 

Q: After joining the entertainment world, have you ever thought of giving up being an actor?

A: I once thought that I was not suitable to be an actor and wanted to give up, but luckily, many seniors and friends counselled and encouraged me.

Q: If you weren’t joining the entertainment world, did you ever think of other kinds of career?

A: Occasionally, I will think if I wasn’t a celebrity, I will probably be a very ordinary office worker.

Q: After getting famous, what is the biggest change and the most inconvenient thing?

A: There are more people who recognise me now. I could freely meet up with friends last time, I could go around playing and eating street food if I came to Hong Kong. But there are too many fans who like me know so it is very difficult to move around. But seeing so many fans last night made me very happy and feeling very blessed.

Q: Will you accept dating an older woman or foreign woman? Have you ever thought about when to get married?

A: As long as we are able to communicate our thoughts, age and nationality are not an issue. I’ve not thought about when to get married, I’ll just let things take their natural course and probably get married when the time is right!

Q: 5 July will be your 28th birthday. What birthday wish do you have?

A: I hope everyone will be healthy and happy.

Will be obedient to his girlfriend

Ji Chang Wook revealed a short video during his fan meeting earlier, where he he was asked whether Empress Ki played by Ha Ji Won or Chae Young Shin played by Park Min Young in “Healer” was closer to his ideal type. He felt that Empress Ki was a tough woman, whereas Young Shin was more lively and cheerful, so he would choose the latter. When asked what kind of boyfriend he will be, he frankly said that he does not like to argue and will be very obedient to his girlfriend.

Moreover, Ji Chang Wook is long-time friends with his manager Bang Chi Gu, and often interact with each other on social media. Bang Chi Gu would give Ji Chang Wook his favourite brands, and he would even act cute to his manager so that he gets to eat pig trotters.

Translated from Chinese to English. 

Source: Oriental Daily , On.CC