Park Hee-soon on Working with Director Park Chan-wook: 'It Was on My Wife's and Mother's Prayer List'

Actor Park Hee-soon revealed that working with director Park Chan-wook was a long-cherished aspiration.

In an interview held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on the 25th, he discussed the recently released film 'Dream of a Reason' (directed by Park Chan-wook), which opened on the 24th. The movie tells the story of Mansu (Lee Byung-hun), an office worker who felt satisfied with his life until he was unexpectedly fired, and his subsequent struggle to protect his family and home through re-employment.

Park Hee-soon plays Choi Sun-chul, Mansu's rival in the job search. He shared, "Working with director Park Chan-wook was a long-held dream and one of my bucket list items." He further elaborated, "My mother and wife knew how much I admired the director, so 'May my son/husband work with Director Park Chan-wook' was always on their prayer list." He added with a laugh, "They were both overjoyed as if it were their own project, and I haven't told the director. No other director is on that list."

Having explored various theatrical endeavors with the troupe 'Mokwha,' known for its experimental spirit, he stated, "I thought director Park Chan-wook was the most cinematic director in filmmaking. I was eager to experience his artistic world."

Reflecting on the actual collaboration, Park Hee-soon commented, "The director's scripts leave a lot of room for actors' imagination. I wanted to experience the intersection of the director's imagination and mine." He also praised actor Lee Byung-hun, saying, "Seeing how skillfully he handled unexpected reactions, I truly felt he was a remarkable actor."

Park Hee-soon specifically discussed the unique character trait of Choi Sun-chul being drunk. He explained, "The director suggested referencing Jack Nicholson's actions in 'Easy Rider.' I exaggerated this portrayal, which the director and Lee Byung-hun seemed to appreciate even more." He highly valued director Park Chan-wook's openness to actors' imaginations, adding, "He accepted spontaneous variables and actors' ideas, and even enhanced them to make the scenes more engaging."

He also recounted an instance where a scene was added based on his input. Park Hee-soon said, "There was a scene where Mansu and I first met at a bar, but it didn't make sense to me to bring someone I hadn't even seen into my home. I discussed this with the director, and as a result, he added a scene where I'm given 50,000 won to wait at the bar." He concluded, "Thanks to this, a character who is boisterous and macho, yet also caring, could be portrayed."

(Continued in Interview ②)

Park Hee-soon debuted in the 1990 play 'Bloodline' and honed his acting skills on various theater stages. After his screen debut, he delivered memorable performances in numerous films including 'The Unforgiven,' 'Blades of Blood,' 'Hide and Seek,' and 'The Man Standing Next.' He has established himself as a reliable actor, particularly for his excellent portrayal of strong male characters.