Jung Sung-il Faces Pressure as He Debuts as Lead in Thriller 'The Killer's Report'

Actor Jung Sung-il, who gained immense popularity through the Netflix series 'The Glory,' is now stepping into the spotlight as the lead in his first-ever cinematic role with the movie 'The Killer's Report.' The weight of being the main protagonist is a palpable experience for the actor.

In a recent interview with Sportsseoul, Jung Sung-il expressed his nerves, stating, "I'm very nervous. We are at a crossroads of box office success." He added, "I'm trying to remain calm rather than get too excited. Not just me, but the director, Jo Yeo-jeong, Kim Tae-han, and so many others worked incredibly hard. I hope their efforts lead to a good outcome."

'The Killer's Report' centers on a seasoned journalist, Seon-ju (played by Jo Yeo-jeong), who receives an interview request from a psychiatrist, Young-hoon (played by Jung Sung-il), who confesses to being a serial killer. Jung Sung-il takes on the challenging role of Young-hoon, a psychiatrist who dispenses his own brand of justice by eliminating those deemed 'deserving of death.' The film focuses on dialogue-heavy scenes, particularly one-on-one conversations between Young-hoon and Seon-ju, to depict the character's heinous acts rather than explicit visual representations.

Jung Sung-il admitted to having a massive amount of dialogue, humorously remarking to the director during the press screening, "I wanted to kill you." He elaborated, "I've always loved thrillers, so the script was right up my alley. I didn't want any other actor to get their hands on it." He confessed, "Although the dialogue was extensive, it was all necessary for the plot's progression. I've never actually wanted to kill the director," he chuckled.

Despite his enthusiasm for the script and character, Jung Sung-il found it difficult to empathize with Young-hoon's identity as a serial killer. He explained, "I tried to connect with the character by focusing on the smallest possible point of connection, which was his wife's story. I tried to empathize with the part where Young-hoon lost his wife." He acknowledged, "Of course, there's no character you can empathize with 100%, but I tried to find that connection."

Addressing the interpretation of Young-hoon as a dark hero enacting private justice, Jung Sung-il strongly emphasized, "Young-hoon is a character who can never be glorified." He suggested a broader societal critique, stating, "The very fact that 'private justice' is used as a cinematic subject means we need to reflect on our society. If all citizens were truly equal before the law, would the term 'private justice' even be used?"

Given the sensitive subject matter and the pressure of his first leading role, Jung Sung-il admitted, "The pressure for box office success is immense." He reflected, "During my previous work, 'Trigger,' I felt that if I had been a bit more famous, the project might have done better. I felt sorry for senior Kim Hye-soo and the production team. It's similar with 'The Killer's Report.' While nothing was successful because of me, nothing failed because of me either. However, this film has the title of 'lead role,' so I'm even more concerned. I wish I could hypnotize myself like Young-hoon. I sincerely hope this film does well."

Jung Sung-il made his acting debut in the 2007 stage play 'Hamlet' and consistently built his career through various theater productions and independent films.

He gained significant public recognition for his nuanced performance as Ha Do-yeong in the 2022 Netflix series 'The Glory.'

'The Killer's Report' marks Jung Sung-il's first leading role on the big screen, generating anticipation for his expanded acting range.