Cloud USA

— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^

HUGE thanks to Cloud overseas fan coordinator Huhuhuhu for making it possible for English-speakers and Chinese-speakers to read Rain’s Korean interview! What would we do without you, dear? 🙂

I had to crack up when Rain said he had no particular feelings about being called ajeossi (uncle, Mister, Pops) in My Lovely Girl. As if he just up and changed his Instagram handle to “rain_oppa” out of the blue. He didn’t want Clouds starting that ajeossi crap any time soon, haha, and I don’t blame him.

Oppa is his name and still being well in his prime is his game! Thumbs up.

Stephe @ cloudusa.wordpress.com / CloudUSA.org

Rain’s Interview in Dazed & Confused Korea Magazine (#81) January 2015

English Translation: huhuhuhu @The Cloud

Source: New Division: 정지훈은 10대를 오기로 보냈고, 20대를 열의로 지냈다.
지금은 매끄러운 30대를 한창 즐기는 중이다.

Images credit: http://kr.dazeddigital.com/2014/12/24/new-division/

[Tweeks: Stephe ^@@^]

New Division
Jung Ji Hoon’s teenage [years] were filled with pride. His 20s were filled with passion. Now he is enjoying his smooth 30s.

Checked shirt and black jacket, both Raf Simons (Raf Simons by Mue), wide white pants Noang (Nohant), black velvet shoes Uni pair (Unipair).

What do you do when you are at home?
Home is where you can perfectly rest. I spend half of the 365 days a year overseas, half of the 24 hours a day working outside. Therefore, home is a place where I don’t need to think of anything, but just rest comfortably.

You want to design your home to be the best resting place.
My only greed is a huge TV, which is a necessity to me. There are lots of expensive and nice furniture, but I am not interested. I don’t care too much about interior design, and I don’t have the time. I leave this job to my sister who majors in this.

Sometimes you will cook?
I eat a lot outside, so sometimes I get tired of it. When this happens, I will cook at home. If there aren’t any ingredients, then I use sweet potatoes instead. Not long ago, I dried sweet potatoes for 3 days. They were semi-dry, very chewy and delicious. I was seriously [wondering] if I should sell them.

You were overseas until this morning?
I had schedules in Malaysia and Singapore. Slept on the plane and came here directly for the [photo shoot].

You achieved so much but there was no sign of being exhausted.
Who wouldn’t be like that in order not to miss a good job and a good opportunity? Although I also wish to walk a comfortable path, I feel that is very dangerous. Most people will classify actors into categories: good acting, good visual, outstanding star quality. As for myself, I wish to be an actor who knows how to choose his work. To become like that, I still lack a lot. Therefore, when I shot “My Lovely Girl” I started with basic training on pronunciation and vocalization.

Is this because you haven’t acted for a long time?
It’s true I didn’t do it for a few years, but still it was something I should do. I cannot accept not having the basic skills of pronunciation and vocalization. One could still explain when one just started to do a drama series, but now I don’t want to do anything that I myself or the audience would feel ashamed of.

What do you think of the balance between domestic and overseas work?
It has been 10 years since I started acting, and now I am clear that I would like to try roles which have nothing to do with the Box Office. Despite that I am bound by my schedules, I try my best to do what I want to do. Even though you think of topical works and the Box Office in the beginning, nobody really knows what the result will be. I will not be overly ambitious, but will naturally expand my spectrum and my career. In my early debut years, if I worked hard but things did not go the direction that I wanted, I would blame myself and [feel] wronged. But now, what is important to me is to show what my role needs to show and finish it well.

“Debut number of years” “30s”: Do you feel free about these numbers?
If we think in the way of a big corporation, then I think my current position is a Division head, where as [JinYoung hyung (JYP, “big brother”) and HyunSuk hyung ^@@^] are CEOs. I still have a long way to move upwards. However, there are also many juniors who are about to strive forward. I feel I need to work harder than [ever] now to secure my position, so that I can do a good job as the one in the middle.

Times have changed things, right?
I started as a dancer [named] Rain in 1999. It’s 14 years since my debut. I had peak times like the blade of a sharp knife. Now when I fall, even if I fall, I know how to get up again. Internally we changed from analogue age to digital age, and we benefited from the special K-Pop current.

Of the things you do constantly, which is most skilled?
Dancing and acting. I couldn’t think of others.

And what do you feel not familiar [with] no matter what you do?
Taking photos. Originally I don’t even take selfies much, thinking that it was just a momentary image. Recently, I enjoyed it a bit.

How would you summarize briefly your 10s, 20s, and 30s?
My 10s were venomous, 20s were passionate, in my 30s I want to be soft and tender.

You gave an example of big corporation just now. How do you compare yourself to the characters in the drama “Misaeng”?
Manager Oh. The type who will scold when he should , teach as he should, and protect when he should?

First time being called “uncle” in your work.
I played the role of a “Daddy Long Legs” in the drama “My Lovely Girl.” There is a 12-year age gap between me and the female lead Krystal, so of course I was being called uncle (ajeossi, 아저씨 ^@@^). I don’t have particular feelings about that.

Actor with constant overseas projects.
I am grateful that I receive good proposals constantly, including those from Hollywood. The more this goes on, the more thoughts come to me. Probably due to the strong action skills in my lead role movie Ninja Assassin, I received many proposals to be an action actor. But I feel changes are necessary, and I want to show my different sides. I want to play various roles, even if they are supporting roles. I want to do a romantic comedy.

You are starting to expand your spectrum in China.
My first Chinese movie For Love or Money was shown in China recently. Director Gao Xi Xi achieved great success with his drama “The Three Kingdoms.” Crystal Liu is one of the representing female actresses in China. It was my fortune to work with them. I feel that if I continue to do this, then I can become an actor who is not restricted by nationality, and not being labeled as an overseas actor.

Any director or actors whom you want to work with?
I hope to shoot a movie with Director Park Chan Wook again. I also hope to learn from my seniors and work more with them together.

You mentioned that meeting Producer JYP and meeting the Wachowskis were two turning points in your life. Are you waiting for a third one?
Maybe the third one has already come. And it also occurred to me too that maybe it will not come. Recently I am very happy, very satisfied. I can sing when I want to sing, and I can choose good projects.

You have already started a new project.
I will shoot “Diamond Lover” directed by Chen Ming Zhang. I will go to China in a couple of days and will stay there for 3 months. I don’t know the schedule. I am the kind of person who moves as I am told to come and go, haha.

You haven’t stopped and rested at all.
I did have the thought that I wouldn’t do anything after shooting “My Lovely Girl.” But then I received the proposal to shoot “Diamond Lover” and I [just had] to do it. Now, I’ve made up my mind to take a rest after this drama, but who knows if a good project will come up in March.

If you were given a one-month holiday starting tomorrow, what would you do?
I would go to the USA. I could wander around freely. USA is a country with things to see and to learn. I am not the type of person who could just sit and rest and do nothing. Looks like I need to start thinking about my next album.

What will be the changes in 2015?
My 2014 was like I had a fresh debut again. If 2014 is the stage to relax my body, then in 2015 I want to do things I have not done before, and do interesting things. That’s why today I am shooting [blurry, vague, bemused (engrossing, dazing, confusing) ^@@^] style photos.

~ by Cloud USA on December 29, 2014.

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