Park Yoochun envies the kind of unconditional love that the characters share in the film "Sea Fog."
The film, which premieres in Korea next week, tells the story of a fishing boat crew that decides to smuggle illegal immigrants into Korea. When the immigrants die, the crew tosses their bodies into the sea. The film is based on a play of the same name, which in turn is based on a true story that happened in 2001.
In the film, Park Yoochun plays Dong Sik a crewmember. Park really identified with the character of Dong Sik.
In an interview with Asia Economy, he talked about his feelings for his character.
"Dong Sik, who I play in 'Sea Fog,' is very naive," he said.
But at the same time Park really admired Dong Sik. "Since the beginning of middle school, I earned money by myself. I carried the responsibility for my life since then, and seeing Dong Sik take care of his grandmother and work hard jobs, I noticed similarities between Dong Sik and myself.
He did say there were differences between them. Dong Sik is more spontaneous even impulsive but that's because he is idealistic and true to his feelings.
"I envy him, and I think our era needs people like him," he said. "There are not many people like Dong Sik, I think,"
Dong Sik tries to protect a female immigrant, played by Han Ye Ri, and he falls in love with her. His love is pure and selfless.
"'Sea Fog' is a movie that the current era needs," said Park in the interview. "It shows pure and innocent love that you do not see in our modern society."
It's a love the actor also says he envies. He is jealous of the characters that love so unconditionally.
"Sea Fog" is not only Park Yoochun's first film. The film is the first time the actor and JYJ singer had to film a sex scene. But that scene was important to the plot, said Yoochun, because it demonstrated the intense emotions that the characters felt in a difficult life-and-death situation.
In an earlier interview with the Korea Herald the star of "Missing You" and "Three Days" said he agonized over the sex scene before he shot it. And when he did he realized it was more than just sex but an outpouring of the characters' desperation and sadness. He felt sad when he shot the scene and when he saw it later in playbacks it hurt to look at it.
"Sea Fog" premieres in Korea on August 13.
