Making the transition from acting to directing seems like a natural progression. And few k-drama actors have tried working on both sides of the camera.
One benefit to being an actor-turned-director is that acting experience can help you establish a rapport with the actors you are directing.
Gu Hye Sun is known for acting in such dramas as "Angel Eyes," "Blood" and "Boys Over Flowers," but the actress has also directed three films and four short films. Her most recent film "Daughter" was shown in the Korean Cinema Today section of the 2014 Busan International Film Festival. That film focuses on the dysfunctional relationship between a mother and her daughter. Shim Hye Jin, who played her mother in Gu Hye Sun's film, had nothing but praise for her co-star and director, saying that she was easy to work with because of her ability to relate to actors.
Jo Seung Woo, who appeared in her second film "Peach Tree," said that among the directors he has worked with she has the most energy and also pesters actors the least.
Jo Jae Hyun may be the latest actor to step behind the camera. In June he will film a low budget movie titled "Journey on My Own." The actor, who appeared in the dramas "Punch" and "Jeong Do Jeon" has written the screenplay and personally invested in the film. He spoke about the transition with the Korean media outlet Nate.
"It's natural for an actor to become a director but I don't want this to be considered something trendy," said Jo Jae Hyun. "I want to make it quietly and be judged when it's done. I am not getting any outside investment and I want to do this on my own without any interference."
The film tells the story of a man who can't forget a woman that he broke up with a decade ago. It's about obsession. Jo Jae Hyun has already directed documentary trailers, a mini-documentary and a music video.
It's not unusual for actors who become directors to star in their own films.
Ha Jung Woo appears in four films this year. He can be seen in "Assassination," "Andre Kim," and "Agasshi" and "Chronicles of a Blood Merchant." He made his directorial debut with the film "Fasten Your Seatbelt." He wrote the screenplay for that airplane comedy based on his own experience during a flight. Not only did he appear in "Chronicles of a Blood Merchant" with Ha Ji Won, but he directed that film and wrote the screenplay, adapting it from a bestselling Chinese novel.
