Jo In Sung broke plenty of hearts with his romantic portrayal of the con artist Oh Soo in the recent melodrama "That Winter, The Wind Blows." And he was kind enough to answer some of our questions about his role at a recent press conference organized by ONE HD in Malaysia.
In the drama, his character Oh Soo is a gambler and a swindler, who is desperate for cash. He meets the blind heiress Oh Young, played by Song Hye Kyo, and pretends to be her long lost brother, hoping to scam some money out of her. It's a successful scam until he falls in love with her and his priorities shift.
The role was his first drama in eight years and his first role since completing his military service. He was considering which role to take when the scriptwriter of "That Winter, The Wind Blows" came to see him personally. He didn't have to think twice about accepting the role of Oh Soo. He is happy that he took the role and says he enjoyed working with Song Hye Kyo.
"Working with her was fantastic," he said. "She is a beautiful actress as well.
When asked if there are any similarities between his own character and that of Oh Soo, he admitted there were some. For example, he would probably consider himself a romantic guy. And letting go of Oh Soo was not that easy. While the time it takes for an actor to shed a character varies, some characters are harder to let go of.
"I didn't really count how many days it took," said Jo In Sung. "I spent five months shooting this drama so it's not that easy to let go of a character that you live in for so many months. That's my weakness."
The actor is known for his cheerful personality but he has acted in a few melodramas such as "Memories in Bali" and "Spring Days." "That Winter, The Wind Blows" was so sad. Does he want to do a romantic comedy next?
"I used to be in a comedy called 'Nonstop 2.' It was fun and great but I wouldn't choose a romantic comedy just because it's a romantic comedy," said Jo. "I would look at the role first to see if the character is a fit or not, rather than just choosing a role because its funny."
How did he feel about the drama's famous, already much parodied Cotton Candy Kiss.
"Honestly, it was a very embarrassing, awkward moment to have to do it in front of a beautiful actress like Song Hye Kyo," he said.
Does he have any preference about which actor he would like to work with in the future?
"My goal is to work with a good actress or actor," he said. "It doesn't matter who. But if I had a choice, I would like to work with my close brother Song Joong Ki and also Choi Min Sik."
As to his other acting goals, he has no specific ones. His next role will probably be in a film. He appeared in the film "A Frozen Flower" in 2008 and is expected to appear in the film "Martial Arts" this year.
"I'm already so lucky and happy enough being in this position," said Jo In Sung. "I just hope to participate in more projects."
"That Winter, The Wind Blows" will be shown again in Malaysia by popular demand. Show times are at 3:15 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, starting June 1 on ONE HD (Astro B.yond HD Ch 393).
