| Actor Cho Jin-woong / Courtesy of Plus M Entertainment |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Cho Jin-woong said he initially had no idea what to make of his character when he first read the script for political thriller “The Devil's Deal.” But the more he went over it with director Lee Won-tae and shared the possibilities of what he might do with the character, the more he wanted to step into the role of Hae-woong.
“Hae-woong is a regular candidate running for general election in the beginning, but then transforms into a power-hungry politician who is willing to get his hands dirty,” he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “Although I had mixed feelings about the character himself, I liked the fact that it's a character-driven story.”
Set in Busan in 1992, “The Devil's Deal” follows the story of a morally conflicted, opportunistic politician who embarks on a tumultuous journey as he attempts to regain his political footing following a general election fallout.
The 46-year-old actor said he wanted to show the moral decay of Hae-woong and how his character deals with danger lurking around every corner of his life.
Asked about similarities to his character, Cho said he has no backup plans like Hae-woong. “Like Hae-woong, who doesn't give up on his political dreams, I've never thought about quitting acting. I wouldn't be able to find a new job at my age. I'm also weak against the strong,” he laughed.
| A scene from the film, 'The Devil's Deal' / Courtesy of Plus M Entertainment |
On starring alongside Lee Sung-min, who plays the role of untouchable power broker Sun-tae, Cho said he was just amazed to witness his acting skills up close. This marks their fifth time collaborating on a film, following “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” (2014), “The Sheriff in Town” (2017), “The Spy Gone North” (2018) and “Black Money” (2019).
“What I like about Lee is that he is very detail-oriented. He believes every detail counts, and it helps to build our characters day by day,” he said.
The actor recalled the most intense scene was when Hae-woong sits down with Sun-tae and threatens him with evidence of Sun-tae's election meddling.
“We shot that scene in the summer. I was sweating all over, so the special effects team didn't have to make stage sweat with glycerin. We had to play off each other while hiding our fears deep down. The sweat was a way of silently expressing my fear. It was a really exhilarating experience,” he said.
Cho went on to talk about Lee's newfound popularity following the success of JTBC drama “Reborn Rich.”
“I'm really happy for him. I recently binge-watched 'Shadow Detective' and once again felt that he's a brilliant actor. I hope his performance in 'The Devil's Deal' captivates the audience,” he said.
The actor also shared reasons behind starring in tvN's travel show “Europe Outside Your Tent.”
“I've always wanted to travel to Spain since I was in college. I eventually decided to take part in the project under the condition that I'm going with my dear friend and fellow actor Kwon Yul. It really felt like a backpacking trip because we had to sleep inside a tent throughout the journey,” he said.