Actor Jo Jung-suk / Courtesy of Jam Entertainment

Actor Jo Jung-suk, who performs the leading role in the upcoming comedy flick "Pilot," revealed that he didn't feel any pressure in portraying a cross-dressing pilot because the story resonated so strongly with him.

The 43-year-old, who played rock singer Hedwig Robinson in the Korean version of the musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and a warm-hearted doctor in the drama "Hospital Playlist," returns to the big screen with "Pilot" five years after the blockbuster disaster film "Exit."

Actor Jo Jung-suk is seen in a poster for the upcoming film "Pilot," where he portrays a cross-dressing pilot. Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

Directed by Kim Han-gyeol, the comedy film follows the story of Han Jung-woo, who goes from being a star pilot to unemployed overnight, and then succeeds in getting re-employed by disguising himself as a female pilot using his sister Jung-mi's identity.

He said that the role of a man dressing up as a woman didn't cause him much stress, as he was focused on the protagonist's reasons for this choice and his efforts to revive his career.

"Although the film deals with sensitive topics as well as family and personal growth within the comedy genre, I didn't feel burdened by those aspects. If the work is fun and the story resonates with me, I don't worry too much about other things," Jo said during an interview with The Korea Times at a café in Seoul, Thursday.

"That's how I have dealt with all my work so far. In 'Pilot,' there's definitely a point where Han Jung-woo makes a mistake, but there's also a point where he realizes his mistake, so I was able to empathize with him and really get into it."

Jo added that he would have chosen this work even if he hadn't played the drag queen role in "Hedwig."

"Even if I hadn't had the experience of ‘Hedwig,' I believe I would have taken on this movie. It presents a new challenge for me, and I aimed to explore the highest vocal range as well as the visual aspects of the role," he said.

To better embody the cross-dressing role in "Pilot," he lost 7 kilograms.

"I focused a lot on Jung-woo playing Jung-mi in the film. I was greatly attracted to the character of the protagonist who has clear goals and strives to achieve them," he said.

When asked about the difficulties he faced while performing the cross-dressing role, he said, "Physically, the most challenging scene was running in high heels in the cold winter."

Actors Jo Jung-suk, center, and Shin Seung-ho, right, are seen in a scene from the upcoming comedy flick "Pilot." Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

He expressed admiration for his younger co-stars, especially highlighting Lee Ju-myoung, who plays a pilot colleague and drew viewers' attention with her portrayal of a high school student in tvN's 2022 drama "Twenty Five Twenty One."

"It was really great working closely with her (Lee). Her energy is truly extraordinary. I thought my eye for searching out a talented actor wasn't wrong," Jo said.

He praised Han Sun-hwa, who plays his sister Jung-mi, saying, "We had such great chemistry that I found myself wondering why we hadn't worked together before. It was an enjoyable experience from start to finish."

Throughout his acting career, Jo has played various roles but has been particularly recognized by fans for taking on comedic characters. He believes that successful comedic acting relies on the art of timing and, crucially, the chemistry between actors.

"In comedy, the interplay between actors on set is crucial. No matter how funny my acting is, it's important how well other actors react to it," Jo said.

"Pilot" will hit local theaters on July 31.