Jeon Jong-Seo, Wedding Impossible star, says she’s still waiting for her big moment
Known for Korean films Burning and The Call, Jeon recently hit headlines throwing out the first pitch at the LA Dodgers v. South Korea’s Kiwoom Heros MLB game in Seoul. Just wrapping its finale this week, she stars in 2024 K-drama, Wedding Impossible.
Rom-com Wedding Impossible (Viki, TVING) centers on an aspiring actress who agrees to marry her friend to help him keep a secret. Her fiancé’s super-ambitious brother doesn’t like the match, setting out to derail them.
If you’ve been following the series, Jeon’s character oozes mischief and humor, as they trip and trope through the storyline. The finale even includes a surprise cameo featuring Jeon’s real-life director boyfriend, Lee Chung Hyun, who imitates life as a director in Episode 12. We talked to Jeon to hear about her plans, learnings and even her inspirations. Read on for her responses in both English and Korean.
TRG Question: In Wedding Impossible, your character is waiting for her big moment. What was the ‘big moment’ in your career – the one that set you on your current path?
Korean Answer: 아직 큰 순간은 오지 않았다고 생각하며 늘 열심히 하려고 노력합니다.
큰 순간이라는 거에 대해 쫓지 않으려고 하고 본질적인 연기에 집중하고 또 여러 유혹에 넘어가지 않으려고 합니다.
촬영하고 촬영을 마치고 작품이 공개되고 반응이 쏟아지고 하지만 가장 즐거운 순간은 카메라 앞에서 연기하는 순간입니다.
English Answer: I still think the ‘big moment’ hasn’t come yet, and I try to work harder every time. I also try not to fall for various temptations, focus on the essence of the acting and not chase after the big moments. When the work is released, we get showered with reactions but the most enjoyable part is when I’m acting in front of the camera.
Q: In Wedding Impossible, your character oozes mischief and humor. What would you say your personality is like in real life, off camera? Are you anything like that character or any other roles you’ve played?
KA: 저도 짓궂고 일상에서 장난기가 넘치고 재미를 가장 중요하게 생각하며 사는 거 같습니다. 웨딩임파서블을 선택하게 된 계기도 재미를 느꼈기 때문이었구요. 저와 가장 비슷한 성격인 캐릭터를 꼽기에는 너무 다양한 장르를 넘나들었어서 대답 드리기 모호하지만 백프로는 아니더라도 각 캐릭터마다 제가 녹아있다 생각합니다.
EA: I think I’m like my character, mischievous and playful. Having fun is really important. I chose Wedding Impossible because I thought it would be fun.
It’s difficult to pick one character most like my real self since I jumped around so many different genres – but I can say that every character I play has a little bit of me in it.
Q: As in Wedding Impossible and other roles, you’re known for expressing your character’s feelings through your facial expressions. How did you hone your acting skills and what was your greatest learning moment?
KA: 연기적인 배움을 얻는 곳은 다른 영화나 다른 드라마이기도 하고 어떤 현장이 될 수도 있고 제 일상의 어떤 순간이기도 하며 또 제 인간관계 안에서 오기도 합니다.
사랑하는 걸 꾸준히 사랑하려 노력하지만 동시에 새로운 걸 끊임없이 모색합니다.
제게 가장 큰 배움의 순간은 연기를 하면서 맞이하게 되는 어떤 순간들이 있는데 위에서 말씀드린 것처럼 평소에 내가 살면서 만지고 맡고 겪고 마주하는 일들이 결국엔 내가 하는 연기가 된다고 느껴질 때입니다. 제가 생각하는 좋은 연기는 나와 많이 다르지 않은 연기라 생각합니다
EA: The moments where I get insights for my acting can be from other movies, dramas, other filming scenes, moments in my daily life or even within my personal relationships. I try to love what I love consistently, but I am also constantly looking for new things. The biggest learning moment for me was realizing that what I learned in my daily life comes out in my acting. Good acting, I think, is acting that is not very different from being myself.
Q: Who are the actors that inspired you when you first started? Now that you’re in the industry, who are the ones you look up to today and why?
KA: 처음 연기를 시작할 때 영향을 가장 많이 받았던 건 영화 그 자체였고, 컴컴한 어둠 속 큰 스크린 속의 이야기들에 매혹되는 장악성이었습니다. 그리고 이건 매번 달라지는 답변일 거 같은데 최근에 저는 고현정 선배님을 존경합니다.
조금 다른 세대이기도 하고 해서 평소에 작품을 볼 기회가 적었는데 최근에 노희경 작가님의 디어마이프렌즈 라는 드라마를 보게 되었고, 그 안에서 고현정 선배님의 연기는 예상을 자꾸 벗어나는 퍼포먼스가 있었습니다.
그 의외성을 통해 본 선배님의 모습이 매우 강렬하기도 했지만 깊숙한 어느 곳을 따뜻하게 만지는 매력을 발견했고, 그 연기를 통해 고현정 선배님이 가지신 연기적인 힘이 무엇인지에 대해 깊히 들여다본 거 같습니다.
EA: When I first started acting, what influenced me the most was the movie itself – the energy that takes over everyone who looks at the big screen in the dark.
And this may be a different answer every time, but recently, my biggest respect goes to actress Go Hyun Jung. I didn’t have much opportunity to watch her works, but recently, I watched writer Noh Hee Kyung’s drama Dear My Friends (2016), and Go Hyun Jung’s performance was beyond my expectations. Seeing her through that unexpectedness was very powerful. Yet I also discovered her charm, which warmly touches deep down in human emotions. And through that performance, I had a chance to absorb Go Hyun Jung’s powerful acting skills.
Q: Burning was brilliant and as your first movie, you got the chance to work with some wonderfully experienced talent in Yoo Ah In and Steven Yeun. What did you learn by working with them?
KA: 아무것도 모르는 저에게 말로 무언가를 설명하지 않은 채 두 분 다 너무 큰 영감과 배움을 주신 분들이고,
두 분이 저를 대해주시고 연기적으로 함께해 주실 수 있었던 데에는 두 분이 가진 유연함이 있기 때문이라고 생각합니다.
저는 첫 번째 영화를 두 분과 함께 하지 않았더라면 지금의 연기적인 소신과는 다른 소신을 갖게 되었을 수도 있을 거 같고 저는 이 사실에 감사합니다.
EA: Both of them gave me great inspiration and knowledge without explaining anything verbally to me – who knew nothing. And I think the way they treated me equally and performed alongside me was coming from their open-mindedness. If I hadn’t worked with these two in my first movie, I might have had a different belief in acting than I do now and I’m grateful for this.
Q: Your character Okju in Ballerina channels her rage through calculated violence. How did you find that character within yourself? Was there any part of that role that was more challenging than other acting roles?
KA: 옥주를 연기하면서 중점을 두었던 건 민희를 잘 받침 하고 싶었고 복수를 햐는 과정이 비주얼적으로 과감할지언정 보는 대중분들의 마음 어딘가가 옥주와 함께 아플 수 있길 바랐습니다. 메타포적인 제목인데, 복수를 하는 과정이 잔인하지만 사실 그 이유는 아주 순수하고 아름다움이 담기길 바랐습니다.
EA: What I focused on the most while playing Okju was supporting Min Hee. Although the process of revenge might be visually violent, I hoped that the viewers’ hearts would feel pain along with Okju. The title is metaphorical: the process of revenge is cruel, but it holds beauty and purity.
Q: What’s next for you and where would you like to see your career progress in the next 1 year and 10 years? Any specific goals?
KA: 꾸준히 계속 연기하고 싶습니다.
EA: Nothing specific; I just want to continue my acting.
Did you enjoy Jeon Jong-Seo’s portrayal in Wedding Impossible? Click to read the interview story.
Click for more K-drama reviews and TRG interviews.