After Controversy With Seo Ye-ji, Kim Jung-hyun Discusses Past Issues, Comeback, Jujitsu In Recent Interview

After various controversies, Kim Jung-hyun had to take a break from acting, but has since returned with a “turning point”

For actor Kim Jung-hyun, the year 2023 has been quite unique. Facing a lawsuit unrelated to his acting career and experiencing a hiatus in his filmography due to the aftermath, he persevered through challenges to maintain the impressive presence he established in previous works. Despite this, Kim Jung-hyun calmly mentioned that he is concentrating on Jiu-Jitsu to overcome these challenges and is preparing to seize new opportunities. He described his first leading role in the upcoming film “Unforgivable” as a turning point and a signal.

Kim Jung-hyun shared various stories about the movie “Unforgivable” in an interview with Star News at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, ahead of its release on December 13.

“Unforgivable” is a thriller in which the diary of Young-hoon who committed suicide 10 years ago is found on the body of a brutally murdered body. As a result, Detective Dong-geun, who had been investigating the case, was forced to confront his forgotten past. 

Intertwining the thriller genre with social issues happening in reality, “Unforgivable” shows the main character unveils a grudge relationship occurred around Young-hoon, who committed suicide 10 years ago due to harsh acts in the military, while tracking down a murder case.

Kim Jung-hyun portrayed Detective Dong-geun in “Unforgivable”

Kim Jung-hyun, who is known for dramas like “School 2017”, “Crash Landing on You”, and “Mr. Queen”, appeared in the K-drama “Kokdu: Season of Deity” this year. 

During his interview, Kim Jung-hyun appeared nervous about being interviewed for the first time in three years and expressed how the filming experience for “Unforgivable” feels new in that he had time to discuss the shooting, eat together, have a drink, and work hand in hand.

According to the actor, he decided to choose the script of “Unforgivable” after reading the first line of Detective Dong-geun, which is “This too shall pass”.

“When I saw the script with this line, I immersed myself in it, watched it with intensity, and ultimately thought I wanted to play Dong-geun”, Kim Jung-hyun said, adding that the line is also a message he wanted to share to fans. 

The actor also shared that instead of feeling pressured as the lead, people around him helped him to act well. He also confessed that he felt unpleasant watching his own acting, but if the director says it’s OK, it felt enough. 

In the interview, Kim Jung-hyun also added that he found “Unforgivable” to be his “turning point”. 

“Looking at my filmography, I seem to have characters that are somewhat consistent. I dressed up properly, or I came out prettily”, he said, adding, “However, in ‘Unforgivable,’ the character is not like that. I grew a beard, toned down my tone, and added freckles. I didn’t expect anything visually; rather, I participated in terms of messages, enjoying the acting”

According to the actor, he can even shave his head or get a tattoo in his next roles, and want to challenge playing a murderer and try poignant and desperate acting.

Subsequently, Kim Jung-hyun was cautiously asked about his hiatus and the issues he faced. 

In response, he confessed that it would have been nice to have consecutive works after “Kokdu: Seasons of Deity”, but opportunities haven’t come. Despite his long hiatus, the actor spent a lot of time exercising, and people around him helped. 

Kim Jung-hyun then said that he does feel the need to resolve his incidents and negative issues, but ultimately understands the importance of moving forward.

“More people remember me not for my acting but for the issues. However, what I can do is to work hard in acting to become an actor remembered again. I’ll do my best with what I’m given and fill it with good things, so it won’t be repeated. This is probably a crucial goal for my life”, he emphasized.

Afterwards, Kim Jung-hyun mentioned Jiu-Jitsu, a martial art he has been practicing since 2019, and shared that he engages in a lot of exercise and uses it as a means to relieve stress and eliminate distracting thoughts.

Alongside this, Kim Jung-hyun did not forget to express his gratitude to his fans.

Source: Daum