Jeon Ji Hyun 전지현 - Upcoming Drama : Polaris

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October 4, 2012

The Thieves becomes most-watched Korean film
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily



It’s official. As expected, “The Thieves” has become the most-watched Korean film with a whopping 13 million plus viewers having watched the flick in the last 70-odd days.

Show Box, the film’s distributor announced on Oct. 2 that the film chalked up some 13,020,393 views, and usurped the place of “The Host” which was released in 2006 and amassed 13,019,740 views in 106 days.

The current hit movie starring Kim Soo-hyun, Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Hye-su was No. 2 as of Sept. 3. Having garnered 12.31 million views at the time.

After its release on July 25, “Thieves” began breaking records across the board.

Just three days after the film opened, more than a million people had watched it; that number doubled the following day and tripled by day six.

Directed by Choe Dong-hoon, the film is about a heist carried out by 10 Korean and Chinese thieves stealing a $20 million diamond necklace at a casino in Macau. 

To date, the most-watched film of all time in Korea is “Avatar” with some 13,624,328 views. It should be interesting to see if the Korean action-drama can usurp the place of the Hollywood blockbuster.

[Guest snowflakesj16]

class="entry-title" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 12px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.8em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: -1px; "Jun Ji Hyun models in a nude dress for ‘Amore Pacific’Actress Jun Ji Hyun drew eyes to her perfect body line in a tight, nude tone dress.

Jun Ji Hyun has recently been chosen as the model for ‘Amore Pacific‘s ‘Illi‘. In the photos, she dressed in a tight, nude colored dress that showed off her curvy body.

The dress was cut all the way up to her upper thighs and had a low back cut exposing skin. Her skin was also flawless and silky, and she showed off her characteristic innocence and sexiness at the same time with her pose.

Amore Pacific revealed, “Jun Ji Hyun had shown off her great body line in movies such as ‘The Thieves‘, so she was chosen as the model.”

Source: Allkpop

Additional shots for Amore Pacific..

For Orion Nachos

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October 22, 2012
Who's Who in Korea's 10 Million Movie Club
Source: Nate
The 10 Million club = actors whose movies have sold 10 million tickets

1st Row: Sul Kyung Gu (Silmido, 2003 & Haeundae 2009), Ahn Sung Ki (Silmido, 2003), Jang Dong Gun (Taegukgi, 2004)
2nd Row: Lee Byung Hun (Gwanghae, 2012), Ryu Seung Ryong (Gwanghae, 2012), Won Bin (Taegukgi, 2004)
3rd Row: Lee Jun Ki (King & Clown, 2005), Song Kang Ho (The Host, 2006), Park Hae Il (The Host, 2006)
4th Row: Ha Ji Won (Haeundae, 2009), Kim Hye Soo (The Thieves, 2012), Jeon Ji Hyun (The Thieves, 2012)
5th Row: Park Joong Hoon (Haeundae, 2009), Kim Yoon Seok (The Thieves, 2012), Kim In Kwon (Gwanghae, 2012)

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November 21, 2012
Korean films break 100 million in attendance
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald
Korean films are set to break the 100 million mark in attendance by Wednesday, according to the state-run Korean Film Council.
As of Tuesday morning, some 99.8 million viewers had watched Korean films since the beginning of January. 
The milestone means Koreans saw at least two local films on average this year. 
Korean films enjoyed much success this year, at both the box office and film festivals. Two local films ― Choi Dong-hun’s star-studded heist film “The Thieves” and Choo Chang-min’s period drama “Gwanghae: the Man who Became the King” ― sold more than 10 million tickets. It was the first time two Korean films had done so in the same year.
Local auteur Kim Ki-duk also made headlines by winning the top prize at this year’s Venice Film Festival for his bleak morality tale “Pieta,” becoming the first Korean filmmaker to win the award. 

[Guest leegay1227]

Jun Ji Hyun...beautiful girl pretty woman...my 2nd favorite K'actress.I have dvd collections of her movies & drama. all w/ perfect eng subs. I'm new here on soompi.

[PeerNorway]

I am a little behind on things as K-movies and TV-dramas are a new interest that has appeared in my life a little over a year ago. So I am not too familiar with all the wonderful stars in beautiful South Korea. Yesterday after watching Jun Ji Hyun in "My Sassy Girl" and today in "Wind Struck" - both of whom I really liked - I have to find more movies with her. I have also seen "Daisy" about a year ago, but I was so new to K-movies she did not quite catch my attention. I really enjoy her little rough characters, but I was wondering if she has done any serious roles without comedy ? So can you recommend me other movies and TV dramas with her that is worth watching ? Kamsahamnida

[Guest leegay1227]

wishing u all happy holidays!

<:-P

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December 31, 2012
Jun Ji-Hyun, riding wire in 'Berlin'…as a beautiful interpreter  Source: Innolife Korea

Actor Jun Ji-Hyun will be showing off her mysterious charm in the movie 'Berlin' as a beautiful interpreter. 
Jun Ji-Hyun will be acting with Ha Jung-Woo, Han Suk-Gyu and Ryu Seung-Bum in director Ryu Seung-Wan's new movie, 'Berline.' The movie is expected to be a great fun, following 'The Thieves,' the best box office hit of 2012. 
'Berline' is an action movie about the mission of secret agents, who became each other's target for their own goal. 
Jun Ji-Hyun will be acting the role of Yun Jung-Hee, who is an interpeter working at North Korean embassy in Berlin, married to a secret agent Pyo Jong-Sung(Ha Jung-Woo). Yun Jung-Hee, starting to doubt her husband due to Dong Myung-Soo(Ryu Seung-Bum), will become the center of the story against her will. 
Jun Ji-Hyun was praised by people perfectly acting the dangerous wire action while escaping for her life. She acted out the wire action once more, after the wire scene in 'The Thieves' as a thief Yenicole. 
DIrector Ryu Seung-Wan conveyed, "I was so glad as a producer listening to people say, 'didn't know Jun Ji-Hyun could look that way.' It was Jun Ji-Hyun who gave me a pleasant shock. I thank Jun Ji-Hyun who concentrated in her role." 
'Berlin' will be released on January 31st, 2013. [picture=CJ Entertainment] 

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January 4, 2013

What Does 2013 Hold for Korean Film?

The ChosunIlbo

Korean films drew more than 100 million viewers over the past year, but there are a number of concerns if they are to sustain their momentum. Here are five of the top issues for this year that have insiders speculating about the future of the movie industry. 

◆ Can Korean Movies Break the 100 Million Mark Again?

In 2012, domestic movies set a new record by attracting 115 million moviegoers. With many much-anticipated films out this year, the question is whether the industry can repeat that milestone.

Potential blockbusters include "The New World" directed by Park Hoon-jung, which revolves around a cop who goes undercover into gangland and Kang Woo-suk's "Fist of Legend," based on a webtoon.

Other releases include a Korean version of "True Lies" by Yi Seung-jun, and Won Shin-yeon's new film about a delivery man who draws upon his experience in the North Korean special forces when he is falsely accused of the murder of a company CEO.

◆ Can Korean Directors Capture Global Audiences?

Korea's most noted directors are debuting in Hollywood. Kim Ji-Woon's Hollywood debut "The Last Stand" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger will be released in North America this month. In February, "Stoker," directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Nicole Kidman, comes to cinemas around the world, and in the second half of this year, the W40 billion (US$1=W1,062) production "Snow Piercer" by Bong Joon-ho will hit screens in North America.

◆ Kim Hye-soo or Jeon Ji-hyun?

The stars of "The Thieves," the biggest local box office hit of 2012, will compete against each other with their new films. Jeon Ji-hyun appears in "The Berlin File" by Ryu Seung-wan, set to be released in January. It also stars Han Suk-kyu, Ha Jung-woo and Ryu Seung-beom. Kim Hye-soo co-stars with Song Kang-ho in Han Jae-rim's period movie "Fortune," which will be released later this year.

Kim Yoon-seok will return to screens with "Run to the South" by Lim Soon-rye and "Hwayi" by Jang Joon-hwan, while Kim Soo-hyun landed his first starring film role in Jang Cheol-soo's "Covertness."

◆ Are Co-Productions the Way Forward?

A 3D Korean-Chinese co-production, will hit theaters in China in the second half of this year. The movie tells the story of a girl from a circus troupe and a gorilla joining a Korean professional baseball team and growing into superstars.

The Chinese distributor covered more than 25 percent of the production costs of W22.5 billion, and the movie is expected to secure at least over 5,000 screens in China.

◆ Will Hong Sang-soo Finally Land International Festival Prize?

Hong Sang-soo's 14th feature film "Nobody's Daughter Haewon" will compete in the official competition at the Berlin Film Festival in February. Hong has entered international film festivals 242 times since he debuted with "The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well" in 1996. This is his fifth time in competition in the world's three major film festivals -- Cannes, Berlin and Venice -- but so far he has not managed to win an award.

[ria19]

wooow!! jeon ji hyun thread...im new here,im afraid i got to watch JJH's work only recently,,,but iv heard alot about her and iv always admired her unique beauty..shes splendid looking and a talented actress...and i recently watched my sassy girl and i became an instant fan of Jeon ji hyun..she was awesome in the movie.planning to watch more of her works from now on...thanks for all the updates about her...  :-bd 

[Guest leegay1227]

Congratulations Jeon Ji hyun (Giana Jun) one of the top *100 Worlds Most Beautiful Faces 2012* #94 soooo proud of you!
<:-P

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January 4, 2013

Jun Ji-hyun injured in action scene

By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily



Jun Ji-hyun’s work ethic is the talk of the town after a staff member on the set of her upcoming movie “The Berlin File” revealed an injury sustained during a shoot.

A movie representative said that while filming an action scene, the actress was hit in the face with an empty cartridge and shards were lodged into her skin.

“There were some really intense scenes in the film and despite her injury, Jun just carried on with filming after getting the fragments removed,” said the spokesperson. The film’s director Ryu Seung-wan was also impressed by his lead actress.

“Jun has shot so many action films that she’s just a pro at it now. She’s especially good with wires,” said the director, adding that he now knows why she was cast in last year’s hit film “The Thieves.” Based in Berlin, Jun’s latest movie is a spy action drama about secret agents who have become each others’ targets in order to survive. It stars Ha Jung-woo, Han Suk-kyu and Ryu Seung-bum along with Jun.

It opens Jan. 31 and is Jun’s second cinematic work since she got married in April last year.

[Guest lala111]

The Berlin File Teaser

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January 22, 2013
Movie Review 'The Berlin File' entertains with spectacular action scenes
By Shim Sun-ah The YonhapNews
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- For fans of action films, the new Korean movie "The Berlin File" should be a real treat. The film is directed by Ryu Seung-wan, known for his unique style of action films, and stars top actors such as Ha Jung-woo, Han Suk-kyu, Ryu Seung-bum and Jun Ji-hyun.
   The movie clearly stands out from other homegrown films with its spectacular and breathtaking fight and action scenes. Its secretive and gloomy atmosphere set in Berlin, where legacies from the Cold War era linger, is another high point of the movie.
   But that's about it.
   For its star-studded cast and huge production cost of nearly 10 billion won (US$9.3 million), the movie fails to meet expectations with a plot that is somewhat hard to understand. The movie's tempo is too fast for its audience to identify who is who. Too many characters come and go throughout the movie, including spies from the two Koreas, the United States and Israel in addition to German informants and arms dealers from Russia and the Middle East.
There is nothing fresh about its story of conspiracy and betrayal between spies since it has been a beloved subject in other spy flicks and TV drama series.
   Jeong Jin-su (played by Han Suk-kyu), a South Korean spy, observes an illegal arms deal at a hotel restaurant in Berlin. During a subsequent raid, he encounters Pyo Jong-song (played by Ha Jung-woo), a North Korean spy known by the alias "ghost," and chases him. But Jeong fails to catch him after an intense fight.
   Meanwhile, Lee Hak-su (played by Lee Kyung-young), the North Korean ambassador to Berlin, asks Pyo to be careful since Dong Myeong-su (played by Ryu Seung-bum), a North Korean security official whose father is a high-ranking figure in the communist state, is on his way to visit Pyo.
   Upon arriving in Berlin, Dong tortures a waitress at the restaurant who is an informant for the South Korean spy to find out that Pyo's wife, translator Ryon Jeong-hee (played by Jun Ji-hyun), provided the South Korean side information on the arms deal. Pyo then follows his wife, suspecting she is a traitor. Sensing that it is a set-up by Dong and his father to gain favor with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Pyo strives to protect his wife.
   Ha is again superb as the cool-headed North Korean spy. He fights off his pursuers with quick and powerful strikes and delivers a believable, genuinely entertaining performance that is full of character. Ha's portrayal of the elusive and lonely North Korean spy who lives in the shadows conjures up empathy from the audience while the character of the South Korean spy does not.
   Unfortunately, the director Ryu seems to have no sense of the complex feelings that the spies from the two Koreas might feel toward each other as humans -- as both an enemy and a partner of cross-border cooperation. The two cooperate in the latter part of the movie just because they have the same enemy to fight, not because they are from the same Korean tribe.
   The movie opens in local theaters on Jan. 31.

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January 31, 2013
'Berlin File' wows in advance release
Korea JoongAng Daily

“The Berlin File,” which opened nationwide yesterday, already clocked more than 130,000 views in an advance release on Tuesday. 
The movie was shown at 631 theaters for about seven hours in what was the most popular preview screening since “The Host” in 2006, according to the Korea Film Council. 
The highly anticipated action-thriller was directed by Ryu Seung-wan and features a stellar cast including Ryu Seung-bum, Ha Jung-woo and Jun Ji-hyun (pictured above). Production costed more than 10 billion won ($9.2 million). 
The flick revolves around Pyo Jong-seong (Ha Jung-woo), a secret agent and weapons trader. 
When an arms deal with an Arab group goes bad, Pyo and his wife, Ryon Jung-hee (Jun), become the targets of veteran Korean intelligence chief Jeong Jin-su (Han Suk-kyu), who has tracked down bank records of the deal.
The film also drew attention due to the fact that it’s the fifth collaboration between the Ryu brothers.

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February 3, 2013
[interview] Jun Ji Hyun Says She's Become More Confident Following Her Marriage
CJ E&M enewsWorld Lee, JinHo Translation Credit : Erika Kim  
After her marriage, Jun Ji Hyun′s life changed completely. She had been settling at the bottom of a slump, but one film later, she had managed to again become one of the biggest actors in the scene.
Following a string of films that flopped in the box office, Jun Ji Hyun managed to pull herself together with The Thieves, which gathered the biggest audience for a Korean film in history, and is now out for another try at 10 million with the blockbuster film The Berlin File.

Jun Ji Hyun up close
The shroud of mystery was unveiled. Jun Ji Hyun was no longer an actress trying to avoid being sighted by the public. A seasoned actress who had been in the scene for 15 years took her place.
Her giant gestures and booming laughs showed how much she had changed.
"I found confidence in acting after my marriage, and above all, I regained my faith," she said.
It wasn′t easy to accept that she wasn′t the girl of My Sassy Girl anymore, but it was clear that the changes that had come over her were steering her and her life in a positive direction.

′The Thieves′ was a giant success. This time you′re out for another try with ′The Berlin File′, and the two films must feel different.
"I was so tense for both. Actually, I don′t appear in a heavy role for The Berlin File. I can′t even start to compare it with my role for The Thieves. Still, in terms of nervousness, I think I′m more nervous about The Berlin File."
You acknowledged that your role is pretty small. Why did you still decide to appear in the film?
"I knew I would have a small role ever since I read the scenario. It wasn′t important. I just wanted to work with director Ryu Seung Wan. He′s a strong player in action films so I was a little worried, but he became very daring and open as soon as I said I would take up the role. I wanted to try the challenge as an actor."
Your role, Yeon Jeong Hee, is completely different from Yenicall of ′The Thieves′. Was it difficult to express her?
"Yenicall is straightforward, and she has to say what she wants to say. Yeon Jeong Hee, however, has to keep herself hidden, and always has to hold herself back. I felt trapped when I had to act as Yeon Jeong Hee right after I had been so outgoing with Yenicall. I think, however, that the trapped feeling was expressed well in Yeon Jeong Hee."
I was actually pretty worried about whether you would be able to talk well in dialect. You did pretty well though, and made it sound classy.
"I think a lot of people wondered how Jun Ji Hyun would be able to act with a dialect (Laugh). A teacher was stationed on set so that we could ask her about North Korea, and she said I was the best. Thanks to the praise, even I began to think I was doing okay later on. The audio director once applauded me after hearing my dialect. After that, I just went ahead."
"I think the dialect helped me express how she would hold back, and the way she would organize her emotions first. People tend to think the North Korean dialect is unsophisticated, but the Pyeongyang dialect is actually pretty classy. I felt more mature trying to express my emotions through the dialect. I felt different."
You filmed for ′The Berlin File′ right after your marriage. It would have been a happy time for you, but your role had to hide her pains. Did you feel the gap?
"Nothing really changed much after I got married. I just felt more like a grown up. I felt more comfortable thinking that I was entering a new phase. That′s how I went ahead with the scene where I had to express sorrow at having lost my child, or the scene where I had to exchange glances with Ha Jung Woo. I guess you could say I′ve become more faithful, and more confident."

You did exchange glances with Ha Jung Woo; you were supposed to be a married couple, but you never really got close to each other.
"We wanted it to look that way. I personally think it′s a very sophisticated emotion. For two actors to give off such emotions, they need to have a certain aura about them, and they need to be immersed in their roles. Since both of our characters had been through trying times, that looked more natural and we agreed it should be so."
You left to film on-locale overseas for ′The Thieves′ and ′The Berlin File′ right after your marriage. Didn′t your husband hate having to see you leave when you were still supposed to be happy newlyweds?
"Happy newlyweds indeed! (Laugh) Everyone thinks I′ll have a tightknit schedule, but it′s actually pretty loose. My husband even tried to push me outside, telling me I should start going outdoors more often (Laugh)."
How is Jun Ji Hyun the wife when she′s not Jun Ji Hyun the actress?
"My husband leaves home early in the morning so I try to get him fresh fruit instead of breakfast. I want to take care of him.... I just try to take care when he says he wants to eat. I′m good at cooking dwenjang jjigae (bean paste soup)."
It definitely feels like your acting has changed.
"I started to feel that acting is fun through The Berlin File. I had a good feeling. I used to think I fit in and could only have fun with bouncy roles like Yenicall. I found after trying it out, however, that characters who try to keep their emotions to themselves fit me better."
′The Berlin File′ is about North and South Korea. Have your views toward North and South Korea changed in any way after shooting the film? And is there anything you wish to emphasize to your audience?
"It′s a topic that can only be discussed in Korea, and it brings on emotions that can only be felt here. I didn′t, however, try to get behind its reality and really feel its emotions. There are many people who actually feel the realities surrounding North Korea directly. It was just great to act inside a theme that can be related to. I hope the audience also doesn′t try to delve too deeply, and just takes the film′s story for what it is."
Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan

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February 3, 2013
Moviegoing is a must for Jun Ji-hyun
By Moon Gwang-lip Korea JoongAng Daily

Going to the movies isn’t merely part of the job for actress Jun Ji-hyun. Movie-going is a route to romance, Jun said on Saturday. She heads out to the theater when she wants a romantic evening with her husband. 
“I always watch a movie on a date with my husband,” Jun said in an interview with KBS 2 “Entertainment Weekly.” Jun, 31, known best for her role as a quirky heroine in the 2001 hit “My Sassy Girl,” married Choi Jun-hyuk, an employee of an American bank, last year. 
The actress, who is known by many fans for her cold, reticent image, said she tried hard in her 20s not to make mistakes in life. But in fact, she said, she is optimistic and cheerful by nature. She said that it was not easy to enjoy date with Choi out in public before they married, but it’s easier now. Jun, who starred in the 2012 hit “The Thieves,” has come roaring back with spy thriller “The Berlin File,” which also stars top actors Ha Jung-woo, Han Suk-kyu and Ryu Seung-beom. The film attracted 1.68 million viewers in the four days since its release through Saturday, according to the Korean Film Council. 

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February 4, 2013
Action flick 'Berlin' starts with a bang
By Yun Suh-young The Korea Times
“The Berlin File,” a spy thriller featuring a star-studded cast including Ha Jung-woo, is off to a rapid start at the box office.                                      / Korea Times
The Korean movie industry seems to have to have found its next mega-hit. The action blockbuster “The Berlin File,” compared by local critics to the Jason Bourne movies, drew more than 2.24 million viewers in five days after opening, thanks to the 1.53 million tickets sold during the weekend alone.
Despite moviegoers flocking to the new release, “A Gift from Room 7,” is showing staying power in the box office standings. The comedy that follows the story of an intellectually-challenged man wrongfully imprisoned for murder and his interaction with the inmates, garnered 4.2 million viewers in its first 12 days of release. It finished second behind “Berlin” over the weekend after 1.36 million watched it.
“Berlin” is a spy flick directed by martial arts devotee Ryu Seung-wan and features an A-list cast led by Han Seok-gyu, Ha Jung-woo, Jeon Ji-hyun and Ryu Seung-beom, the younger brother of the director.
The early audience figures has producers wondering whether the attendance records held by 2006 hit “The Host” could be within striking distance.
“Berlin” and “A Gift from Room 7” accounted for more than 80 percent of all tickets sold at 897 cinemas across the nation on the weekend, the Korean Film Council said.
The Korean film sector is coming off a record year when it sold nearly 200 million tickets. Movies have been emerging as a key consumption area during the economic downturn as consumers look for cheaper ways to spend their leisure time.

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February 5, 2013
'Berlin File' Off to a Roaring Start
The ChosunIlbo

The movie "Berlin File" by Ryoo Seung-wan ranked No. 1 at the box office by luring over 1.53 million moviegoers in the first weekend of its release on Jan. 30. The film has attracted more than 2.24 million viewers so far, hitting the 2 million mark in the shortest time of any films released in January or February, the low season for movies.
CJ Entertainment, the distributor of the action flick, expects "Berlin File" to keep its strong showing this week during the lunar New Year's holiday.
The movie drew attention even before its release on Wednesday due to the star-studded lineup: it features Jeon Ji-hyun, Han Suk-kyoo, Ha Jung-woo and Ryoo Seung-bum. The flamboyant action scenes are apparently a particular draw.

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February 6, 2013
Jun Ji-hyun starts anew'I prefer to work with directors who have their own unique style.'
By Jeong Ji-won Korea JoongAng Daily
Jun Ji-hyun By Lim Hyun-dong
Actress Jun Ji-hyun was once considered one of Korea’s most overrated actresses. She debuted as a cover girl for a fashion magazine and instantly soared to stardom but soon fell flat. 
Her one hit, “My Sassy Girl” (2001), impressed audiences, though critics pointed to her “pretty face and perfect body” instead of any acting expertise. 
After the rocky start, Jun spent her time doing some television commercials and working in the United States. 
Then last year, she appeared in “The Thieves,” Korea’s version of “Ocean’s Eleven.”
Theatergoers enjoyed Jun’s take on a sexy burglar complete with body-hugging leather suits, though critics were not so quick to give their endorsement. 
Some said the role was made for Jun and that the sexy and foul-mouthed burglar was just a remake of the quirky character from “My Sassy Girl.” 
For this reason, Jun’s most recent film, “The Berlin File,” could be the actress’s make-or-break moment. This time, Jun played a more complex and challenging character named Ryon Jung-hee. 
Ryon is a North Korean translator employed by the country’s embassy in Germany who becomes the target of a veteran South Korean intelligence chief along with her secret agent husband. 
Before taking on the role, Jun had to learn a North Korean accent and gather the courage to stand tall among top-notch actors such as Han Suk-kyu, Ryu Seung-beom and Ha Jung-woo. 
Initial critic reactions seem to indicate that her efforts were successful and that the film might just be Jun’s ticket to full-fledged stardom. 
Ilgan Sports, JoongAng Ilbo’s sports and entertainment daily, recently caught up with Jun, who is in the midst of a number of personal and professional changes. 
Q. Your part was smaller than the others, but every one of your scenes is quite impressive. 
A. I didn’t really care about my character’s presence in the film. What I cared about the most was the director. I prefer to work with directors who have their own unique style because they know how to get the best from each actor. My fellow actors are also important. When they are full of energy, I can give it my all and develop chemistry with them. “The Berlin File” was the best in that sense. 
Your role required that you speak with a North Korean accent. Did that make you hesitate before accepting it? 
When I decided to be a part of this film, I knew that there would be a huge distance between myself and the fictional character of Ryon Jung-hee. The most daunting task for me during the whole production was shortening that distance by immersing myself in the character. 
I played ordinary people in my past roles, but this one was so different. I cared about every word I spoke, and I also had to retake certain scenes because of the accent. 
Where did you learn North Korean words and the accent? 
I had a private tutor who defected to South Korea. She recognized me at once when we first met, and it was quite surprising. She told me she could watch South Korean soap operas while living up there. 
Since my tutor watched me acting on set, I became self-conscious. 
Another funny thing is that I was learning the accent while dubbing for “The Thieves,” and sometimes I spoke using the North Korean dialect for the sexy burglar character without even knowing it. We had to stop recording a couple times because of my accent.
I think we can call you an action star. You’ve done a great job in action scenes for “The Thieves” and “The Berlin File.” 
I’m confident while doing such scenes, but I had to look awkward when handling a rifle. I looked too professional in action scenes and the director asked me to look more uncomfortable.
What was it like working with Ha Jung-woo, one of today’s most- sought-after actors? 
He was the best actor I’ve ever worked with. If I feel comfortable on the set, I can give it my all when acting. But the director, Ryu Seung-wan, tried to put some distance between him and me maybe because my character is quite dark. Still, I was so happy that I had Ha because he always made me laugh. He is such a witty and smart guy. If Ha were an actress, there might be a rivalry between us. 
If there’s a spin-off of “The Thieves” in the near future centering on the story of your character Yenicall, would you be in it? 
Why not? Yenicall is a character that I can do very well. When I heard there might be a spin-off, I thought to myself that I would need to keep in shape for that project. [Laughs] 
You spent months overseas for “The Berlin File.” Was it hard to live apart from your husband? 
I missed him a lot, but I didn’t hold my cellphone all the time. [Laughs]