30-Something Han Ji Min’s Transformation “The Depth and Breadth of My Emotions and Expressions Expanded”

An actor is a sponge. A sponge that sucks in a bit of water that holds in new water after squeezing out the old water. After an actor removes one role from himself/herself, they are devoted to another role.

Han Ji Min’s performance makes her a considerably good sponge. The constructed image of Han Ji Min through a series of dramas such as ‘Yi San’, ‘Padam Padam’ and ‘Rooftop Prince’ has her image as elegant and neat. Han Ji Min is winning against adversity with her flawless image, so it is worth calling her the modern Cinderella.

The character Han Ji Min portrays in ‘Plan Man’ is different than divine. Han Ji Min, who plays the role of a indie rock band’s vocalist, had to relax her shoulders and jump around carelessly.

Han Ji Min, who sang and played the guitar on stage while jumping around definitely had a different energy not natural to her seep out from her body. Of course, her character was hiding the scars that she had on the inside. Han Ji Min, who comes and goes between cool-headedness and passion in ‘Plan Man’, shows off her outstanding acting ability yet again.

Han Ji Min laughed as she said “This role matches me very well, as it is really close to my real appearance.” What is her level of satisfaction with this new acting challenge?

“No matter the project, once I am done filming it, I really miss it a lot. However, from the start, the scenario of ‘Plan Man’ had this warmness that I felt like I could express well, so I’m satisfied. I chose this project because it contains a new image that I haven’t shown to this point that I think that I could show off well. I don’t know if I expressed myself well” (Laughs).

‘Plan Man’ matches a man who lives according to his schedule and a woman who has a carefree way of thinking, and it is a ‘healing movie’ that depicts the process of the two healing each other. As if standing on two extreme ends, the couple of Han Jung Seok and Yoo So Young and the couple Jung Jae Young and Han Ji Min meet each other, gaining the will to live and constructing harmony together.

“The two who seemed like they would never mix together become one through the music media. I liked the fact that there’s a process where the two look at each other while healing each other’s scars. Because of this meaning, I think that ‘Plan Man’ being Korea’s first movie of the new year is proper. I believe that the movie-goers who see this movie will hold to heart the warmth from this movie as they walk out of the theater’s doors.”

Han Ji Min, who appeared in ‘Plan Man’, had some homework outside of acting. In order to digest the role of an indie rock band vocalist, she had to play the guitar and sing. She had to be excellent at both of them. Han Ji Min, who prepared for over half a year, grabbed attention for her natural performance and basic skills, along with her robust singing ability.

“To be honest, instead of focusing on playing well, I focused on playing the chords. It’s not me playing the guitar in the movie. However, my ability to handle the guitar grew as I filmed ‘Plan Man’. In the latter half of the movie where I had singing parts, I worked hard. Singing while playing the guitar isn’t normally something that is hard. When I practiced with a guitar and ukulele, my skills got better on one hand, but when I practiced singing, no matter how much I did, I ended up going back to my starting position.  Because of that, the song’s vocals went through many revisions, so I focused more on practicing playing the guitar.”

Han Ji Min has quickly become a veteran of 12 years after debuting on the small screen in the 2003 drama “All In’. It is obvious that she is entering her 30s. What does being in her 30s mean as an actress living in South Korea?

“In the beginning, acting was something that was ambiguously difficult and something I was afraid of, but I had the passion, so I ran forward. I’m suddenly in my 30s, as I have came to learn of many emotions, so the depth of my expressions has deepened, so I’m happy. I have met many diverse characters through acting, so of course I have ended up changing a lot.”

However, it’s very difficult to spot in her appearance where she has aged. In the time where the scenery has changed, Han Ji Min seems to have been stuck, flaunting her appearance from another time. However, even ten years ago, just like now, Han Ji Min has been able to match well with actors of all ages, from their 20s to their 40s. When combining her appearance and ability, it’s possible to do. “For people seeing my like that, I’m thankful. As I age, I think the most important thing is to admit that I’m aging as time goes by. When thinking of time, since I have lost some fat in my cheeks, I do seem a bit older. Haha.”

Han Ji Min is considered as an actor with great acting ability to go along with her good nature. Han Ji Min has a reputation for having a personality that is considerate of the staff one by one on set.

“During my debut, in the drama “Resurrection”, I memorized and learned the names of Director Park Chan Hong’s staff from the youngest member. As they’re people who suffer in unfavorable conditions, as an actor, I approach the staff first, making the working site more enjoyable and returning it to a cheerful place. That’s why I actively talk to them and eat with them, striving to become close with them. I think it’s just that my director taught me well during my rookie days.”

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Translation: The Real CZ @ Hallyu Interview