Seoul, Dec. 2 (BUS): Despite being one of the most recognizable faces in Asia, acting hasn’t gotten any easier for South Korean star Gianna Joon.
“I feel like I’ve climbed the mountain 1,000 times,” she said of filming her latest series, “Graysan”.
Jun plays Seo Yi-Gang, a mountain ranger in Jirisan, a mountain located about four hours south of central Seoul. John and her team of rangers are in charge of search and rescue while also tackling mysterious events, The Associated Press reports.
Jun, 40, has fronted dozens of beauty and fashion campaigns for brands including Alexander McQueen and Gucci.
Jun, who is best known for her 2001 hit movie “My Sassy Girl” and 2014 drama “My Love from The Star,” spoke with the Associated Press about “Jirisan,” whether she would join a social media platform like TikTok and be one of the Korean actresses. The few in their forties who are able to lead a female-led show. Notes have been modified for clarity and brevity.
AP: What is the most challenging scene to photograph?
June: According to the scenario, there is a (scene) with rain and then fire. I thought, “What is the next natural disaster?” When I was receiving a text every day, I thought, “What comes after a fire? Snow?!” I was scared whenever I received a text. We (also) filmed a fire scene inside the set for several days. My eyes were burning, and black water came out of my nose whenever I showered at night.
Associated Press: I read a Korean article that stated that despite the relatively low rating of “Jirisan,” you represent a handful of female actresses in their forties who are capable of leading a genre series.
Jun: Really? (laughs) I’ve only seen negative press coverage these days.
AP: Do you think there is more space for female creators and actresses in Korean cinema than in the past?
June: Two decades ago, that wasn’t the case. But now, there are many series with leading female characters.
AP: Are you feeling a lot of pressure when choosing your next project?
Jun: Not really. Not every movie I’m in will be successful. But I never chose a project, I thought it would be a tank. So I picked the next movie and moved on. In line with that, I had “My Sassy Girl” in my twenties, Cheon Song-yi in my thirties, and Seo Yi-Gang in my forties. I only do roles that fit my age, so there’s not much pressure on that.
AP: Have you thought about being active on social media platforms like Tiktok or Instagram?
Jun: I enjoy it, but I don’t think I’m an expert in this field, so it would be hard for me to try it. But I try to stay informed.
AP: What is your goal as an actor?
Jun: Instead of having a specific goal as an actor, I want to age well, as a person. Of course, I start wanting more whenever I see the latest songs. It would be a lie to say that I am not attracted to potential hits, but as long as I take my time to prepare myself and wait, I am optimistic that I will find good projects.
AP: Can you explain well what you mean by aging?
Jun: I think getting old well means my mind is at peace at the moment. Tomorrow is important. But I believe that as long as your heart is at peace, it will reflect on your face. Also, I have children and they are happy. I have my own happiness, moreover, my family and the people around me have their own happiness. It differs. But for me, I think getting older well is nothing special other than feeling good and being happy with who I am now and spending time feeling happy.