Chun Woo-hee on The Atypical Family and being drawn towards unusual characters

Chun Woo-hee

Chun Woo-hee has a knack for playing the charming swindler. After playing a con artist in “Delightfully Deceitful”, the actor plays the scheming Do Da-hae in SLL’s fantasy series “The Atypical Family”.

Do Do-hae has been set up to make her way into the Bok household and acquire the family’s riches? Unbeknownst to her, the Boks were a family with superpowers, but have lost them over time. Things get complicated as Do Da-hae not only falls in love with the depressed single father Bok Gwi-ju( Jang Ki-yong) but also helps him regain his power to travel back to the past.

In an exclusive interview with HT City from Seoul, Chun Woo-hee says it was the complexities of her character as well as the interpersonal relationships between the characters, which drew her to the show.

“Da-hae is a character with a painful past, and someone whose experiences complicated and varied emotions and a wide range of emotions. As an actor, for me, it was an exciting opportunity to express these very complex emotions as well as create a three-dimensional character. Da-hae does not con people with her own will, she is a pawn in another’s game. Thus it is a task assigned to her, and she treats everything as a mission.”

As Da-hae helps heal Gwi-ju with her optimism, she also finds closure from her painful past. It is her first time working with Jang Ki-yong who had admitted being a fan of her work in an earlier interview with HT City. Chun Woo-hee says she along with Jang ki-yong brainstormed with the director on how to articulate the tangled relationship between the two characters.

“It was my first time working with Jang Ki-yong, we hit off well given our similar and natural personalities. On set, we had several conversations with the director, as well as shared our inputs. Despite the seriousness of the relationship on screen, we had fun creating those moments together.”

37-year-old Chun Woo-hee made her screen debut in 2004, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she gained prominence with her turn as the rebellious teen in the box office hit Sunny. She won critical acclaim playing the titular character in the coming-of-age indie film “Han Gong-Ju. Known for her atypical choices and characters as seen in “The Wailing “ and the recent “The 8 Show”. The actor confesses she is drawn towards playing unusual characters.

“I think acting is about understanding others and reflecting on oneself as well. I like being exposed to various characters and different stories, to develop a deeper and broader perspective as a human being as well as an actor, maybe that’s the reason I’m drawn towards these interesting, diverse, and out-of-the-ordinary characters.”

She further says she is non-judgemental towards the characters she plays on screen. The actor divulges her process is to analyze and be conscious of the many attributes that make the person she is playing. “As I explore my roles, none of them are like me, and neither would I do the things they do. But at some point, I do realize that there is a point of contact with myself, as I

internalise and study the person am playing in front of the camera, and what I portray is ultimately me. Having said that, I am very open-minded as well it comes to roles and genres. I am willing to give a go at anything I haven’t done before, whether it is action, melodrama or noir.”

Chun Woo-hee confesses that she is good at switching on and from the roles she essays on screen. “I tend to stay as calm as possible on set and then when I am in front of the camera, I maximize my concentration on the job at hand. It’s a way of condensing energy and channelling it into a performance.”

K-dramas known for their strong and perceptive feminine gaze as well as well-rounded and evolved female characters have struck a chord with viewers across the world. Chun Woo-hee says though drawn towards playing characters with agency, she hopes to see diverse kinds of women portrayed on screen.

“I have always tried and chosen to create empowered women as well as play colourful female characters. It is not just me, but a lot of female actors and my colleagues have done the same. I hope to see more varied female characters than ever before in the time to come as well.”.

The actor appreciates the fact that how streaming and many platforms have opened up avenues for actors across the world.

“ I have been watching Indian works more often than before, either on OTT or in movies, and always open to international work. If there is an Indian good project, I’d like to work on it for sure,” she responds when told about the soaring popularity of Korean content in India.

In “The Atypical Family” Do Do-hae grapples with her fear of fire, does actor Chun Woo-hee have any fears of her own?

“it seems acting is about confronting fears at every turn. It’s not a feeling I want to avoid just because I am afraid of something, Rather it is a moment of validation, growth, and reflection by standing up to the fears and overcoming them. If I were to meet Da-hae I would tell her the same, that it is never the end, rather a beginning, and to be happy, says Chun Woo-hee.

She confesses if she were to possess a superpower it would be the will to move freely through space.

“I’ve always had a great desire to travel, and having that power would allow me to enjoy the freedom”, she says with a smile.

According to the grapevine the actor’s next project is likely to be “My Youth” opposite Song Joong Ki.

“The Atypical Family” is currently streaming on Netflix.

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