Zo In-sung Discusses Challenging Role in Sci-Fi Blockbuster 'Hope'

By Lee Minji

SEOUL, July 9 (Yonhap) -- Actor Zo In-sung, who plays Sung-ki in the Korean sci-fi blockbuster "Hope," said Thursday he accepted the role after weighing whether to challenge himself or play it safe.

"Hope," directed by Na Hong-jin, portrays local cops and villagers who fight mysterious but powerful creatures that suddenly appear in a remote seaside town near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone.

Zo leads a crew of young villagers as they get embroiled in a deadly fight for survival, delivering riveting action moves that penetrate through the latter half of the film.

"The genre itself is not easy. Korean sci-fi films have gone through their share of ups and downs, and perhaps that is inevitable for the genre. There are hurdles they have to overcome," Zo said in an interview with reporters, referring to the genre that remains a minority sector in Korean cinema.

"I thought about whether I should take the safe route or challenge myself, and now that I'm in more of a senior position, I felt it would be better to choose the challenge," he said. "I don't want my career to become dull ... I wanted to keep moving and try something new, even if it does not lead to a good result."

On a physical level, performing the intense action moves was also a challenge for the actor who has undergone a knee surgery.

"After receiving the scenario, I knew it wouldn't be easy ... wanting to do something and being physically ready for it is different. I deliberated on whether I could really throw my body into it and made the decision,"

While power and energy, conveyed through the gripping action moves, are what drive the 156-minute film, Zo said its details are as important.

For such a goal, the actor attempted to focus on the details surrounding Sung-ki's relationship with fellow villagers and his reaction when he encounters the extraterrestrial beings to maximize the sensation of fear.

"The first scene of the film is very important, it shows how they are all connected ... their relationship and (Sung-ki's) facial expression play out to show how fearful it can be when they disappear one by one," Zo said.

This year has been a prolific year for the actor, who starred in the action-romance "Humint" released in February and "Hope," which competed at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and is set for local release next week.

Zo is also set to appear in the Netflix film "Possible Love," also set for release later this year.

"I want to run away," he joked, "I didn't know that all three movies will be released in the same year ... It would be good if audiences felt I did my job. I'm really curious how they will see it."

When asked about whether he would like to venture overseas following the Cannes competition, Zo said his primary goal is to take part in good projects at home.

"I've only just started to get somewhat comfortable acting in Korean. To act at that level in English would probably take me another 46 years, which means it's almost impossible,"

"I'm more focused on making good work locally in Korea and hope it can reach audiences overseas, as 'Hope' has. It's not something I can force to happen. My goal is to make strong work in Korea first."