'Gentleman: Whispers of Evil Spirits' follows three university students who disappear while exploring an abandoned shrine in Kobe, Japan. Myung-jin, the shaman, investigates the case and confronts strange evil spirits. Directed by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, known for '658km: Yoko's Journey' and '#Manhole,' the film combines Japan's unique eerie horror with Korean shamanism. It has already garnered attention from genre fans after being invited to the special section 'Mad Max' at the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival.
"It had been a long time since I acted, and this was my first film in years. I always had a desire to challenge myself, but circumstances often held me back. I know the joy of acting is immense, but I believe one shouldn't participate in a project that requires significant time and investment with a casual attitude of 'I have some free time, so why not give it a try?'"
The horror and occult genre was new to him, and Kumakiri's involvement piqued his curiosity. Reading the script translated into Korean, he was intrigued by how the subtle differences in expression between Japanese and Korean would be realized on screen.
"Since I had never done horror or occult before, the opportunity to show a new side of myself was exciting. I was also eager to see how the director would translate the text into visuals. Even though the words are the same, there are unique ways of expression in Japanese. I read it in Korean, but the director might interpret it differently, so we discussed the differences in expression and interpretation extensively."
Myung-jin underwent significant changes during the script revisions. Initially, he was a character who expressed his feelings openly, saying he was hungry when he was hungry and laughing when he was happy. However, as the film's atmosphere and mystery deepened, he transformed into a character who suppressed both words and emotions.
"At first, I was a bit confused. The initial script presented Myung-jin as a character with many choices, like a well-set table. He wasn't extremely lonely or isolated; he could express his hunger and joy. But gradually, he became a character burdened with darkness and weight. He had to provoke questions continuously, which led to fewer words and much less dialogue."
For Kim, the challenge of guiding the film while suppressing emotions was not easy. The biggest concern was how to bridge the gap between the audience, who would follow the film without any background information, and the actor, who knew the character's past and emotions.
"It was really difficult. I think the director believed that Myung-jin's attitude would completely change the film's atmosphere. He wanted to suppress all of Myung-jin's expressions. I think he wanted to hide many things within the film and make them like devices. Since I knew the entire story, I often wondered, 'Will the audience understand if I act this way?'"
Kumakiri chose not to reveal Myung-jin's past to the actor at the beginning of filming. He believed that if the actor knew too much, emotions that should remain hidden could inadvertently surface in expressions and voice. Kim had to suppress his desire to express more while maintaining the mystery the director required.
"The director didn't explain much at the beginning. He revealed a lot of information in the latter half. Myung-jin needed to remain a mysterious character in the film, and if I knew everything, I might express emotions that should not be revealed from the start. The director kept pushing for restraint, saying, 'You can't use more expressions here,' and 'You can't use your voice and tone more.' There were moments when I felt frustrated, thinking, 'Why can't I express myself when Myung-jin is a person too?'"
The process of Korean actors delivering their lines in Korean under the direction of a Japanese director also required considerable thought. While the director encouraged actors to freely change expressions they found uncomfortable, what felt natural to the actor might not sound natural to an outsider.
"The director was very familiar with the Korean dialogue, analyzing and understanding it well. He encouraged us to change anything that felt uncomfortable, which was liberating. However, what feels natural to the actor may not sound natural to someone else. There were Korean staff members, but it was challenging for the scriptwriter to capture the nuances and tones in detail, so we had to think a lot and make adjustments ourselves."
Myung-jin, as portrayed by Kim, also diverges from the familiar image of a shaman for Korean audiences. Rather than strictly adhering to the traditions of Korean shamanism, he embodies a character that draws from various religions and cultures in a fantastical context. Kim began by letting go of the preconceived notions of shamans he had held.
"Letting go of stereotypes was my homework. We have a familiar image of what a shaman should be, but for the Japanese director, a shaman seemed more like a fantastical being. It was a perspective of 'Can't we do something different?' He believed there was no need to create a character strictly based on historical accuracy. The premise of defeating evil spirits from different countries and religions with shamanic powers was already a fantasy, so he seemed to keep the imagination open."
He understood Myung-jin not as a shaman skilled in specific rituals but as a 'hero' capable of anything. He had to implement familiar bells and incantations in new ways that suited the film's atmosphere rather than traditional methods.
"In a way, our film is a superhero story. Myung-jin is a character who can do a bit of everything. Instead of questioning how far a shaman can go, we had to establish him as someone who can truly do anything. It was challenging not to perform the actions of a shaman I had known. I think the director viewed the bell like the cross in 'Constantine.' He aimed to create a fantasy where the bell, infused with energy and incantations, would possess mysterious powers."
The old tunnels and closed spaces in Japan served as both the film's horror mise-en-scène and a device to aid the actors' immersion. Despite the dusty and difficult-to-access locations, the overwhelming atmosphere on set allowed the cast to focus on their characters and situations.
"The mise-en-scène was fantastic. When I arrived on set, the overwhelming atmosphere and energy made me think, 'They brought me to this place to shoot a horror film.' I had only imagined a deep, dark tunnel from the script, but it was a space I had never seen before in my life. It was also enjoyable to witness places I couldn't have imagined. The path in and out was rough, so the actors stayed close to the set, and I think that helped everyone act with great concentration."
The joy of acting, experienced again after 14 years, remains unchanged. Transforming written lines into physical and vocal expressions and creating a character that did not exist before was both burdensome and exhilarating for him.
"It's about creating something from nothing. The process of transforming written words into performance is very demanding. But is there anything that brings as much pleasure as focusing and contemplating something?"
For Jaejoong Kim, who is also active as a singer, actor, entertainer, and agency representative, new challenges are less about choice and more about a way to keep himself moving. He refuses to confine himself to one field and seeks out difficult tasks as soon as he becomes comfortable in any area.
"I don’t think I belong to just one category. I have so many things I want to do, and if I don’t pursue them, I feel like I’ll get sick. I think I would regret it later. But I also want to do well. What I dislike the most is when my mind settles into one thing. The moment I think, 'I can do this easily because I’ve done it before,' I feel like I might stop putting in effort. So, I want to give myself the poison of 'This is a hard task.' I think acting is in the same context as that."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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