Jung Woo is set to return with "AUDITION 109" (Korean title: "Jjanggu"), a film shaped by his own journey after enduring more than 100 failed auditions. The actor met with reporters at a café in Jongno, Seoul on April 20, where he spoke about the film and the path that led him here.
"AUDITION 109" follows an aspiring actor who refuses to give up despite repeated setbacks, portraying a relentless pursuit of a dream. Often described as a follow-up to the “unofficial ten-million film” "The Wind," it arrives 17 years later, with Jung Woo taking on writing, directing and acting duties.
“This wasn’t a project I deliberately set out to make after ‘The Wind,’” Jung Woo said. “It came to me naturally, almost like fate. I feel fortunate. Working with great actors and staff also made me realize again how much effort goes into completing a film.”
He emphasized that the film is not a direct sequel. “Strictly speaking, it is not ‘The Wind 2.’ It is different in tone from franchise-style films,” he explained.
The story blends reality with fiction. Jung Woo clarified that Min-hee, played by Krystal Jung, is entirely fictional. “She is a symbolic character created to contrast with Jjanggu,” he said. Meanwhile, characters such as Jang-jae were inspired by people from his real life.
Jung Woo also reflected on his early audition days. “I practiced lines from works like ‘Sandglass,’ ‘Green Fish,’ ‘A Bittersweet Life’ and ‘Shiri,’” he said. “I constantly studied lines from senior actors such as Choi Min-sik, Han Suk-kyu and Lee Byung-hun.”
One anecdote in the film, about claiming he could swim during an audition, is also true. “It was during the audition for ‘Silmido.’ I learned to swim in a week. I passed, but gave it up due to the conditions,” he said.
At one point, he was told to consider another path. “That really happened. I had always believed I would succeed, but that was the first time I questioned whether this was the right path,” he admitted.
Dialect acting, now one of his strengths, was once something he tried to suppress. “Early in my career, I was told that using a dialect would make it difficult to succeed as an actor,” he said. “Now people ask me to use it. Life is unpredictable.”
He also noted the challenge of portraying “bad acting well.” “It may look simple, but balancing awkwardness and humor required a lot of thought,” he said.
"AUDITION 109" was planned by his wife, actor Kim Yoo-mi. “She connected me to the production company and helped assemble the team,” he said. “Working together made me realize once again how valuable relationships are.”
He added that he hopes to act alongside her in the future. “For this project, I relied on her as a planner. Next time, I want to meet her as a fellow actor,” he said.
Marking his 25th year since debut, Jung Woo ended with a message.
“If you are going through a dark tunnel, hold on just a little longer. It is always darkest just before dawn. I hope you keep your dreams.”
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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