(Continuing from Interview 3) Actress Jun Ji-hyun of the movie ‘Swarm’ expressed her frustration over the buzz surrounding her visuals in the film, which has led some to joke that she had a solo reflector following her around.
Jun Ji-hyun held an interview on the afternoon of the 26th at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where she met with reporters to discuss her recently released movie ‘Swarm’.
Released on the 21st, ‘Swarm’ (Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, provided/distributed by Showbox, produced by Wow Point and Smilegate, co-produced by Midnight Studio) is a film about isolated survivors trapped in a building during a mysterious infection outbreak, fighting against infected individuals who evolve in unpredictable ways. This is Director Yeon Sang-ho’s third zombie film, following the acclaimed ‘Train to Busan’ and ‘Peninsula’. The movie has garnered significant attention for its star-studded cast, including Jun Ji-hyun, Ji Chang-wook, Koo Kyo-hwan, Shin Hyun-bin, Kim Shin-rok, and Go Soo.
‘Swarm’ is currently attracting a huge crowd with an explosive response. It surpassed 1 million viewers in just 4 days and 2 million in 5 days. Notably, its box office pace is even faster than ‘The Man Living with the King’ (shortened as ‘Wang-sa-nam’), which became the top hit of the first half of the year with over 16 million viewers. Jun Ji-hyun shared her excitement, saying, “It’s so great!” and added with a laugh, “We haven’t reached the break-even point yet, so it’s not quite a situation where I can be fully satisfied, but the start is so good that I’m really looking forward to it.”
In the film, Jun Ji-hyun plays Kwon Se-jung, a biotechnologist and the leader of the survivors. Due to her inability to tolerate injustice, Kwon Se-jung failed to be reappointed as a professor. She ends up trapped in the Dung-uri Building during a conference after her ex-husband, Han Kyu-sung (played by Go Soo), suggests a new job opportunity. Using her expertise in biotechnology, she analyzes the behavior and evolution patterns of the mysterious infected to lead the survivors toward escape.
Despite the chaotic setting, Jun Ji-hyun’s flawless visuals from the beginning to the end of the movie have become a hot topic, leading to the running joke: “Did Jun Ji-hyun have her own solo reflector?”
Jun Ji-hyun humorously lamented, “I heard that too, and I feel wronged! Why? I just wore a white t-shirt and jeans. If I had come out all dressed up, I would have felt a bit guilty hearing that, but I literally just wore a white t-shirt and jeans, so I wonder why people are saying that.” She added with a laugh, “Which actor would want to look pretty in that situation? Everyone is serious and working hard, so I didn’t think about that at all. But I’m grateful they saw me beautifully.” She further noted, “Kwon Se-jung is a character who holds the center of the movie, and I put a lot of effort into that. I felt happiest when I heard reviews saying that Kwon Se-jung held the center well.”
Interestingly, Jun Ji-hyun admitted, “Actually, my posture isn’t that great. The zombie actors in the movie actually have a different kind of presence. Maybe because they are dancers, their posture was different from the moment they entered, and I learned a lot from them. I definitely realized that a person needs to maintain a straight posture in daily life to use their body well.”
Known as an original action star, Jun Ji-hyun has even been called the “Charlize Theron of Korea” by Director Yeon Sang-ho. Laughing, she responded, “Original? Am I really at that level?” She revealed, “I’ve thought about this since I was young. I believed that while I must naturally be good at acting, I also needed a distinct edge. I thought expanding my range was the most important thing. That’s why I tried to take on overseas projects and challenged myself with roles where I could convey emotions through action rather than just dialogue.”
She expressed strong confidence, saying, “I’m confident about being the Charlize Theron of Korea. In fact, I’m even more confident now. Honestly, in the past, the wall of Hollywood movies felt incredibly high and like an unreachable world, but now K-content is in a position where it’s world-class, and the same goes for the actors. As long as I manage my body well, it’s fine. As you know, I’m working out hard. The body doesn’t develop if you don’t use it, but it improves the more you use it. Since that helps with acting, I’m confident. I even worked out today!”
(To be continued in Interview 5.)
