While the interview was originally about the JTBC show “Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness,” the conversation quickly shifted toward actor Oh Jung-se’s role in the movie “Wild Thing.” It was almost confusing whether the interview was for the show or the film!
That is how huge the impact of Oh Jung-se’s comedic acting has been. In director Son Jae-gon’s movie “Wild Thing,” opening on the 3rd of next month, Oh Jung-se plays Choi Seong-gon, a “Ballad Prince” who has been stuck in 2nd place on music charts for 39 weeks. With long hair reminiscent of Im Jae-wook and his song “I Like You,” the character is already a hit, with fans demanding the official track release and even creating a fictional SNS account for the singer.
Although he has appeared in many projects, Oh Jung-se had previously hesitated to enter the realm of comedy. However, he is now diving headfirst into comedic acting through “Wild Thing” and his recent drama “Fifty Percent.” In an interview with Sports Kyunghyang, he shared some fun behind-the-scenes stories about the buzz-worthy “Wild Thing.”
Oh Jung-se revealed, “I enjoyed director Son Jae-gon’s previous films, so I really wanted to work with him,” and explained that he put a lot of thought into the character of Choi Seong-gon. For the look, there were two wig options: the current one and a “blunt bob.” He chose the current wig because the blunt bob actually suited him too well, meaning it lacked that “king-bad” (cringe-worthy or annoying) point he was looking for.
He also experimented with several versions of the song “I Like You,” including one with a sweet, goosebump-inducing narration, before settling on the final version. Although he is a decent singer, he still underwent vocal training, and the digital track benefited from post-production effects. Oh Jung-se recalled, “In scenes where I had to sing live, my raw voice was used, but I had to keep a longing expression on my face, which caused some internal struggle.”
Choi Seong-gon, once known as a “heart-stealer,” appears in the present as a hunter. Despite the rough beard, skin, and clothing, his eyes light up with longing whenever he sings “I Like You.” Oh Jung-se explained, “The emotion had to come through. I acted that scene as an expression of the character’s strong will to perform.”
He added, “I asked the director to get me a bunch of straws, and I learned how to practice breathing with them. I thought Choi Seong-gon would still be practicing even after quitting his singing career, so I decided it would be a good detail to keep them in his car.” He also attempted to add a detail where the character is too anxious to calm his breathing during the final stage.
“Wild Thing,” starring Oh Jung-se alongside Gang Dong-won, Um Tae-goo, and Park Ji-hyun, opens in theaters nationwide on the 3rd of next month.
