Actor Joo Yeon-woo shared his thoughts on finishing "Buried Hearts."
Recently, an ending interview with actor Joo Yeon-woo, who played the role of Cheon Gu-ho in the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Buried Hearts," was conducted in the OSEN office. "Buried Hearts" is a revenge drama where Seo Dong-joo (played by Park Hyung-sik) risks everything to fight against the absolute evil that killed him and to bring down that world after hacking a 2 trillion won political slush fund.
Filmed through pre-production from June last year to February this year, "Buried Hearts" aired its final episode on the 12th, concluding its 16-episode run. Joo Yeon-woo said, "Once the broadcast ended and a week passed, I thought, 'Well, it ended well without any issues,' and I wanted to thank everyone once again for the love they showed and for recognizing the character Cheon Gu-ho."
Joo Yeon-woo, who joined "Buried Hearts" through auditions, revealed, "I originally auditioned for the role of Bae Won-bae (played by Lee Yu-jun)." He added, "I thought the image was quite different, so I asked the makeup artist I worked with during the 'Goryeo-Khitan War' period to help me, saying, 'I have to bring this project to the audition.' I put on a historical drama mustache and hid my face with a file until I entered the audition room, and when I entered the director's room, he was also very surprised. The character description for the role of Bae Won-bae included a setting of being hairy, so I wanted to explain what that means in relation to me. I think I was given the role of Cheon Gu-ho because of my passion and that it was a very challenging role. I think the director believed in me and entrusted me with it."
He expressed his enthusiasm, noting that he had no fixed next project after finishing the TVING program "Study Group." He said, "Since I had not passed any auditions, I approached each audition with the mindset that I had to succeed."
As a secretary and bodyguard to Yeom Jang-seon (played by Heo Jun-ho) in "Buried Hearts," Joo Yeon-woo chased after Seo Dong-joo, becoming a key figure driving the tension in the drama. Joo Yeon-woo stated, "Honestly, it was a big challenge for me, and it took a long time to communicate with the character. In the past, I often portrayed characters that required expression, but this time, there were many parts that needed to be internalized. The internalization needed to flow with some depth, so I kept trying to find something to express while communicating with the character."
In reality, Cheon Gu-ho, as a loyal and steadfast character, had a limited emotional range. Given that, Joo Yeon-woo commented, "It is true that there are limitations in terms of expression. However, I focused on the relationships when meeting people other than Teacher Yeom Jang-seon. I practiced showing focus and professionalism while handling work, trying to display the difference in eye contact when looking at Teacher, and the vigilance I had concerning others." He added, "I’m not sure if that came across on screen, but I remember being determined not to let go of the strings on set."
For Joo Yeon-woo, Cheon Gu-ho was a character that he portrayed without much makeup, unlike in "Goryeo-Khitan War" or "Study Group." He chuckled, saying, "I did shave my sideburns. My hair may have been a bit of a disguise as well," and recalled, "It was an entirely natural look with just earbuds in."
He honestly stated, "I’ve never been told that I look gentle when I’m being serious and emotionless. I often hear, 'Are you upset?' or 'Are you angry?'—but I wasn't angry." He continued, "In that sense, the external aspects helped a lot. I wanted to express a more positive image even within that. There was definitely a more human side to me, which came out when looking at the Teacher. I thought everything the Teacher said was right and I approached it thinking, 'Our Teacher is amazing.'"
Given that Cheon Gu-ho is a bodyguard with a background from the National Intelligence Service, his strong physique contributed to the synchronization with the character. Joo Yeon-woo, who revealed that he has been interested in fitness from the beginning, said, "When I received the role of Cheon Gu-ho, I heard that Heo Jun-ho senior is also physically big. I thought I wanted to show a good ensemble in front of him, so I focused on building my physique more through workouts." He added, "The costumes prepared by the costume team fit perfectly. Thanks to the help of the makeup team and staff, I was able to create a polished character of Cheon Gu-ho."
As important as the physical aspect is the relationship between Cheon Gu-ho and Yeom Jang-seon. Cheon Gu-ho followed Yeom Jang-seon's orders without question, and unlike the manager (played by Sung No-jin) or Jo Yang-chun (played by Kim Gi-mu), he remained loyal to Yeom Jang-seon until the end. Joo Yeon-woo remarked, "I set the premise that Cheon Gu-ho wouldn't think that Yeom Jang-seon's actions were wrong. The line 'It's an act for a greater cause' alludes to how the Teacher acted for the country. So as Cheon Gu-ho, I thought, 'The direction in which the Teacher moves may require sacrifice, but if it can lead to the nation's development, then I should follow.'"
He stated, "In the end, it was Yeom Jang-seon who chose me. Just as an actor must repay the trust of the director for being chosen in an audition, Yeom Jang-seon chose me with the desire to profoundly love the country. When considering that he even knew the password to the 2 trillion won Swiss account, I thought that (his trust in Cheon Gu-ho) was high. From that, I developed a character of strong loyalty who trusts and follows the Teacher, and despite seeming complex, it was closer to a straightforward spirit of sacrifice."
However, despite his loyalty, Cheon Gu-ho did not fulfill his missions very well. From the beginning, he was hacked and unable to retrieve the 2 trillion won slush fund. When asked if he was disappointed by the character's somewhat lackluster performance, Joo Yeon-woo replied, "Honestly, I thought it might have been nice if something had happened, but at some point, I realized this could be my personal greed. Even the way Cheon Gu-ho ended still lingers. I felt a plain notion that I would eventually go find Teacher Yeom Jang-seon."
In regard to why Yeom Jang-seon did not expel Cheon Gu-ho despite such mistakes, Joo Yeon-woo said, "I have not experienced the hearts of seniors and elders. Honestly, while failing, I thought, 'Shouldn't I be cut after this?' I wondered what the reason was for not being expelled. Personally, I thought, 'Could I perhaps be a hidden son?' and sought my own justification. Nevertheless, I always tried to succeed in my missions, and in fact, I succeeded a few times. I caught Seo Dong-joo, but he escaped, and I killed the manager, but he came back to life. I think I experienced both failure and success like the ‘sweet and salty’ of life."
The nature of the revenge drama means that the roles of the villains have as much importance as the protagonists. The confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist is a key element driving the drama, and how well the performance of the villain draws the audience's tension can greatly impact the overall atmosphere of the drama.
In that regard, serving as the right-hand man to the ultimate villain Yeom Jang-seon in "Buried Hearts" and directly chasing Seo Dong-joo comes with significant responsibility. Joo Yeon-woo stated, "There was naturally pressure. That’s why this role required prolonged communication, and I encouraged myself that I could do it. I thought if Cheon Gu-ho's density felt diminished, it would impact the Teacher’s portrayal, so I contemplated continuously. I wondered how to appear professional and ultimately tried to depict a gradual tightening while chasing, not rushing through it."
When asked about his feelings after watching the completed project, Joo Yeon-woo said, "I thought that rather than being satisfied with my acting, I was appreciative because my worries were reflected in my appearance during the broadcast. Although there were many shortcomings, I thought I should praise myself for showing the unseen nuances in the daily life experience. I chuckled, adding, 'Such expressions shouldn't exist in everyday life.'"
He often checks viewers' reactions and mentioned, "There have been responses like, 'Gu-ho fails every day, what's wrong with him?' But there are also a few fans cheering for me. Initially, they would say, 'Gu-ho wouldn't do that,' 'He's definitely going to redeem himself later,' 'Quickly apologize to Dong-joo,' but later their responses shifted to, 'Gu-ho, let's get punished.' I greatly appreciated the supportive expressions of emotion from the fans, which provided me with strength."
"Buried Hearts" holds a special meaning for Joo Yeon-woo as it is the first project where he appeared from the first episode to the last. He stated, "In 'Study Group,' I joined halfway, and in 'Iduna!' I wasn't featured much. During 'Goryeo-Khitan War,' I died midway, and in 'By Chance, We Met' and 'When the Fortune Tells,' I also met my end. I usually die early, but in "Buried Hearts," I successfully faced the challenge through all 16 episodes without dying."
He continued, "Thinking about it as I speak, perhaps I realized that 'I was the winner.' Cheon Gu-ho hasn’t lost anything. Initially, I thought I would die since the script only covered up to episode 6. A character performing bad deeds inevitably gets punished. They either die or change sides, yet Cheon Gu-ho survived and maintained my color until the end. Reflecting back, I see Gu-ho as the victor."
He conveyed his thoughts, saying, "I survived, and I could go on to a season 2. Regarding the production of season 2, I would love it if it happens, but unfortunately, I haven't heard anything about it. However, since Cheon Gu-ho is still alive, I am excited at the idea of him being active again if season 2 comes out. This time, I will surely succeed in my mission."
Joo Yeon-woo reflected, stating, "I went into 'Buried Hearts' and came out having found a treasure." He mentioned, "I was somewhat surprised that several people recognized me while walking around because I appeared in a very authentic form without any external embellishments. They didn’t recall the character's name but would say, 'Aren't you from Buried Hearts?' They said they were watching it very well, and this made me feel a connection with the viewers. It has made me feel a strong sense of responsibility."
Having completed "Buried Hearts," Joo Yeon-woo is currently auditioning for his next project. He expressed, "I always try to stay on standby" and when asked what kind of acting he desires, he shared his belief that he hopes to communicate sincerely with the viewers. He added, "I want to take on a role where I sacrifice myself in a deep noir story—where it is acceptable to die, but it should be a meaningful sacrifice. I want to portray a role where I can say, 'I would give my life for you.' Personally, I love the movie 'The Godfather.' I think my appearance suits noir well, and thus I desire to pursue deep noir projects."
[Photo] OSEN reporter Min Kyung-hoon
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