[TF Interview] The Power of 'Suneung, The Secret of Question Creation' That Drew Yoo Jae-myung In

Yoo Jae-myung plays the role of the chief examiner, Moon Joo-yeol, delivering a hilariously comedic performance."I hope it becomes a work that sparks discussion... I even hope for a public hearing."Actor Yoo Jae-myung held an interview regarding the release of the movie 'The Secret of the College Entrance Exam'. /Photo courtesy of By4M Studio[THE FACT|Reporter Park Ji-yoon] Although the character he had to play was unlikeable, he believed in the freshness of the work and the power of the message it wanted to convey to the audience. This is why Yoo Jae-myung jumped into 'The Secret of the College Entrance Exam'. In doing so, he added his own color and texture, bringing another layer of persuasion and building another meaningful filmography.Yoo Jae-myung, who returns to the screen with the movie 'The Secret of the College Entrance Exam' (directed by Lee Yong-jae), held an interview with at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 21st of last month, prior to its release. On this day, he expressed high satisfaction, saying, "I didn't know the work would be this funny," and shared various stories.Released on the 28th of last month, 'The Secret of the College Entrance Exam' is a mission comedy that depicts the chaotic struggles of Maeng Bo-ram (played by Lee Sun-bin), a Korean language teacher from a small provincial town who unexpectedly joins the exam preparation headquarters, which is sealed off for 40 days for the purpose of creating the college entrance exam, a top-secret national affair in South Korea. She strives to create a 'problem-free problem' that is free of typos and disputes. This is the directorial debut of Lee Yong-jae, who wrote the screenplay for 'Math (2022)'.Yoo Jae-myung plays the role of Moon Joo-yeol, the powerful chief examiner, and delivers a passionate performance. /Photo courtesy of By4M StudioAs can be easily inferred from its title, 'The Secret of the College Entrance Exam' vividly and humorously captures the behind-the-scenes story of the college entrance exam, a topic rarely explored in Korean cinema. It was precisely at this point that Yoo Jae-myung felt a sense of freshness. While the film doesn't point out the problems with the college entrance exam or offer solutions, he was captivated by how it humorously and effectively portrayed unfair phenomena occurring in our society.However, he didn't immediately decide to appear. The character itself was too unlikeable. Recalling this, Yoo Jae-myung explained, "There are many good adults in reality, but only unjust adults are highlighted, and the satire on this was strong, which made me feel burdened. So, I tried to offset these aspects by making the character comedic. I tried to express it humorously by adding childlike, innocent, and clumsy aspects."Moon Joo-yeol (played by Yoo Jae-myung), the powerful chief examiner, is a veteran of the college entrance exam, so seasoned that he treats administrative errors as trivial. He controls the exam headquarters with strong authority and skillful diplomacy, but he also shows unexpected humaneness with his sometimes eccentric and cute demeanor, revealing both his slyness in trying to maintain his position and his unexpected humanity."I worried a lot that Moon Joo-yeol might be seen too negatively. I thought we needed to reflect a bit on how our society views adults. There are many neologisms that negatively describe adults these days, and it doesn't feel good to see that, as everyone will become an adult. Adults can sometimes be childlike and cute even if they're not pure. That's why I wanted to show Moon Joo-yeol's inherent nature, even with his greed."In fact, the script was more subdued compared to the final version, and it was the actors gathered on set who amplified the power of the comedy. This was done while brainstorming, sharing opinions, and coordinating their efforts despite limited budgets and tight schedules. The goal was not only to bring laughter to the audience but also to allow them to leave the theater with a good feeling and reflect on the meaning of the college entrance exam."Every day, it was enjoyable to discover good points like a treasure hunt and to ponder how to make it funnier. People often say comedy is difficult, but that's because if you miss the moment when the audience laughs, it becomes difficult to make them laugh. I prefer the word 'laughter' to 'comedy' because while comedy is a genre, laughter is realistic. In that sense, although our movie has the genre of excessive comedy, I hoped that the human aspects that evoke laughter would be well expressed."Yoo Jae-myung views Lee Sun-bin, with whom he worked for the first time on this project, as having "the strength to firmly push forward her role." /Photo courtesy of By4M StudioHe then spared no praise for Lee Sun-bin, with whom he worked for the first time, and for Kim Young-min, Jeon Seok-ho, Lee Jin-hee, Jung Soo-young, and Hwang Bo-ra, who enriched the film."Lee Sun-bin has a lot of energy and is also pure. While she felt a lot of pressure playing the lead role, she did her best during filming and had the strength to firmly push forward her role. It might have been difficult for her at first among actors with extensive theater backgrounds, but we all ate together and went to karaoke to cheer each other on (laughs)."He added that Kim Young-min, with whom he formed a bromance, is "very gentle, looks young, and has a boyish charm. Although both characters are unlikeable, I wanted their compatibility to be seen as cute. On set, we played like children and acted with excitement." He emphasized, "The other actors also have incredible energy, tension, and humor. They are professionals in a good way. They were truly unique and fun."This year, Yoo Jae-myung moved audiences to tears in JTBC's 'Love Me,' which ended in January, by delicately portraying the complex inner world of a father and a man as Seo Jin-ho. He then made a short but impactful appearance in the movie 'Bikwang,' released in September, acting alongside Ryu Seung-ryong, and challenged himself with voice acting in 'Gills,' showcasing his diverse talents. He is set to conclude the year with 'The Secret of the College Entrance Exam' and '7 Days 7 People.'It's an inevitable schedule that can be physically and mentally demanding. Despite this, Yoo Jae-myung feels grateful just to receive project proposals and finds greater appeal in exploring stories about people and life through different genres and methods. He feels he is refreshing himself by learning something new with each project, saying, "The work I'm doing now is the most fun. I am a happy person," he said with a bright smile.Yoo Jae-myung said, "I hope high school seniors who have taken the college entrance exam come to see our movie. It would be very meaningful if it becomes a work that they can enjoy and then discuss over a meal." /Photo courtesy of By4M StudioAt the same time, he shared his thoughts on the recent changes in movie promotion methods, such as Reels (a format of video that is recorded, edited, and shared within social media), which are very different from the past. Yoo Jae-myung said, "While communicating with the younger generation through Reels is good, I wish there were more opportunities to properly introduce movies, like cine talks or forums." He added, "I was hesitant about variety shows because I wasn't sure I could do them well. I also didn't have the physical time."The college entrance exam is not just an admission test but a national event that affects society as a whole, a test that anyone who has attended or is attending school in South Korea must go through. Yoo Jae-myung, who delved into the world of the college entrance exam preparation headquarters, which has not been explored in Korean cinema until now, expressed his hope that audiences would view the college entrance exam, which they have always taken for granted, from new and diverse perspectives and engage in discussions."I hope high school seniors who have taken the college entrance exam come to see our movie. It would be very meaningful if it becomes a work that they can enjoy and then discuss over a meal. Also, before the year ends, I hope teachers and politicians watch 'The Secret of the College Entrance Exam' and perhaps even hold a public hearing. It would be truly satisfying if the small ball we throw out leads to such outcomes."jiyoon-1031@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]