SEOUL– Shin Ha-kyun, who is known for trying his hand at different types of roles in every new project, has continued to raise the bar as an actor with his latest series, “Beyond the Memory.”
In local streaming platform Tving’s new sci-fi drama series set in 2032, Shin plays the role of a middle-aged reporter, named Jae-hyun, who receives a mysterious video e-mail from his dead wife (Han Ji-min) inviting him to a place called Yonder where the dead can live on by uploading their memories.
“I love to challenge myself, so I tend to choose to try characters if they are something that I haven’t done before, new and creative, even if they are considered to be beyond my ability,” the versatile actor said during an online interview with a group of local news media.
The actor, who started his career in 1998, has given some unforgettable performances in the last decades in films such as “Joint Security Area” (2000), “Save the Green Planet” (2003), “The Front Line” (2011) and “The Villainess” (2017).
When he first read the script of the Tving series “Beyond the Memory,” also known by its Korean title “Yonder,” he said he thought it was a familiar yet new story.
“I also felt it was a subject and story that many people will pay attention to, and was curious how the story will be embodied by director Lee Joon-ik.”
“Beyond the Memory” has also drawn attention as the small-screen debut of the 62-year-old master of Korean period dramas, best known for “The King and the Clown,” “The Throne” and “The Book of Fish.”
Speaking of his character, Shin said allowing viewers to read his mind and follow the story through Jae-hyun’s restrained and subtle emotional expressions was challenging.
He said he is thankful and content with the fact that he tried such a restrained character, which he has not done before, although he still cannot fully emphasize with Jae-hyun.
Filming of the six-episode series was done in reverse order — scenes in the second half first and the first half later — for a seasonal reason, according to the actor.
“It was not easy to create my emotions in the reversed filming process. Our goal was to make viewers focus on changes of the character’s emotions through his subtle expressions although he seldom expresses his emotions,” he added.
Shin also shared his thoughts about death during the interview.
“Actually, I think there is nothing after death. There is almost nothing changed about my thought about death after shooting the drama. I think ‘Beyond the Memory’ is not a story about the world after death but one that can provoke thought about how we should live in the present through the theme of death. This is similar to what I think. I’m the sort of person who thinks the present is the most important so we should do our best to be happy in this moment.”
When asked who he wants to meet the most if there is a place like Yonder, Shin singled out his puppies who lived with his family for a long time.
“I think they will run to me and be in my arms if I meet them. If I could meet them again, I would play catch, their favorite game, with them,” he said with a smile.
Source: Yonhap News Agency