Following the premiere of “Island” Half 2, Cha Eun Woo has shared some enjoyable behind-the-scenes tales and talked about his character!
Based mostly on the hit webtoon of the identical title, “Island” is a fantasy drama a few darkish secret hidden on lovely Jeju Island—and people who find themselves fated to battle evil forces which might be making an attempt to destroy the world. The drama stars Kim Nam Gil as Pan, Lee Da Hee as Mi Ho, and ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo as a younger exorcist priest referred to as John.
A number of days earlier than the premiere of “Island” Half 2, Cha Eun Woo sat for interviews with the native press to debate the drama. Considering again to when the drama’s first season premiered, Cha Eun Woo remarked, “It was filmed a yr in the past, so I used to be additionally curious. [When Part 1 came out,] the actors’ group chat was crammed with everybody saying, ‘Wow, [I can’t believe] this scene got here out like this.’ After that, I additionally mentioned plenty of issues with the martial arts director and the CG [computer graphics] workforce chief. Now, with Half 2, I’m curious as to how the viewers will react and I’m additionally excited to see how the tales will develop additional.”
He then mirrored on his personal appearing by saying, “Some components had been good and a few components had been disappointing. I feel I had plenty of combined emotions. Style-wise and character-wise, appearing as John was an attention-grabbing problem for me. It was enjoyable and I’d like to do it once more if one other alternative comes.”
On what compelled him to star within the sequence, Cha Eun Woo cited his co-stars saying, “I met the director for the primary time in his workplace and he had an image of the lust demon on the wall. The director mentioned, ‘I’d love to do that undertaking along with you.’ After I was serious about it, Kim Nam Gil invited me to brunch and mentioned, ‘Eun Woo, let’s do that [drama] collectively.’ He gave me braveness first. I trusted him and the director and at last mentioned, ‘I’ll do it.’ One of many causes I needed to do ‘Island’ was due to the superb seniors. I used to be so proud to be doing a drama with them. I had been interested by how the senior actors strategy their roles and work together with the workers, and I feel I realized plenty of optimistic issues by means of working with them this time.”
Cha Eun Woo went on to explain his expertise on the filming set, mentioning how he usually noticed Kim Nam Gil suggesting additions to the drama or bringing concepts from the unique webtoon. He remarked, “Kim Nam Gil often jokes round and is humorous behind the cameras, however throughout rehearsal or after we are taking pictures, he absolutely will get immersed into his character. It was fascinating and superb to see. I used to be positively influenced and realized rather a lot simply by watching him.”
One other co-star that Cha Eun Woo talked about was Choi Tae Joon, who made a particular look within the sequence as his brother. Bearing on the 2 brothers’ emotional and tragic final scene collectively, Cha Eun Woo confessed, “I discovered that scene to be essentially the most troublesome, nevertheless it’s additionally my favourite scene.”
He elaborated, “I cried a number of instances studying the script. The truth that I needed to kill my very own brother with my very own arms…I even have a youthful brother, so I perceive the love between brothers. I discovered myself imagining the ache and disappointment that John will need to have had in that scenario and tried to channel these feelings into my appearing. In the course of the filming, the director additionally shed tears. It was an honor and I felt grateful. Choi Tae Joon additionally hugged me after filming, saying, ‘You probably did a fantastic job.’”
Along with his stellar efficiency in emotional scenes, Cha Eun Woo additionally obtained many favorable critiques for his motion scenes. Cha Eun Woo recalled proudly, “I requested the martial arts director, ‘Am I thought of good?’ and he mentioned sure. ‘Nobody is proof against flattery,’ they are saying, so I mentioned I’ll work even tougher.”
To elaborate, he selected a selected scene and commented, “There was a combating scene with Pan, however the workers mentioned [the props/set] couldn’t be restored as soon as it was damaged, so we needed to movie in a single take. It was my first time using an motion wire, however the director complimented me saying I did nicely.”
Nonetheless, all these compliments didn’t come from nothing. Describing his efforts to nail the motion scenes, Cha Eun Woo shared, “Earlier than taking pictures, I went to an motion faculty for 3 months. On days after I didn’t have scheduled actions, I went day by day to follow. The martial arts director gave me a rubber knife the identical dimension as John’s sword, so I saved training at any time when I had time at dwelling or within the ready room.”
One other huge facet of John’s character that wanted nice effort was language. On taking part in a priest who’s fluent in Italian and Latin, Cha Eun Woo commented, “Italian and Latin had been languages that I had by no means tried earlier than. I went to a cathedral in Ilsan and visited a priest. I’d report the lesson and the priest’s pronunciation. I’d take heed to it and follow talking time and again. Then I’d report myself and ship it again to the priest and ask them if my pronunciation was okay.”
Nonetheless, greater than something, Cha Eun Woo’s presentation of a “hip hop priest” was in all probability what created essentially the most buzz for his character. Earrings and headphones that blasted out Okay-pop had been John’s trademark, however Cha Eun Woo revealed that the manufacturing workforce had initially agreed for John to not put on the earrings. “However I insisted,” he mentioned. “I mentioned I feel it’d be proper for John to put on it. When John will get ‘woke up,’ his religious powers improve significantly and I believed we’d want a device [to represent that]. I believed [the earrings] could possibly be such a device. I needed to hold his distinctive trait and I believed it was essential for the method of bringing the character to life.”
Concerning the headphones and hip hop songs John was listening to within the drama, Cha Eun Woo shared an attention-grabbing anecdote, saying, “I simply left the headphones off after I was filming and pretended I used to be grooving to some rhythm. However then the director contacted me whereas he was modifying and requested me, ‘What music would you like [John] to take heed to?’ I answered, ‘Can you place ASTRO’s music in?’ Nonetheless, the director mentioned, ‘I’d like to, however I don’t assume it’ll match with the vibe of the scene.’ I even considered making new music, however in the long run, we simply selected hip hop.”
When requested if he ever discovered it unlucky that individuals often put extra emphasis on his beauty reasonably than his appearing expertise, Cha Eun Woo correctly replied, “I feel my (look) is one in all my strengths too,” however went on to present himself a rating of solely 50 factors for his visuals. “I’m reasonably exhausting on myself. 50 factors as a result of there are such a lot of cool folks on the market and since everybody has their very own charms. I respect the compliments on my look, however to be trustworthy, it doesn’t actually hit me. A part of it’s as a result of my mom raised me strictly. I attempt to focus extra on my internal self reasonably than my look. I feel individuals who do which might be cooler.”
On his appearing expertise, Cha Eun Woo additionally gave himself 50 factors, explaining, “The extra I act, the harder it will get. I humbly settle for [the mixed reviews] I get and am additionally grateful for the optimistic suggestions. My household and associates additionally mentioned, ‘I like ‘Island’ since you look snug.”
Cha Eun Woo then humorously shared, “The ASTRO members mentioned it was snug to see as a result of it wasn’t a romance drama. In any case, all of us have been residing collectively since we had been trainees, so I feel that’s why they mentioned that. Moonbin mentioned he would positively watch it and instructed me he had paid for and subscribed to TVING due to me.”
Whereas with reference to ASTRO, Cha Eun Woo was additionally requested about their future plan as a bunch. He answered, “We don’t have any promotion plans for ASTRO but. However I actually like doing workforce actions, so I need to [perform] on stage. I’m additionally open to solo [promotions]. I actually take pleasure in standing and singing on stage and it’s one thing I’m grateful for.”
On the group’s latest seventh debut anniversary, Cha Eun Woo remarked, “I can’t imagine it’s already been seven years. Whereas having dinner with my members just lately, we talked about find out how to spend our seventh anniversary. We had been serious about visiting MJ [in the military], however I had a taking pictures schedule that day.”
On the finish of 2022, ASTRO’s company Fantagio revealed that JinJin, Cha Eun Woo, Moonbin, and Yoon Sanha had all renewed their contracts, whereas discussions with Rocky had been ongoing. As MJ is presently serving within the navy, his contract discussions will happen after he’s discharged.
When requested in regards to the group’s present contract renewal standing, Cha Eun Woo fastidiously mentioned, “We’re speaking with the corporate individually. We haven’t had a deep dialog amongst ourselves but. However no matter every of them chooses, they’re folks that I’ll be associates with ceaselessly. The members have a extremely good relationship. We now have been collectively for a very long time since we had been trainees who had been nothing. Even up till now, we get alongside nicely all the identical. We assist one another a lot.”
Lastly, Cha Eun Woo commented on what viewers ought to stay up for in “Island” Half 2, saying, “The motion scenes shall be taken to a complete new degree. The tales behind every character shall be extra developed and their chemistry and the explanations for his or her respective actions will change into extra outlined. Viewers can anticipate the battle that occurs when these factors overlap.”
As for his character John, Cha Eun Woo remarked, “I used to be so harm when John exorcised his brother together with his personal arms in Half 1. In Half 2, John’s inside struggles and battle will construct up. He believed in and adopted God all this time, however this example has led him to marvel ‘Is there a God?’ [Part 2] will painting John’s journey of development. I hope you watch enjoyably as we’ve labored so exhausting on it. Please give numerous like to ‘Island’ and John.”
“Island” returned with Half 2 on February 24. New episodes come out each Friday by way of TVING and the drama can also be be accessible world wide on Amazon Prime Video.
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