Won Ji An on portraying a Yakuza in 'Made in Korea'

Won Ji An opens up about the challenges of portraying a Japanese character in Made in Korea.

Made in Korea is set in the 1970s and follows Baek Ki Tae (Hyun Bin), a man driven by ambition for wealth and power, and prosecutor Jang Gun Young (Jung Woo Sung), who risks everything to stop him. The story depicts the lives of monstrous individuals who came to be from this harsh and chaotic era.

Talking about how she came to participate, Won Ji An said, "The director watched my past work and reached out to me. I didn't know exactly what kind of project it was, but I think he was looking for a certain image and vibe. He said he saw a blady sharpness in my face. That's how I got the opportunity to participate."

Since the story was created based on real events, the actress is reported to have studied while filming. "I kept studying and learning as we filmed. The director gave a lot of guidance on set, and I even got materials related to the subject organized like a book. In terms of my role, I tried to focus more on studying aspects related to Zainichi Koreans. The director has worked on many projects dealing with modern history, so since this story included a lot of creative elements, I was curious to see how it would be presented. I could only think about learning as much as possible. While you can learn through experience, rather than asking questions directly, being on set naturally gives you a lot of time [with the cast and crew]. I think you get to see a lot on set. I felt that certain things are best learnt through experience rather than asking, so whenever I thought something was worth learning, I either made notes or tried to commit it to memory."

The aspect that director Woo Min Ho emphasized was that she should "look like a Yakuza." Won Ji An recalled, "Although it was a Yakuza role, I didn't think of it as a Yakuza fighter. I thought of the character as being a lobbyist. Still, the director wanted me to exude Yakuza's aura, so I looked up old Japanese Yakuza dramas and considered the posture, walking style, and gestures. I tried to think about these details carefully. I practiced my walk and posture a lot and received a lot of help with the wardrobe. I also discussed things extensively with the makeup team, focusing on giving a clean, perfectly neat look — like a female version of Baek Gi Tae — without a hint of dishevelment, with the sharp lines of the suit. The director liked it when I used my hands — when I fidgeted with my face or walked with my hands in my pockets — and said I looked like a Yakuza. I felt that this character has sensitivity and a quick wit, so I tried to develop the character with that in focus. While making scenes, I tried to absorb the energy and rhythm of my co-stars."

She continued, "Besides acting, what I'm grateful to the director for is that he said he wanted me to feel comfortable. The sunbaes have been working for a long time, and I don't have much experience. But, he said he wanted me to work relaxedly. He acknowledged that there is a burden and responsibility on me, but he said he wanted me to play freely. I think I started adjusting around the middle of Season 1. By Season 2,  everything felt so familiar that I felt very comfortable."

Wasn't it difficult to deliver dialogue in Japanese? "There were a lot of old words, so I was told that even modern Japanese people find some things difficult. But rather than worrying about the difficulty, I spent months trying to get [the words] to roll off my tongue. The teacher helped me a lot. It was my first time filming overseas. I was so nervous that I started losing weight more than I expected. I tend to lose weight while filming, and it just kept dropping. Since it was my first overseas shoot and something I was trying for the first time, I filmed with both nervousness and a sense of responsibility."

"Even in the Japanese lessons, the teacher paid close attention to the tone of voice and manner of speaking. I tried to remember what I learned in class and applied it on set with help from the staff. When speaking Korean, I didn't focus so much on the tone itself but rather on acting while taking in the rhythm and natural flow with the scene partner. I'm not very good at speaking Japanese, but I realized for the first time that I could understand it to some extent because I've liked anime and manga since I was young. I went to the Japanese teacher, asked about greetings for morning, lunch, and evening, and learned that way."

Won also touched on the highlights to look forward to in Season 2.

"The character faces many constraints, but there is this aspect [that shows her] running toward her desires. Even though she is the second-in-command, she is not the only one in that position. That story will continue to unfold. I think Ikeda Yuji has a strong desire for power, just like Baek Gi Tae. I would appreciate it if viewers focus on how she tramples over obstacles within the constraints of her circumstances and relationships. Rather than 'navigating' them, it feels more like she crushes her way through, so I think the phrase 'trample through' fits better."

She added, "I hope people just enjoy it. The viewers are taking time to watch, and we worked hard to make it entertaining, so I hope they enjoy it. Since the next season wraps up the story, viewers can also look forward to seeing how each character’s narrative concludes."

Stream Made in Korea on Disney+.

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