10 Nov 2009 - ETN Ent. Station - Ninja Assassin Asia Press Conference
할리우드에 비 내리다! 영화 '닌자어쌔신'
[2009-11-10 12:57]
해외에서는 'Rain'으로 더 많이 알려진 비. 영화 크레딧엔 정지훈이라고 올라가니까 배우 정지훈씨 라고 해야겠죠. 그의 두 번째 할리우드 진출작 '닌자어쌔신'이 드디어 어제 기자회견을 가졌습니다.
영국 더 타임즈 온라인 선정 2009년 기대작, 샌프란시스코 이그재미너 신문 선정 기대작 TOP 10에 드는 등 개봉 전부터 세계가 주목해온 작품입니다. 어제 기자회견과 함께 아시아 8개국이 참여한 아시아 정킷 행사도 더불어 펼쳐졌다고 하는데요. 그만큼 이제는 비가 세계 속의 배우로 거듭나고 있다는 증거겠죠.
영화 촬영 하는 기간 동안 체력단련 하는 게 정말 힘들었다고 하던데요. 지훈씨는 힘들었겠지만 저를 포함해 여성 관객들은 좋아할 것 같습니다. 그럼 어제 열린 기자회견 현장으로 지금 바로 가보시죠.
[촬영 장면]
세계를 적신 월드스타 비. 이번에는 할리우드 첫 주연작을 들고 우리를 찾아왔습니다. 영화 '닌자어쌔신'의 주역 영화배우 정지훈을 함께 만나보시죠.
드디어 취재진 앞에 모습을 드러낸 비. 번쩍이는 플래시 세례와 함께 늘씬한 몸태 자랑하는 당당한 포즈를 취했습니다. 이곳저곳을 넓게 이동하며 포토타임을 갖는 비. 역시 대단한 취재 열기네요.
조직에 의해 만들어진 비밀 병기 라이조가 친구를 죽인 조직을 상대로 펼치는 복수 스토리를 담고 있는 영화 '닌자어쌔신'. 비의 첫 할리우드 주연 작으로도 화제가 되고 있죠.
Q:[인터뷰-비]영화에 출연하게 된 계기는?
비씨는 영화에서 억울한 죽음을 당한 친구의 복수를 위해 물 불을 가리지 않는 주인공 라이조를 맡았는데요. 말 그대로 물불 가리지 않는 열연을 펼쳤습니다.
Q:[인터뷰-비]극 중 라이조와 성격이 비슷한가?
Q:[인터뷰-비]영화를 본 팬들의 반응을 예상해본다면?
영화를 본 남성이라면 바로 비를 최고 워너비 스타로 꼽을 것 같은데요. 최강 무술고수들에게 강도 높은 훈련을 받은 그는 대부분의 액션을 대역 없이 소화해냈습니다. 더불어 살인적인 다이어트로 최고의 몸을 만들었죠.
Q:[인터뷰-비]살인적인 다이어트와 무술 훈련이 힘들지 않았는지?
일본 고유의 닌자를 소재로 해 왜색논란이 일기도 한 영화 '닌자어쌔신'. 그러나 영화 곳곳에 감독의 의도가 숨어 있는 한국적인 분위기를 만날 수 있다고 합니다.
Q:[인터뷰-비]영화에 한국적인 분위기를 풍기는 부분이 있는지?
Q:[인터뷰-비]엠블랙의 이준이 아역을 맡았는데?
비가 키운 신예 5인조 남성 그룹 엠블랙. 멤버 이준씨는 영화 '닌자어쌔신'에서 라이조의 어린 시절을 연기했는데요. 극 중 영어대사와 강도 높은 결투신을 무사히 소화해 많은 호평을 받았다고 합니다.
Q:[인터뷰-비]시청자 여러분께
할리우드에 내려 많은 관객을 적실 비. 그의 노력의 베일이 오는 11월 26일 벗겨집니다.
The Asian pop star Rain appeared recently at a hotel in Seoul to promote his second movie, Ninja Assassin. At the news conference he revealed just how hard it was to prepare for his role the world’s most deadly man.
Dressed conservatively in a grey suit, Rain says he was very satisfied after his first viewing of the movie. He’s pleased that he completely liberated himself from the mannerisms of a singer.
The 27 year old Rain worked out strenuously to build up his body for the action thriller in which he plays the world’s most deadly killer. He says it was so harsh that at times he thought of giving up and going back to just singing.
Last year, Rain made his Hollywood debut in the movie Speed Racer. It met with a cool reception from critics and failed to do well at the box office, but the production won praise from Speed Racer’s directors, the Wachowski brothers. Ninja Assassin is the Korean pop star’s debut as the lead in a Hollywood production.
20 Nov 2009 - ELECTRIC SHOW FIRST ASIAN ...with extended periods of HEAVY RAIN
When the presenter mispronounced the movie's title and said 'Welcome to the Ninja Assassination press conference', she had no idea how prophetic she was going to be.
Rain, Korean pop star and Ninja Assassin's lead actor, appeared in a stiff brown suit, a colourful tie and a red flower-shaped handkerchief peeking out of his breast pocket.
Did we mention the high-heeled dress shoes?
The ninja was well and truly murdered.
In contrast, in the movie, Rain has long raven hair, a dark, brooding demeanour and a sculpted physique. He plays Raizo, a highly skilled ninja who turns on his own brotherhood after they kill his girl.
Ninja Assassin - which opens here on 26 Nov - is the first Hollywood movie to feature a Korean in a leading role.
But Rain - whose real name is Jeong Ji Hoon - was anything but brooding when he met the media on Monday last week in Seoul.
Neither was he the suave, charming pop star who has drawn millions to his sold-out concerts with his smooth vocals and slick dance moves.
The 27-year-old, best known for his role as a bratty celebrity in the 2004 Korean TV series Full House, looked uncomfortable, apprehensive and offered only tight-lipped smiles.
Where was that famous toothy grin?
He spoke in Korean with the help of an English-speaking translator: 'Thank you everyone. I'm so excited.'
Really?
Perhaps he seemed distant because he was made to sit alone at the table on stage - with an extra area in front of the stage cordoning him off from the media.
'I'm an extrovert. I like being with people,' he said when asked how he was different from Raizo.
Another stark difference: He wouldn't consider adopting Raizo's image, not even for a minute.
Said Rain: 'I like a short and clean-cut hairstyle. I was so relieved when filming for the movie ended. I immediately went to cut my hair. That's just me.'
He admitted that getting into character for the action film was tough, but he chose to listen to the advice of the movie's producers, Larry and Andy Wachowski, the same duo behind Rain's other 2008 Hollywood flick Speed Racer.
They had told him to 'throw away' his other personas including 'pop star Rain' and 'human being Jeong Ji Hoon' to truly become Raizo.
Apart from mastering his lines in fluent English and working on his facial expressions, Rain also trained six hours daily for eight months to become a lean, mean killing machine with zero body fat.
He had to keep his body light because minimal wire action was used during the filming.
He confessed that, at times, he had wanted to throw in the towel and head back to Asia to familiar idol territory as the gruelling training took its toil.
But a promise he made to himself four years ago to break into international showbiz and the desire to win over his critics spurred him on.
Said Rain: 'I didn't want to be just another Jackie Chan. My childhood fantasy was to be like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.'
His determination, he said, was also fuelled by Speed Racer bombing at the box office last year.
Grateful
But don't call him ungrateful.
He counts Speed Racer - a US live-action film adaptation of the '60s Japanese anime series of the same name about car racing - as the film that opened doors in Hollywood for him and other Korean actors.
He added that he has high hopes for Ninja Assassin as talks are in the works for a sequel.
'It is, of course, also dependent on the audience's response. But whatever the outcome, this movie will leave a deep trace in my heart. It is so well-made and I put my all into it.'
That was the end of the press conference, and he was whisked off for more photograph-taking.
At the media roundtable interviews later, Rain was more personable. We sat around a table and, from far, we could have passed off as a group of friends having a meal together.
Rain stood up before we started the interview and shook every reporter's hand, much to the surprise of all who were present. His handshake was firm and he addressed us politely.
But once again, where was that toothy grin?
Instead of being cheery - we had high hopes after his subdued showing at the morning's press conference - he was serious and business-like.
He even had a pen and notebook, presumably jotting down English words he wanted to remember after his translator told us his answers.
Even a cute reply, such as 'the ninja ability I would want is to disappear and appear at will so that if I do something bad, I can just disappear', wasn't so much as accompanied by a smile.
When asked if he would put on weight for a role, he said yes, if it was for acclaimed directors such as James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.
Singing and acting
For now, he is putting equal emphasis on both his singing and acting careers, something which he still sees himself doing 10 years down the road.
But he wouldn't reveal if he was planning any concerts or discussing movie deals at the moment.
In fact, it seemed the question had frustrated him as he twirled his pen and took deep breaths.
And although he professed to missing his family, he said that what he would do if he wasn't a celebrity for a day was to sleep.
When this reporter commented that since he wouldn't have fans chasing him down the street, perhaps he should be out and about rather then sleeping, Rain looked surprised before answering: 'If I wasn't Rain, I wouldn't get any calls anyway so I wouldn't go out. I would still be sleeping.'
In real life, Rain is a hit with the ladies.
When a behind-the-scenes video showed pictures of Rain's shirtless physique, pre- and post-training, two Taiwanese female reporters couldn't contain their gasps.
Just before that, a group of Mandarin-speaking female reporters were heard strategising on how to get a picture opportunity with Rain.
The media had been informed beforehand that they were not allowed to approach him for pictures.
Ironically, the much sought-after celebrity is single and very much wants a girlfriend.
Said Rain: 'I do want kids and a family now. But I need to find a wife first.'
He said that he doesn't have a certain type of girl that he goes for and physical beauty is not important to him; what matters most is how he feels when he's with her.
No wonder Megan Fox was reportedly bummed after he rejected a dinner date with her.
Rain said that he didn't know anything about those reports.
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