Jung muses latest move

Jung Woo-sung

Actor Jung Woo-sung said that taking part in “The Divine Move,” which is about the board game baduk, or Go, was a good choice for him, because he believes that in both life and games one critical move can change everything.

Since its opening in Korea last week, the action movie has had a good run despite the popularity of Hollywood’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction.”

Jung plays the role of professional baduk player Tae-seok, who is set to take revenge on a killer who murdered his brother, Myeong-su.

Although he has done many action films recently, including last year’s “Cold Eyes,” Jung chose this movie because it combines action with the rarely touched subject of baduk.

“I didn’t want to film an action movie that has a similar story and structure as others,” Jung said. “This movie was different because I felt that I could show what I want through the action scenes.”

Movie directors often consider Jung an actor with speed. Because of his height (187 centimeters, or 6-foot-1), his movement in high-octane scenes is fast and dramatic, which has brought him to play many roles in action movies, from the 1997 film “Beat” to the more recent “Cold Eyes” and “The Good, the Bad and the Weird” (2008).

His prominent posture shines in his most recent movie as he came up with his own moves with martial arts director Choi Bong-rok.

In a still from “The Divine Move,” actor Jung Woo-sung, left, plays a baduk, or Go, match. [JoongAng Ilbo]

“It is necessary to push hard when showing moves,” said Jung. “Trying to make scenes work by cutting fast to many different frames is just a quick trick and doesn’t really deliver the real sweat from the filming studio.”

Jung even injured his elbow by hitting it hard with a camera, but couldn’t seem to care less about it.

“Just some part of my elbow bone is floating around in pieces,” he said.

The actor also spent time preparing by playing baduk.

“I practiced to make myself look like a professional, but I hope audiences understand [if they found it imperfect] because it’s an action movie, not a baduk film.”

The movie arrived in a very special year for Jung - 20 years since he made his debut as an actor.

“Until I was in my early 30s, the public saw me as young and refused to see me in another image,” he recalled. “But now I feel they are more relaxed and accept me for taking a challenge in many different roles.”

Although “The Divine Move” is out, Jung is still busy filming for other movies, including the tentatively named “Don’t Forget Me,” a project he is also producing.

“I became an actor in my early 20s when all I had was my body and passion,” he said. “I still get my life lessons from movies, and I get more inspired by the work of my fellow actors and actresses.”

BY Jang Sung-ran [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]