CAH: Hello, actor Kim Do-hoon! Thank you for your interview with the Chung-Ang Herald. How have you been since you filmed the web drama Your Dreams to Be True?

Kim: While filming the web drama Your Dreams to Be True, I also filmed a pre-production drama Absolute Guy, starring Yeo Jin-gu and Hong Seo-young. After shooting the drama, I had a lot of time for myself. In addition, I focused on my slim figure, so I went on a diet and worked on my school life as a student.

CAH: There are a lot of requests for you to use SNS in the comments that are posted on the web dramas. We wonder if there's a reason why you don't use SNS, or if you're planning to do it.

Kim: There is no big reason not to use SNS. When I was a high school student, I used SNS. However, I suddenly felt that I was spending too much time on SNS, and I stopped. In addition, I am not confident in selfies. For this reason, when I used SNS in the past, I uploaded many pictures of my brother and me that appeared funny. Sometimes when I see a comment asking me to do SNS, I think about it. But I decided that I would use SNS when I achieved some goals that I had set for myself.

CAH: You played the role of a genius hacker in the movie Gate. In addition, you played the roles of Geum-dol and Ha-neul in the web dramas My Woofy Poofy Love and Your Dreams to Be True. What was the difference in the way you played each character?

Kim: I analyzed each of the three characters differently. Won-ho in the movie Gate is a closed child. However, after he was on a team, he begins to open his mind little by little. When I took on this role, I consulted a lot with the director and actors. The other two characters were a little different but similar. Anyway, I still had a different approach. I thought I should approach the character ‘Geum-dol’ in the web drama My Woofy Poofy Love through mysticism because the drama has a fantasy subject. Meanwhile, the character ‘Ha-neul’ in the web drama Your Dreams to Be True was very similar to me. I was an outsider at school at that time, so I thought I could recreate my school life as it is.

CAH: You acted with senior actors like Jung Ryeo-won, Lim Chang-jung and so on in the movie Gate. We think it might not be an easy experience. How do you feel about that process? What did you learn?

Kim: The audition for the movie Gate was the second audition I had participated in after entering my company. I think I was so lucky that I was able to film 3 months after I joined the company. I was very nervous on the shooting site, because I was rookie. I was especially worried about whether I might be giving trouble to my seniors. But every senior took care of me so well. It was a very difficult experience, but I learned a lot. The goal at the time of shooting the film was not to stand out, but to mix well with the other actors around me. Also, I learned about reality when I was filming the movie. Actor Lim Chang-jung, who was acting with me, told me that I should focus on doing well, not working hard. This led me to realize that the process is only important to me and that results are important to the public.

CAH: You played the role of a genius hacker in the movie Gate. Do you like to use computers? We wonder if there were any particular difficulties in playing the role of a genius hacker.

Kim: I'm really bad at computers. In addition, I am not good at handling the machine as a whole. In a similar context, I do not play games because my hands are slow. When I auditioned for this movie, I had to act out the situation where I used a computer. I acted deliberately without moving my hands because my hands were slow. The hardest part in acting as the genius hacker was that I had to hide everything because my character was a closed person. I wanted to show people more, but it was hard not to be able to do it. To play the role of a hacker, I studied people who are actually good at computers and how they type. In the case of the scenes where I should use a computer, I touched a computer with an empty screen, acted on it, and then the staff put on CG.

CAH: What are some memorable or interesting things from the process of shooting web dramas My Woofy Poofy Love and Your Dreams to Be True?

Kim: While filming My Woofy Poofy Love, I was amazed at myself in the scene that involved comforting the crying heroine. I really wanted to console the heroine. The lines originally given in the scene were very short, but I made many ad-libs in that scene. I felt that I had a lively attitude when filming that scene. Meanwhile, in shooting Your Dreams to Be True, the heroine was my senior at Chung-Ang University. In addition, it was very memorable to sprinkle spray on my hair to color it. At that time, I had to film both the drama and movie simultaneously. I had to keep my hair yellow to shoot the movie, which started first, so I sprayed black spray on my hair every time I filmed the drama. It was okay for my hair to get damaged, but after spraying, my hair kept deteriorating, so I was very nervous.

CAH: When did you start acting?

Kim: Originally, I was going to enter a high school specialized in science until I was a middle school student. But a week before applying to that school, I got a street cast. At that time, I was very passive, but I wanted to try something because I thought I had the chance. Fortunately, my father likes movies, so I could persuade my parents. Before I started acting, I thought I am an introvert. However, through the acting, I realized that I can do anything if I put my mind on it. After that, I focused on “what do I really want to do?”. I entered an art high school and started enjoying the stage with many plays and musicals. I really hope to live as an actor forever.

CAH: How did you get into the Department of Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University? We also want to know how Chung-Ang University helped you during your acting work.

Kim: I wanted to enter Chung-Ang University because our university's theater and film department is the best in Korea. In fact, it was only after watching the play performed by students at Chung-Ang University. I want to act well because I will act for the rest of my life. Admission to Chung-Ang University was considered one of the steps to achieve my goal. If I failed to enter Chung-Ang University, I thought that I would feel like I was nothing. I can meet at least one senior in the field. It seems to express the power of ‘Chung-Ang University.’ They take better care of me on the spot. It is also very helpful to me that there are many opportunities to learn and fail at Chung-Ang University.

CAH: Who is the most memorable professor and what is the most memorable lecture?

Kim: Professor Ma Sung-min's Accounting in the Era of Entrepreneur and Professor Chung Woo-young's Da Vinci Sports classes are the most memorable. Both professors took good care of me. In particular, I did not know what Da Vinci Sports is at first, but I applied for the class, and as a result it was a very useful subject. I could learn about the principles of the body. A major feature of this class is that the final exam was held in a similar format to the entertainment TV show Running Man.

CAH: Do you have any goals you want to achieve during your school years?

KIM: Since we all have to dream big, my goal is to win a scholarship at least once. Until now, I had to be absent from many classes due to the drama I was making. However, someday, I will try to not be absent and study hard to get a scholarship.

Moreover, one of my other dreams is to make mistakes and fail a lot. I think it is never allowed to make mistakes outside of the campus, especially when it comes to working as an actor. However, university is the place where students learn and develop. This is the reason why I think mistakes and failure are regarded as one step towards being mature. I want to fail as much as I can. 

CAH: What is the most memorable thing in your university life?

KIM: When I just came back to the campus from filming, I did not know anyone around me. One day, I was starving so I bought a sausage in a convenience store, and ate it quickly in the middle of the hallway. This was because I had no one to eat with. I did not recognize it before, but I think I have a sense of loneliness around people. Happy thing to say is that I am now close with the juniors.

I also remember dancing with my high school friend as I entered CAU. Since I am a person who fears teachers and seniors a lot, I was so nervous at that time. However, contrary to my fears, everyone cheered me up and gave a big around of applause, which really made me overcome shyness.

CAH: What kind of hobbies do you have?

KIM: I love riding any kind of boards. I ride wakeboards, snowboards and more in season all year round. I like to go down the hill behind Heukseok on a long board. I have also liked playing with lego bricks since I was a young boy, and also started to like Gundam robots thanks to my brother. Gathering figure dolls is one of my hobbies too. Since I love collecting things as well, the interior of my room is hidden by them. I think it is good to collect things because it reminds me of happy memories of those times.

CAH: While watching a video uploaded on YouTube, CAH got to see you singing. It seemed like you really sing well, and the reaction of your fans was really positive. Despite your great singing skill, why did you dream of becoming an actor, and not a singer?

KIM: Before I answer this question, I would like to inform you that the scene uploaded on YouTube was taken at 4 in the morning, when my throat was not fine. Since I could not sing that well, the film director edited my voice a bit, and that helped the outcome. Though, it is true that I really like singing and listening to music. However, I made my decision to be an actor because I might not like singing anymore if I make it as my work. I wanted it to remain only as my favorite hobby. On the other hand, acting is the thing which we can do mostly as a job.

CAH: Among the characters in various dramas or movies that other actors have played, is there a character that you think will suit you the best or that you would have done well?

KIM: I do not think I would have done better because all the actors were so good at making their own style of the given characters. My favorite character is Mr. Park, played by Kang Ki-doong in the recent drama Romance in a Bonus Book. From his first appearance in the drama, I thought that I could enjoy playing a character in my own style. I am not sure if I can do it well, but I think it would be fun.

CAH: As an actor who just had a debut, what kind of characters do you want to play, and what kind of acting are you confident about?

KIM: It has been a while since I started acting, so I do not know what kind of acting I am good at. The genres I want to try are horror and thrillers. Since I am really afraid of ghosts, I think I will be able to react well in those. Moreover, I hope there will be a chance to act in front of a green mat (kromaki background). Just as how my favorite movie Avatar was filmed, I think it would be fun to act in such a place.

CAH: What do you think is the charm of acting?

KIM: I think I can get to know about myself through acting. I believe ‘knowing myself’ is the easiest thing and at the same time, the hardest thing to do. When I act, I sometimes feel that a certain kind of acting was good last year, but does not work well this year. In this case, I can conclude that there has a difference in my mind in the present compared to the past. Moreover, I do not think actors can abandon themselves by acting. Acting initially comes from the inner side of oneself.

In addition, I get a lot of stress during the preparation period. This sometimes makes me stop in what I am doing, but when I finally put up a play, the stress immediately is over. This pleasure seems to keep me acting. When the outcomes are out to the public after acting, I feel proud to think that the moment has given people happiness. Due to this factor, I forget that I was stressed out. I think acting is one of the most meaningful things for me.  

CAH: What is your goal as an actor, and as a man in his 20s?

KIM: My long-term goal as an actor is to be an actor who is modest and passionate for my whole life. Even if I become a famous actor in the future, I do not want to lose modesty and passion at all times. I got this kind of goal seeing the famous Korean actor Lee Soon-jae, who continuously works hard to develop himself. I set my goals according to my ages. In my 20s, I want to be an actor loved by many people, in my 30s, an actor who offers a great time to people, in my 40s, being a role model of someone, in my 50s, an actor who is good to work with.

My goal as a man in my 20s is to be a person who puts my thoughts into an act without any hesitation. What many adults envy looking at us is our ‘youth’. We can put everything into acting just because we are young. Since I am in my 20s, I want to do all I dreamed of whether it seems to be dangerous or not.

CAH: Finally, do you have anything to say to the students of CAU?

Kim: Please be careful of the fine dust these days. In addition, I understand that your grades are important, but before putting your effort into only studying, why not love yourself in advance? I think a lot about happiness these days.

 

It was a great honor for CAH to meet this passionate rookie. It seemed like he was showing gratitude towards everything around him, and always thinks positively in every situation he faces. He continuously shouts out to ‘love yourself’ and ‘you can do it’. By these words he gives, CAH could feel that he will be an energizer wherever he goes, and could surely achieve his goal, which is to be an actor who is loved by many people.