Hwang Seok Jeong has shared a behind-the-scenes story from director Na Hong Jin’s upcoming film Hope, revealing that she was given unusual freedom to shape her performance on set.
During the August 29 episode of MBN’s Kim Joo Ha’s Day & Night, Hwang Seok Jeong appeared alongside veteran actor Im Hyun Sik and talked about how they joined the highly anticipated film.
Hwang Seok Jeong previously worked with Na Hong Jin on The Yellow Sea and The Wailing. She said that when the director personally contacted her about Hope, she trusted him enough to accept the project almost immediately.
She recalled, “I thought, ‘Whatever the role is, I’ll do it.’ I said yes without even properly reading the script.”
In Hope, Hwang Seok Jeong plays the head of a local health center. However, she said Na Hong Jin gave her very little specific direction for one of her scenes.
According to the actress, he simply told her, “Do whatever you think works.”
Hwang Seok Jeong admitted that the open-ended instruction initially left her unsure about what to do. After thinking about the scene, she decided to rely on improvisation and perform it in her own way.
She said the experience ultimately worked out well, turning what initially felt like a difficult request into a memorable filming moment.
Im Hyun Sik also shared how he joined Hope. He said the production team personally brought him the script, and he quickly agreed after learning that Na Hong Jin wanted to cast him.
The actor also revealed that part of the film was shot at a UNESCO-listed location in Romania.
Hope marks another collaboration between Hwang Seok Jeong and Na Hong Jin following The Yellow Sea and The Wailing. Her latest comments offer a glimpse at the director’s approach on set, including the creative freedom he sometimes gives actors to develop their characters through improvisation.
