‘Puppy’ Yoo Yeon-seok plays the role of Min-soo
“The real starring actors are the puppies”
Yoo Yeon-seok told various stories about ‘Puppy’. Provided by Kidari Studio
Dogs and humans clocks are different. It is the fate of those who are with dogs to look at the empty seat of a dog that has passed away first. Actor Yoo Yeon-seok knows the weight of that pain. While watching ‘Puppy’, he recalled the empty seat of the children who became stars in the sky, and even shed tears. Yoo Yeon-seok, who was in a lot of pain, is guarded by rescued dog Rita. After meeting Yoo Yeon-seok, Rita is finding happiness little by little.
In a recent interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Yoo Yeon-seok told various stories about the movie ‘Puppy’. ‘Puppy’ depicts Min-soo, who is in danger of logging out early as a butler, and Jin-guk, whose life itself is in crisis. The two brothers start an interview to find the perfect butler for their beloved dog Rooney. Yoo Yeon-seok took on the role of Min-su and performed passionately.
Tears shed by Yoo Yeon-seok
Yoo Yeon-seok remembered the first time he saw the script for ‘Puppy’. Provided by Kidari Studio
For Yoo Yeon-seok, ‘Puppy’ was a work that attracted him from the beginning. When the ‘Puppy’ scenario was put in front of him, other movie scripts were waiting for him to choose. It started with curiosity. Yoo Yeon-seok, who saw the title of the working title ‘Puppy’, said, ‘Shall we watch this first? It must be fun,’ I thought. I could have gotten my hands on a multicast masterpiece, a movie with a huge budget, but after reading ‘Puppy’, it became difficult to let go of this work. “After feeling the message and meaning of ‘Puppy’, I couldn’t send the script back. I thought it was a meaningful work. It felt like saying I wouldn’t do the movie meant the same as rejecting the puppies.”
When Yoo Yeon-seok met director Kim Jun-hwan, he thought, ‘This person is real’. His love for puppies was evident. The work created by sincere people gathered even made Yoo Yeon-seok cry. Yoo Yeon-seok showed tears at the press conference held after the premiere of ‘Puppy’. Recalling that time, he said, “I was also surprised. I have rarely cried at a public event. It seems that the message of the movie that was left in my heart suddenly burst out in an instant.” did. Tears flowed even while watching the movie. She cried a lot when she saw the main character having a hard time looking at Rooney’s hair. “I have had that experience too. My heart breaks when I see the empty seats after sending the babies away,” explains Yoo Yeon-seok.
The real main actors of ‘Puppy’
Yoo Yeon-seok recalled his memories with his dog in ‘Puppy’. Provided by Kidari Studio
Yoo Yeon-seok described the puppies appearing in ‘Puppy’ as ‘leading actors’. He said, “Let them film first, and we shoot in the spare time. I hoped that they would not give up on our film. They are people with short attention span.” For Yoo Yeon-seok, meeting these leading actors was healing. He said, “Even though it was difficult, I played with the kids and watched it once and it was so good.” Rooney, who met after a long time after filming, recognized Yoo Yeon-seok and buried his head in him. The sympathy with Rooney conveyed warmth to Yoo Yeon-seok’s heart.
Rooney’s sincerity is contained in ‘Puppy’. Yoo Yeon-seok said, “The work contains the parts Rooney communicated with me. It’s not a facial expression made through training. I captured the emotions naturally and with time as if I was filming a documentary.” Rooney’s breathing changed when Minsu was crying and when he was holding him in his arms. Yoo Yeon-seok noticed that Rooney’s breathing changed during filming, but he couldn’t actually check his expression. Afterwards, I was able to see Rooney’s expression on the big screen, which moved Yoo Yeon-seok greatly.
The meeting with Cha Tae-hyun in the photo
Yoo Yeon-seok expressed his trust in Cha Tae-hyun. Provided by Kidari Studio
Minsu and Jin-guk (Cha Tae-hyeon) are the characters who occupy as much importance as the puppies in the play. Cha Tae-hyun and Yoo Yeon-seok worked together in the 2008 MBC drama ‘General Hospital 2’. When she heard the news that Yoo Yeon-seok was to appear in a production with Cha Tae-hyun again, she felt happy. Yoo Yeon-seok said, “I thought that I could have fun filming. Isn’t he a really nice hyung? I didn’t know him well 15 years ago, so I was embarrassed and made a lot of mistakes, but Taehyun hyung taught me a lot, understood me, and guided me like a real senior. revealed
The past days of the two were captured in one photo. The photos that Yoo Yeon-seok took at the time of ‘General Hospital 2’ were used as props for ‘Puppy’. He expressed satisfaction, saying, “I wonder if it could have been missed in the movie if it had been taken as a cell phone photo.” Yoo Yeon-seok actually likes to take pictures. Even when she recently appeared in the JTBC drama ‘Understanding Love’, she took pictures of the film and gave it to the actors. Yoo Yeon-seok, who was telling this story, laughed and said, “I don’t know how the photo will be used again in a few years.”
Yoo Yeon-seok and his dog Rita
Yoo Yeon-seok talked about his dog. Provided by Kidari Studio
I was also able to hear stories about Yoo Yeon-seok’s dog, Rita. Rita is a dog rescued from a closed child care center. Yoo Yeon-seok lives with Rita and thinks that she should be raised well. She had no prejudice against stray dogs. He said, “I didn’t think there would be a problem because it’s an abandoned dog. It’s not ‘because it’s an abandoned dog,’ it’s simply that each child has a different personality.” Is it because dogs had a hard time in a space with many dogs in the past? Rita says she hates being around other dogs. “She said that was one of the reasons she wasn’t adopted,” explains Yoo Yeon-seok. However, Rita changed little by little after meeting Yoo Yeon-seok. She lost her hair at first, but she became prettier in the warm touch and she got a puppy friend. This is the point where you can feel Yoo Yeon-seok’s efforts.
Yoo Yeon-seok brought in a mixed dog from college and raised it. His mother adopted the abandoned puppy into her family. It was a puppy that saved its life in a situation where both the mother and siblings died. The original guardian dismissed it, saying that it would be painful to have a surviving puppy. Living in this environment, Yoo Yeon-seok continued to worry about animals. Expectations are gathering for ‘Puppy’, one of the results of that concern. “I thought about what activities I could do as an actor. Then I think I came to the movie. Of course, it’s nice to go to volunteer work and sweep a broom. I hope many people will see ‘Puppy’ and be positively influenced. .I hope there will be a small change.”
‘Puppy’ will be released in theaters nationwide on the 1st of next month.
Jung Hanbyeol reporter [email protected]
