Actor Park Hoon, 43, has opened up about his dramatic physical transformation for his role in the upcoming action film Harbin, revealing that he even went as far as to get a scalp tattoo to help differentiate his character.
In an interview with Sports Chosun on the morning of December 26, Park shared behind-the-scenes details of his preparation for the film, directed by Woo Min-ho and produced by Hive MediaCorp.
Set in 1909, Harbin follows a tense narrative of pursuit and suspicion, centered around the characters heading to Harbin and those who chase them with a singular goal. Park plays Tatsuo Mori, a Japanese army officer, in the film.
Shaving His Head for Character Authenticity
To embody his character fully, Park made the bold decision to shave his head. He explained that this choice came from director Woo Min-ho’s suggestion. “The movie felt like a poem to me,” Park said. “Poetry may seem unfamiliar to some, but there’s an essence to it that resonates with every reader. In a film like Harbin, I needed to express my acting in a way that was subtle and layered, much like poetry.”
He continued, “When I debuted, I shaved my head once, and I remember how that felt. For Harbin, I knew I needed to create a new persona, so I decided to go a step further and get a scalp tattoo. I erased all the old lines from my face with that tattoo, which helped me create a completely different character. I showed it to Director Woo in Latvia, and he was thrilled with the transformation. After seeing the final film, I felt the effort was worthwhile. The mise-en-scène really helped immerse the audience in my character.”
Cultural Impact in Latvia
Filming in Latvia presented unique challenges, particularly regarding how locals reacted to his new appearance. Park noted, “Latvia doesn’t have many Asians, and at the time, people were startled when they saw me with a shaved head and muscular build. It was obvious that they were intimidated. I wore a hat for some protection, but when I took it off, the street would clear around me. The Harbin cast and crew laughed at the reaction—some even joked that they expected me to pull out a weapon.”
Park’s attempt to ease the tension by smiling at passersby only seemed to heighten the fear. “I smiled to appear friendly, but they said it made me look even scarier,” he recalled with a chuckle.
Challenges of Speaking Japanese
In addition to the physical transformation, Park faced the challenge of performing in Japanese for the role of Mori. “As a Korean actor, I wondered how well I could portray a Japanese character. Thankfully, I had Lily Frankie with me to help navigate the challenging role,” he explained. “Though it was difficult to portray the natural flow of Japanese acting, I made an effort to capture the essence of the language and the character.”
Park revealed that his Japanese language coach was instrumental in refining his performance. “The teacher explained Mori’s feelings and dialogue in Korean, then printed them out in Japanese. After our work together, I realized my teacher’s Korean acting had improved dramatically. He was so talented that I even asked him to audition for some Korean roles in the future.”
Despite the difficulty, Park is pleased with the results. “The process was complicated, but I’m glad I took on the challenge without regret.”
A Star-Studded Cast
Harbin features a talented ensemble, including Hyun Bin, Park Jung-min, Cho Woo-jin, Jeon Yeo-bin, Yoo Jae-myung, and Lee Dong-wook, all of whom contribute to the film’s intense and gripping narrative.
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