S. Korean heartthrob says becoming 'ninja' hard but worth it

By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Yonhap) -- After nearly eight months of a "near hell experience"
to become the deadly "Ninja Assassin," 27-year-old South Korean heartthrob Rain
said his performance in the Hollywood blockbuster would not only affect his own
future in tinseltown, but that of fellow Asian and Korean actors as well.
"I thought of returning home every day and constantly asked myself if I really
had to go through with this," the South Korean actor said during a Seoul press
conference Monday. "But it was a promise I made to myself and my fans. I knew my
success would open new opportunities in the U.S. not only for me, but also for my
Asian and Korean colleagues."
"Ninja Assassin," a Hollywood-produced Asian martial arts movie, has drawn high
expectations from local movie fans since the news broke that Rain, the South
Korean pop sensation and rising actor, would play the lead character.
Produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, and directed by James
McTeigue of "V for Vendetta (2005)," rumors said the film was shaping up as one
of the largest Hollywood blockbuster smashes of the year. Distributed by Warner
Bros. Pictures, the movie will hit South Korean theaters Nov. 26, a day after its
United States and Canada release.
Playing Raizo, who seeks revenge against the merciless Ozunu Clan, a secrete
society of ninjas that raised him to become one of the world's deadliest
assassins, Rain trained six hours a day, seven days a week for eight months in
the United States.
The actor said his American training team pushed him further each day by
attempting to "hurt his pride."
"They would compare me to top stars like Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, calling me the
worst student among them. This made me try harder," he said.
Rain's efforts are borne out in his performance as Raizo, flying across the
screen wielding katanas and chained-daggers to create breathtaking action scenes
that take up most of the film's 98-minute running time.
The Wachowskis, who directed the global hit "Matrix" series, cast Rain in the
lead role, impressed by his performance in their 2008 film "Speed Racer."
Despite that film's mediocre box office showing, Rain says his Hollywood debut
helped "paved his way" into the U.S. movie industry.
"It is rare to succeed on the first try. My appearance in the film led me to some
of the best staff and filmmakers in the United States," he said. "With
imagination and the ability to realize their ideas on-screen, the Wachowskis are
the best filmmakers I have ever worked with."
Rain, the singer's stage name, revealed his real name, Jung Ji-hoon, to South
Korean fans with his 2003 acting debut to show that he takes acting as seriously
as singing.
His first film, "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK," directed by Park Chan-wook, won
him the Alfred Bauer Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 2007, proving the young
star's versatile potential.
The actor said the release of "Ninja Assassin" felt like the "beginning of a new
stage" in his life.
"After filming the movie, I thought to myself: 'this is only the beginning,'" he
said. "I cannot afford to be lazy as I've been presented with a new and critical
opportunity. I will continue doing my best."
hayney@yna.co.kr
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