"The Tyrant": Jo Yoon Soo on Portraying DID, Tackling Action Scenes & More

Jo Yoon Soo reveals how she transformed into Cha Jae Kyung in The Tyrant.

The Tyrant is a sci-fi action drama that portrays the chaos that unfolds after the last sample of the Tyrant Program disappears in an accident. 

Rising star Jo Yoon Soo played the role of Cha Jae Kyung, who gets entangled in the chaos of the sample's disappearance. 

Jo Yoon Soo revealed, "I had three rounds of auditions over a month and a half. Director Park Hoon Jung asked me, 'Can you use your body well?' [for the action scenes] and I replied, 'I'm a dance major, so I can do well.' But, I had never done action before and didn't have a driver's license, but I started preparing right from the day of the first audition." 

She continued, "Since I didn't have many previous works, the director asked, 'Do you have any short film or something where I can see your acting?' I had nothing to show, so I immediately started recruiting staff that day, worked on the script, and made a short film." "It was a piece made exclusively for the director. However, since the work was lacking in some aspects, my agency decided not to show it to the director." "I wanted to play Jae Kyung so badly that I prepared earnestly."

When asked why she was so keen to play Jae Kyung, she responded, "I really admire the director, I really like the senior actors, and when I saw the role, I thought she was unconventional and the kind of role that not only I but every rookie actor would desire. Since it was such a big opportunity, I felt a strong urge to seize it." She added, "After being cast, I asked the director [why he cast me], and he told me that I fit the image of Jae Kyung that he had in mind and that he thought I would suit any character well. Hearing that gave me the courage and confidence to work even harder."

She also recalled the moment when her casting was confirmed. "It was the day after the deadline for the casting decision had passed. I thought I should keep preparing, so I went to my kickboxing and driving classes. I was walking slowly, heartbroken and thinking, 'I guess it didn't work out. It's such a shame. I really wanted this.' Then, I got a call from the company, and I said, 'I guess I didn't make it.' But they replied, 'Why would you think that? You got in.' I remember sitting down on the street, crying, and saying, 'Really? For real? Thank you so much.'"

Given that The Tyrant shares the same cinematic universe as The Witch, she was asked if she felt the pressure of being called "the second Kim Da Mi." Jo Yoon Soo replied, "I think I felt more responsibility than pressure. Since I deeply admire the senior actress and am a fan of The Witch, I consider it an honor just for my name to be mentioned alongside hers. I felt a strong sense of responsibility to ensure I don't tarnish the director's reputation." 

Talking about how she transformed Cha Jae Kyung's character, she said, "When I first came across Jae Kyung, I found it challenging to analyze the character because I usually start by finding a point of empathy, but there was nothing about Jae Kyung that I could relate to. I'm very soft-hearted and tend to think a lot, to the point where I obsess over not causing trouble for others. But Jae Kyung is the complete opposite of me, so I struggled with how to approach the character. Since she is the opposite of me, I thought it might be better to approach her with admiration rather than empathy. As I did that, I started to see a lot of cool aspects of her, and I found myself admiring and loving her. I think Jae Kyung's greatest charm is her confidence. ... I'm a bit timid, so I found that [aspect of her] really impressive."

The actress also spoke about the most difficult aspect of filming The Tyrant saying, "There was a lot of action, and I had many concerns when it came to acting, but the thing I found unexpectedly difficult was that, as this was my first leading role, I didn't realize how much repetition would be involved in filming a single scene. I felt a sense of pride, thinking, 'I've really become an actor who's immersed in the project' from a viewer's perspective. I realized that even when something appears effortless, it can actually be difficult. For example, the scene where I eat jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) required many takes. It made me realize just how hard all the actors work, and I gained a lot of respect for my senior and fellow actors." 

"I even cut the hair I had grown my whole life for The Tyrant." The actress shared, "I was really surprised. Since I know myself well, it even seemed funny, like I was wearing clothes that didn't suit me. When I first cut my hair — I had always had long hair my entire life — seeing the awkward look was quite upsetting. It was so short that when I first saw it, I felt like I might shed a tear. ... But while I was at home, feeling down, the director said, 'Now that your hair is short, are you feeling very cold? I didn't know you had this side to you. I was shocked because it suits you so well.' With that, all my sadness disappeared. From then on, I felt proud and thought it looked really good. I even came to really like how I looked with the short cut." 

Regarding the smoking scenes, he revealed, "It wasn't a smoking cessation product but a real cigarette. That was one of the difficult parts, and since we had to keep repeating the takes, it was really challenging."

It is also revealed that the 26-year-old actress not only performed gun action scenes but also filmed car chase scenes herself. "I got my license and did it myself. The dangerous scenes were filmed safely. The set was completely safe, with a team doctor and all props safely made. We also had a stunt team, but I was eager to do well, so in the process, I had a few minor injuries. Since there was a lot of action, I think I reached a point where I wondered if I could physically do any more. I'm someone who tries to live brightly, but Jae Kyung is a very dark character psychologically. And since I delved deeply into it, there were times I stayed up all night thinking and researching how to express her. The work and character both had a dark tone, so I tried my best not to let that affect me too much. At that time, I cut off meeting people altogether. Each scene had unexpected difficulties. It was a process of overcoming those hurdles."

Regarding the portrayal of dissociative identity disorder (DID), she shared, "I focused a lot on that aspect and was quite worried. What made it particularly challenging was that Jae Kyung and her brother don't have contrasting personalities; in fact, they share similar traits in the bigger picture. The director wanted the transition to be smooth and natural and without any premonitory signs at the time of the switch, and he instructed that the voice tone not be deliberately lowered. This required me to pay more attention to the details in my expression. I think the most important thing is the eyes and facial expressions. In Jae Kyung's case, she often finds herself in strange situations, but she maintains a calm and indifferent demeanor, so I tried to portray her with a mad glint in her eyes. I thought of her brother as someone who enjoys doing things more and is motivated especially when he's trying to harm someone. Since I couldn't perfectly match the tone of her brother, I tried to raise Jae Kyung's tone by about half a step and express the endings of her sentences a bit differently."

Talking about the moment she felt the best while working on The Tyrant, Jo Yoon Soo said, "Director Park Hoon Jung told me not to check my phone on the premiere day. He even said my phone would be confiscated. He also told me not to read the comments, but I went and read them all anyway." "I read a comment that said, 'Park Hoon Jung, where did you find a kid like that again? You found a good one,' which I interpreted as praise for the casting. That was the comment I wanted to hear the most." 

The Tyrant concluded with an open ending, leaving the possibility for a Season 2. Commenting on this, she said, "I have a very good relationship with director Park." "As a fan of The Tyrant, I am looking forward to Season 2. If it happens, I would like to continue maintaining a good relationship with the director and I have the desire to definitely join so that I can share Ja Kyung's story after season 1." 

Sources (1)(2)(3)