#some of the things he says is so funny

[anywaythewinds]

[Translation] INTERVIEW: Park Kang Hyun of The Man Who Laughs says, “Gwynplaine, who dreams of a better world, is like me”

By Park Min Hee February 8, 2020 Translated by @anywaythewinds

source

Translator’s note: This interview was conducted during the second season of The Man Who Laughs, an original production of EMK. Full disclosure that I am not a native Korean speaker, I just study it and translate for fun. Read at your own risk. If you find any mistakes please message me :) also please don't steal or quote without credit (link to this post) thank you

[some minimal notes from me are in brackets]

For the audience members that attended the premiere season of The Man Who Laughs, what do they remember? The cast was irreplaceable; even the most talented actors would have difficulty getting into its ranks. Musical production company EMK invested five years and a record 17.5 billion KRW into the production, saying, “We could not have created anything greater.” For a production of this scale, the casting of Park Hyo Shin and Suho made sense, but the appearance of Park Kang Hyun, who had barely grown out of “rookie” status, was unfamiliar and even brave. Park Kang Hyun says that while at that time it was scary, he now thinks of himself as a rising star working to become an even better storyteller. 

How do you feel about doing The Man Who Laughs again?  When it was confirmed that I would be in the second season, I definitely felt some pressure to perform better than in the premiere, but I was mostly excited to be doing it again. The order of some scenes got switched around so Gwynplaine’s journey is shown more naturally. I also had a hand in creating this work as a part of the premiere season of an original production, so I contemplated more deeply about the character’s layers. Since some time has passed, aren’t I at least one percent deeper as a person, too? From my love for Dea and my father [Ursus], to my conviction to change the world with my beliefs, I’m experiencing everything more powerfully and deeply. I thought that since it’s a musical that I’ve done before that it would be a lot easier, but it’s much more difficult both physically and emotionally. But I feel that as difficult as it is, the final product turns out a little better, too.  

The Man Who Laughs received a lot of acclaim during the premiere season - you must be a bit proud of yourself  From the beginning, I poured my soul into this show. I do the same for every show I’m in, but since it was an original production, it was much more challenging. When you’re creating something, it always ends up getting changed, and if you get a better idea it gets changed again. Perhaps because of that process, I’m even more attached to this musical - through this show, I received an award and a lot of people discovered me, so it became a really meaningful piece of work to me. 

Are there more reasons to why you felt that this show is physically and emotionally draining?  I feel it the most during the curtain call. It’s when I get to say thank you to everyone that came to see the show, but my legs shake so much that I can’t even stand straight. It shows that I’ve really poured my entire being into the show. I’ve never done another show where I’m having such a hard time during the curtain call. Of course it was already a struggle in 2018, but it wasn’t as hard as this time. I think because I know what to do now that I’m putting more of myself into it. I’m pouring my heart and soul into it but I still wonder if what I’m doing is right. Like, is it supposed to be such a struggle? But I shouldn’t feel like I’m already using up all the tricks under my belt, so it really feels like I’m crashing into the stage [to be honest, no idea what he’s trying to say here]. The other Gwynplaines also say it’s hard but I think I’m having the hardest time. 

During the premiere season, the other actors casted in the same role as you were extremely popular. Since then, as you’ve done more musicals, you’ve gained more fans and filled more seats - do you feel like you’ve proved yourself with just your skill? It was scary. I try not to feel pressured by it but it’s impossible not to. So I try to do even better, and I also hope that I can seal my place as the actor people think of when they hear about The Man Who Laughs. I’m not sure about what the ticket sales are like, but there should be more people that know who I am now, and there’s even people that watched the movie The Man Who Laughs and then came to the show. It’s cool and I’m very thankful.

It can be said that The Man Who Laughs is EMK’s representative work. It’s clear that in the art world, Korea is raising the bar for musicals. But there’s something missing in the narrative between characters. The main character is Gwynplaine - what do you think is the story that you’re telling? The one thing that is the most lacking to me is that the main theme is “The paradise of the rich is made by the hell of the poor,” but in the show you can’t actually see what that hell looks like. If the audience can see that hell then it’s easier for them to get the message, but that hell is only implied in the show. All the characters that perform inside the story are all impoverished people, but they don’t really look to be in misfortune. I try really hard to show with my eyes that I see those people and think, “Yes, we’ve lived like this until now, I have to change the way things are for them,” but it’s difficult to fully convey that since it’s implied. Given the show’s limits, all I can do is try my best. The plot development is quick, but we have to express everything within the limited amount of time. If it was a four hour long show maybe it could be explained better; if it was a movie perhaps we could efficiently transition between scenes, but I think this is also a part of the Korean musical industry’s development process. 

Was there anything that you suggested to the directing team that was put into the show? We are always communicating but the process of making something efficiently and well is not easy. I try to change stuff in scenes or in the lines, but when you actually perform a change it ends up different from what’s in your head, so I kept thinking that it really must be hard to be a director. There’s a part where Gwynplaine says this long speech after Lady Josiana comes to see Gwynplaine’s performance, and I changed the order of those lines. Gwnplaine also has this monologue before singing “I Could Change the World” when he’s expressing his conviction to change the world where he says, “Yes, I’m Gwynplaine, but I’m also Lord Clancharlie. Now I know the meaning of my fate. I got it, I can change it all!” I also changed the order for these lines so it sounded more natural. You know, actor Yang Jun Mo [Ursus] even now keeps thinking about the show even after he’s gone home. He thinks, “Today, I’m going to do this scene this way, won’t it be better if I do it this way?” and brings something new to the show every day. I’m really thankful for it and I also think it’s something I should emulate. It’s all a part of the creation process of The Man Who Laughs. 

It seems like you look more at the entire piece of work rather than just what you have to do. When I work on a musical, I usually think only about the entire musical. It’s okay if I’m not seen. If the musical’s message is properly expressed to the audience, then I don’t want to nor need to stand out. But Gwynplaine is a character that needs to stand out, since the message is communicated to the audience through my journey. It’s kind of like I’m trying to solve an impossible homework problem.

The two actors that play Josiana have different vibes. What’s different about working with each of them? Shin Young Sook pulls me along with powerful charisma, so powerful that you can’t shake off her seduction. Kim So Hyang has kind of a cute side to her since she has a small frame, but when she seduces you, she’s definitely not to be underestimated. I think that’s the biggest difference. I get seduced and I can’t break free from it. I decided that for my Gwynplaine, it’s the first time a woman has ever done something like that to him. He’s tempted by this excitement that he’s feeling for the first time, but since he’s been hidden away and separate from other people since he was young, he feels like he shouldn’t be feeling these emotions. And what he feels for Dea is a love even bigger than love, someone that’s even more precious than himself, that she could even be his entire identity as a person. A person more precious than Gwynplaine. But, in reality, I personally don’t love anything to that extent, since I have to exist to be myself. Dea’s like a unicorn in a fantasy world. I’m not a romantic person like that. Like I empathize with my friends if they’re upset, but since they’ll be okay after a while… (smiles) 

Since you grew so fast, you seem to be a role model for a lot of actors. One could say that I’m growing very fast, but I’m still in the process of learning and growing. There’s a lot still for me to do and a lot of mountains to climb, so I think I don’t quite deserve it yet. I think people that consider me their role model just don’t know better or something. But I’ll acknowledge it if they’re just wishing that they could also get the same opportunities so quickly. 

Anything interesting stories from the audition process? There’s been times where even though I feel confident going into an audition I get too nervous and get rejected, and times where I have no confidence but end up doing better than I thought and getting the role. The Man Who Laughs was like that. In May 2017, I auditioned for The Last Kiss and got to the final round. That was the first time that the EMK producers saw me. If I didn’t do that audition, it’s possible that I wouldn’t have been able to do The Man Who Laughs. I really didn’t feel confident about The Last Kiss, but even I think I did well. (smiles) Director Kim Moon Jeong must have thought, “It’s the first time I’m seeing this kid but he’s pretty good.” She’s a professor at Hanse University and I heard from my friends that she said in class, “Do you all know Park Kang Hyun? He’s pretty good.” I felt pretty proud of that. 

People say that you’re like blank drawing paper. What do you think of that?  I’ve said that I’m like that myself. I like it. It could mean that I don’t have any super special qualities, but I’ve always been that kind of person. I fit in wherever I go and don’t stick out. I personally think that I’m like running water. Those that say that about me, they’re right. That’s the kind of person I am. 

You have precise diction. Is that something you work hard on?  A performance is for the audience to watch, but at the same time you’re still having a conversation with the actor next to you. Actor Jung Sung Hwa said this to me: imagine while walking down the street someone picks a fight with you. There are bystanders that gather around you, so there’s a nuance where the one that decides who wins the argument is not the person you’re fighting with, but the bystanders. You’re speaking to the person you’re arguing with in front of you, but you also have to think that you’re speaking to everyone else that’s around you. When you have the intention to communicate precisely, and you also know precisely what you’re trying to say, then you’ll be able to communicate precisely. I also pay close attention to the Korean language’s short/long sounds, and I think I try to slow down a bit if it seems like I’m speaking a bit too fast to understand. 

Is there a role that you’ve done that you like the most?  For every role I take on, I create the character by finding the intersection between myself and the role, and I’ve never had any major struggle when doing this, but the easiest character has been Gwynplaine. He’s a free spirit and a bit mischievous. He has some sadness in him, and he also has a passion for going down the right path. Moreover, since it was the premiere of an original production and I could create this character, it was easier for me to play this character.

What does the director think of Park Kang Hyun the actor?  The director himself is great at acting - he was once an actor. He’s directed a lot of shows in Korea so I think he’s become quite Koreanized. He’s emotionally sensitive and detailed. He has us rehearse until the scene matches what he’s looking for. When I’ve rehearsed it a few times, I kind of get the scene he sees in his head. Starting from the second season, it’s been easy to carry out what the director wants. He’s older in age but he’s incredibly passionate. Sometimes he hits my head. In Korea, if someone hits your head you’d be shocked, but I guess outside of Korea it’s common to smile and hit people’s heads. (smiles) If Robert [the director] was Korean, he might not have been as easy and comfortable to work with. This season, Robert saw two shows and went back home, and he said, “Of all the shows I’ve seen so far, this one is the perfect performance. You’ve performed everything I wanted.” I was moved. He said that while hitting my head. (smiles) I feel like I can tell what he wants with just a look. My English has also gotten better thanks to him. 

Anything planned after this? Is there a role that you want to play? I think I’ll rest. I’m also thinking about what different roles I could try. I want to try Phantom [it's a bit ambiguous but I think it's likely that means ALW]. Raoul while I’m in my 20s, and Phantom in my 30s. I want to train myself. I don’t exercise at all except for my fingers. I need to improve my stamina and strength. I don’t think I’ve ever taken a proper rest. I kind of want to try TV dramas or movies, but I don’t think it’s time yet. I started out with a film so I think I want to try doing another film the most. 

Will Miraclass activities continue?  We made some organizational changes, so I think Miraclass will continue. A while ago, some fans sent a coffee truck to a The Man Who Laughs show and the Miraclass members kept making fun of the picture of me on the monitor. [I think he starts talking about his solo concert here, not sure how this part is related to the question lol] I really wanted to put on a good show for the audience members that came to see me, so if I’m able to do it again I think it’ll be fun. It was a meaningful time. While I was doing it, I thought to myself, “Park Kang Hyun has grown up a bit!” but at the same time I was like, “Is it real life that I’m having so much fun right now?” But I think my next solo concert I’m going to have to push to 10 years later. 

Self esteem is the trend. How do you take care of yourself mentally?  I work hard not to waver, when I’m extremely tired, when I’m out of it mentally, or when I’m tired but I still have to get to work. Like when you were in middle school and you really didn’t want to go to school. I think, “I wish I could disappear right now.” I’m super tired in the morning. There’s nothing worse. While I’m in a musical, I feel so tired that I want to disappear, but I think, I can’t be like this! And I break out of it and get up. In a way, it’s like I’m becoming a superhero. I feel like such a wimp when I start shivering in the winter cold, so even if I feel like my head is going to split open I take a shower with cold water. After showering, even if I go outside into the cold, steam comes from my body and I’m warm. I get stronger. Sometimes, if I ask myself questions it helps. Often when I’m contemplating something it’s just in my head, but if I say it out loud and hear it and answer myself, the solution appears clearly. 

Is there a question you asked yourself during the hardest times?  It was when I was about to graduate from university and I wasn’t doing well on my auditions. I was walking on an overpass on my way home, and I kept asking myself questions; after all I chose this career because I wanted to do it, so if I just give up because I’ve failed a few times then I’m just a weak willed person. So what am I going to do? I’m going to follow this path to the end, I remember saying. In reality there was nothing in front of me: I was failing my auditions and completely in despair, but if other people are making it, then what am I if I can’t make it too? I talked to myself like that. That’s another trait I have in common with Gwynplaine - I like imagination. And I’m actually a bit of a comedian. The rumors that I only tell dad jokes are wrong. 

Is there a belief or principle you hold with which you want to influence other people?  I’m a person that always wishes for a better world. From my present position, I think the only thing I can do is to express the message a musical holds to even just one person in the audience. So I always perform sincerely, every single show. I can’t know for sure how I’ve influenced others, but if someone came to see a show and then thought about it afterwards, then I think I’ve done my job. When I was in middle school and I prayed for the first time in church, I had nothing in particular to pray for so I just prayed for world peace. So that everyone can live peacefully. I saw a saying that was like, if everyone in the world had a pet dog then there would be no war in the world. I kind of see where they’re coming from. Dogs are so cute that you become kinder. 

Finally, how do you want to end this story?  This could be the last time you’ll be able to see Park Kang Hyun’s Gwynplaine. Come see one of my shows while my voice is younger. Perhaps everything could be resolved if Gwynplaine took a little more time to reach out to the audience when he appears. 

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Soup solves everything.

[technically-human]

Can you draw something with Doom Patrol!Edwin and Netflix!Edwin?

Maybe something about Dp!Edwin talking about his feelings for Charles with N!Edwin?

It's just something I've been thinking of, make it a little angsty?<3

Glad you asked

ko-fi

[voiice-of-the-soul]

It irritates me alot when people say that making medic more compassionate is ''missing the point of his character'' when he is literally shown to be in the comics.... did you miss the part where he showed concern for both sniper and miss pauling's well being in comic 5 and 6.

His actions are a combination of genuine attachment + clinical interest and these things do not cancel out one another. He is always pushing boundaries and going against the grain and i think this is what led to him losing his license in the first place. He felt stifled by the rules imposed on him.

He is shown to be extremely passionate so it makes sense that he would use his endless fascination with medicine as a way to show his affection. He loves his friends so he will find a way to make them borderline indestructible. Malpractice is his love language.

[kagoutiss]

din’s champion

[its-wabby-stuff]

Mikey Goes To Oz

<Time spent: 49 hours 17 minutes>

When Mikey takes some time away from a loud family squabble he accidentally ends up getting “flushed” down the sewers. This winds up sending him to the colorful land of Oz where he meets a good witch, a wicked witch, a brainless scarecrow, a heartless Tinman, a cowardess lion, and a powerful wizard, all disguised behind very familiar faces.

A canon adjacent spin off set before the season one finale but after they discover Splinter is Lou Jitsu

I wanted to fit each of the boys into their “you’ve had this all along” category. Leo isn’t brainless, in fact he’s pretty clever with a street smart, people reading ability on par with Donnie’s intelligence. Donnie isn’t heartless, he just has a tough time expressing his feelings. They are complex and unalgorithic but he can get just as excited or sad or angry as anyone, as much as he may deny it. Raph isn’t a coward, but being brave sometimes means admitting you’re scared and that you maybe don’t have all the answers. You dont have to be strong all the time and you don’t have to do it by yourself.

In the movie Dorothy’s journey home is also a representation of her running away. The important thing was to remember there were people who cared about her. Mikey is experiencing a similar phenomenon, wanting the escape the bad vibes in the lair. His “you’ve had it all along” is interesting because it is an object, since the Ruby kneepads could’ve taken him home the whole time. And sometimes getting home means going on a journey only to realize you never left.

I put April as Glinda because Glinda appears as a defender of the weak, and I see April in a similar light. Always willing to help and beat someone up if it is so required. Splinter as The Wizard of Oz represents Splinters own willingness to hide behind different personas, his running from the past and the pulling back of the curtain for Mikey in timeline. The Wizard grows through the movie, albeit quickly, and ends up leaving Oz to go home leaving his legacy with the scarecrow, the Tinman, and the lion. In this case the passing of the baton to his sons.

Meanwhile Draxum as the wicked witch felt much more how Mikey sees Draxum at this time in the show, mostly just an antagonistic force who wants something from them. Fun fact: I imagine throughout this dream, Draxum is uninterested in being the wicked witch but is pressed into it via plot. Hence his disinterest in being “melted.”

Additional characters not pictured: Big Mama as the Wicked Witch of the East (those were her Ruby kneepads!!) and Todd as the Mayor of Munchkin Land. If you can think of more, feel free to leave them in the comments or tags.

[phoenixcatch7]

It's always funny to me when in an lu fic the chain is offered bananas and don't accept them. Like, you're offering these high energy adventures free food?? Fruit they'll have never even heard of before??? A ridiculously expensive imported good at best?? AND it boosts your attack?

Not ONE of these idiots would ever turn down something new and interesting to eat at least once. They'd be all over those bananas and immediately get dubbed yiga and I'm honestly surprised no one has used it in a fic yet 🤭

[mistbornthief]

so, to recap Korn's pov:

family business in the shitter

police coming after you blasting Bad Boys Bad Boys etc

parents flee the country and leave you to clean up their mess

hot girlfriend you dont like cuts her losses and leaves you in the dust

younger brother gets shot, nearly dies, currently in coma, refuse to leave him (<3)

can't reach your true love you're currently fighting with

find out said true love murdered a guy and is currently on the run

reunite with true love, no longer on the outs (<3 <3)

go on the run bonnie and clyde style :)

go on the run bonnie and clyde style :(

get confronted by cop. find out 1) your younger brother was involved with your true love's younger brother's death; your true love shot your younger brother in revenge; also cheated on you with the cop (but also you were cheating on him so like this one kinda cancels out)***

fuck this cop. how dare he interfere with your love life. he is the most fixable problem here. go to shoot him.

B A D IDEA

true love takes the bullet, dies in front of you

you've lost everything, when all you wanted deep down was one person

Bonus: act your god damn heart out grieving him

Like that is such an insane clusterfuck of like what, 5, 6, 7 hours? Korn's kinda valid for just being like, you know what. fuck this

[zosonils]

an aspect of shadow's trauma that i've been thinking about a lot since the sa2 replay is how fucked his perspective of gerald must be after everything, especially assuming he was family to shadow just as much as maria was [which i do every day]. the man who raised you, created you from nothing but tissue samples and energy and hope, the man who could have easily decided you were a simple thing to be used and yet welcomed you into his family as easily as his own granddaughter, who treated you as a person when so many others treated you as a lab rat or a weapon or another soon-to-be-failed prototype, in a moment of unfathomable despair, decided you were to be a tool that would carry out his final plan. perhaps treating you this way was another symptom of his mental breakdown, perhaps deep down he's always seen you as nothing more than a thing to reach his goals with. you will never know, because he is dead. every comforting memory you have of him, every time he encouraged your curiosity or stayed with you during a test he could have observed from afar or told you how proud of you he was, forever tainted by the thought that it could have all been a lie. a variable in an experiment, a means to an end. how would you ever trust anyone ever again man i'm in shreds

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Not beating the allegations.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[spkyart]

Please tell me i am not the only one who sees the resemblance

[thekittyokat]

Hi! Please please please, could you tell me more about your coffin chain ideas?/nf

I am obsessed but barely anybody has jumped onto the ship yet and I am VERY new to the fandom so I wanna wait with making it myself until I know more lol. You are lowkey fueling this entire operations and I wanna thank you for that either way.

(rubs my paws together) you have no idea what you've unleashed anon i've been holding onto this ask specifically bc i've been sapping dopamine from it like a little leech waiting until i had time to hastily doodle up a little dynamics timeline for different stages of the ot4

i REALLY hope this makes sense . i feel the need to say this every time i post abt coffinchain but my ideas are rly specific and i've had time for them to infect my brain like mold so i'm defo ready to accept this all being rly niche and really just for me and like 3 other people

buuut if this little peek into my mind speaks to ANY of y'all i absolutely encourage implore and beg you to send me asks and ideas and whatnot about these 4 bastards literally whenever you want!!

TL;DR one half of the trauma bonded couple reaches out and forms an immediate kinship with the big scary guy that no one likes & convinces his petty boyfriend to let him fw them. then he starts bringing his deranged fbi otter around they start double-dating only for it to become a situationship and then the worst polycule ever

[bmpmp3]

not used to this kind of mascot

[basslinegrave]

whatchu thinking about. nothing? just the changes to garys design and his character evolution and growth and everything. 24/7. you know. and the fact that even if he changed, hes still the same at his core!

[i-dreamed-i-had-a-son]

Broke (2016): BBC Sherlock is a phenomenal piece of media and anything that seems like a flaw just hasn't been fully explored yet

Woke (2020): BBC Sherlock is an incredibly flawed series run by an egotistical writer, it never deserved the hype and is actively bad on so many fronts (especially representation)

Bespoke (2024): BBC Sherlock is flawed and bogged down by increasingly poor writing, which many fans refused to see while it was airing, leading to hugely misplaced expectations (particularly for the final series), AND it has the seeds of some compelling characterizations and portrayals, some genuinely solid performances, and touches--albeit imperfectly--on complexities that are still being discussed today (particularly as it relates to the relationship between Sherlock and John). The huge cultural impact of the show has created a massive pendulum effect in its public perception, leading to most people today remembering a caricature of the show (whether positive or negative) rather than appreciating its nuanced merits and failings...that being said Season 4 sucked

[puppyeared]

AND I MET THE CHANGE GOD TOO. OKAY. COOL OKAY