For many years, Korean cinema has often been associated with a familiar formula: attractive scripts accompanied by a cast of actors with outstanding appearances, especially the male leads with ideal images.
Famous Korean actors always "storm" with beautiful appearances, maintaining endurance with youthful and trendy appearances.
Yoo Hae Jin is an exception, he goes against all those formulas. Yoo Hae Jin does not possess a handsome appearance according to popular standards, the actor still becomes a box office star with lasting appeal for decades.
Yoo Hae Jin is always a leading actor in Korean cinema with special acting ability and appearance.
A typical case is the movie "Under the Shadow of the House" - a new work released in Vietnam and quickly attracted the attention of audiences.
Previously, the film created a phenomenon in Korea when it reached about 16 million tickets, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time in this market. As of early April, "Under the Shadow" had grossed 96 million USD (equivalent to about 2,500 billion VND).
Set in 1457, the film revolves around the exile period of King Danjong - a young monarch who was deposed and almost forgotten by history.
Not following the direction of recreating power struggles, the film chooses a humane narrative, focusing on daily life and the relationship between Danjong and villagers in exile. In which, village chief Eom Heung Do - the character played by Yoo Hae Jin - plays an emotional central role.
According to assessments by many Korean newspapers, Yoo Hae Jin is almost "balanced" because of her natural and graceful acting style.
Without ostentatious performances or outstanding appearance, the male actor still leads the film's flow with a restrained, natural, and emotional acting style. His character Eom Heung Do is both approachable and rich in depth, becoming a support to help the story maintain a continuous emotional rhythm.
In the first part, Yoo Hae Jin's appeal almost "carries" the entire film atmosphere. The rhythmic way of speaking, delicate expressions and the ability to connect make the character Eom Heung Do become vivid. When combined with Park Ji Hoon, the contrast between one experienced and one young side further highlights the depth of the story.
The success of the film continues to consolidate Yoo Hae Jin's special position in the film industry. With nearly 30 years of operation and a total box office revenue of about 170 million tickets, he is one of the few actors who maintains a stable appeal.
Yoo Hae Jin's paradox lies in this very point: in an industry that values image and appearance, he still rises with acting ability and the ability to connect emotions with a unique acting style.
In her 50s, Yoo Hae Jin continues to participate in new projects, including the movie "The Assassins" directed by Hur Jin Ho.
With top-notch acting technique, he is expected to continue to maintain his position as a box office star - a rare but convincing paradox of Korean cinema.
