"She’s a natural in front of the camera and gives off a sweet radiance (I’d like to see her try something edgy), but her acting has yet to develop real presence"

In my eyes, she's not a natural (in the sense Lee Young Ae is not a natural actress at all), and that's what makes her interesting. During Nonstop 5, she was notorious for asking the director to do take after take, and asking zillions of questions about her character's motivations. Which is funny because, hello, it's Nonstop! She fundamentally does not trust the concept of "playing herself", and so in a lot of her performances, she's doing A LOT of thinking, a lot of reacting, a lot of "my character is recalling this memory or experiencing this smell." She overacts (in the sense you can see her working really hard), but she's overacting less and less with each role.

She was good in Ad Lib Night (really liked the movie; Lee Yoon Ki also wrote and directed This Charming Girl.) Again, same problems with presence but the role enabled her to be a passive observer. Her eyes were busy in the role, and at the climax at the end, you can sense that she was recalling a lot of personal pain through her character.

Which leads to the next bit . . . Hyo Joo is actually an interesting and complex person. Very introverted (not that popular in high school and apparently has a complex family situation), plays multiple instruments, loves indie films and indie music. (Voice is shaky in the pitch department) Nearly had a meltdown during Spring Waltz, because she was in WAY over her head, and almost quit acting altogether. These things build character in an young artist!!

I used to have the same opinion about her acting, and then I watched the indie "Ad Lib Night." She's surprisingly good in it (perhaps due in large part to Lee YoonKi's awesomeness as a director?). Anyway, I'm hoping THAT wasn't a one-off.

But since she followed that up with a daily drama and a seemingly run-of-the-mill puppy love movie (haven't seen "Iljimae" yet so that's excluded), I guess she's prioritizing popularity over Being a Serious Actress for now. Which is understandable, but unfortunate.

Personally I never liked her as an actress. First of all she did not leave a strong impression at all, almost like every story of every movie Hyo Joo participated in sucked her character right in... it completely faded away in the process. Secondly, I do agree that she's a beautiful girl: tall, nice face, super cute smile and all, but again I don't think she has ever seemed like she's enjoying it all. The attention, the roles, the job and herself... it doesn't seem like she genuinely loves what she's doing. Maybe it's because she's still shaky in her performance and questions too much to actually enjoy herself and therefor making us, the viewers enjoy her.

On the other hand Lee Young-Hoon is a really good actor. I found his role in No regret simply beautifully played. Very realistic, meaningful and controversial enough to raise an issue. It has definitely become one of my favourite kmovies.

And regarding the Nonstop issue. I watched a decent amount of episodes [ not all, I must admit,; generally the ones with Tablo ] and there was not much of a character to build for the job. You could pretty much play yourself, in different situations. It was a question of walking hand in hand with a simple concept that completed the actor's personality [ aka Tablo geek ]. So I must agree with the overacting part. Like I said ... she tries too hard to actually enjoy acting. After all, it's fundamentally a job that requires LETTING GO ...

That's why she looked so familiar in Iljimae... lol Spring Waltz was alright, at the end I was sooo sad because she had to go to that pianist! And he's so dumb he could've just stop playing the piano but he still did! Gosh! I wanted her to end with the other guy...
Can somebody tell me if Iljimae is going to end up with the other girl instead of her? I have a feeling that she's not going to end up with Iljimae.
haha.
lol.
Anyways, I'm just wondering... On all the Korean dramas I've seen they barely wear like make-up. Maybe they put some concealer and foundations but that's about it. Only the really rich people wears thick make-up compare to like American movies. Why do you think they don't wear a lot of make-ups?
Thanks again!

"But she does have a kind of inherent camera-loves-me presence (which has yet to transform into actual acting prowess)"

Oh but see, that's what I'm talking about. Even with all the modeling work she's done, Hyo Joo does not feel comfortable with the camera in regards to character acting. Not like Lee Yeon Hee. Not sure about her acting chops either, but she projects to the camera almost telepathically.

"I don’t think the Nonstop issues were so much a factor of her overthinking her character work, but more from a place of insecurity because she’d never acted before."

It's not just Nonstop though -- the one thing that directors say about Hyo Joo is that she asks a lot of questions and prefers doing a lot of takes (a lot, the other actors on the show rib her about it.) She talks a lot about it in her interviews, how hard she works at analyzing her character and trying to playing a character, as something very separate from her own innate personality.

"But since she followed that up with a daily drama and a seemingly run-of-the-mill puppy love movie (haven’t seen “Iljimae” yet so that’s excluded), I guess she’s prioritizing popularity over Being a Serious Actress for now."

Doing a daily drama is a good way to work on and improve your craft. I would probably have switched the casting between her and her Nonstop mate Hong Soon Ah, though. HHJ's instincts was to make Ji Soo, on paper a charismatic, "perfect" character, into a withdrawn, somewhat troubled personality. Whereas Bong Soon Ah turned Eun Ha (who was supposed to be the fragile counterpart) into uhhhh Sybil. That was awesome! :D

"She’s surprisingly good in it (perhaps due in large part to Lee YoonKi’s awesomeness as a director?). Anyway, I’m hoping THAT wasn’t a one-off."

Hard to say because Yoon Ki is a true actor's director. Gives them a lot of space to act free and relax into the moment.

omg!!! i always wondered if lee young-hoon was gay. i sort of wish he were. he was great in no regret. i don't specialize in those sorts, but seriously the best by far. i haven't seen gp506 yet. maybe he is....:) yay lee young-hoon!

She fitted the character Eun- Chan in Iljimae really well. While in Spring Waltz, her acting was kinda dull. She's okay as a celebrity. Looking forward to this movie~ Haven't seen GP506, but heard it was good.

i actually kind of agree with javabeans. i always think she looks so natural infront of cameras / photo shoots. some celebrities will try/control to look good infront of cameras, but so far i've seen, she acted natural as if there's no camera at all.

well, my opinion.

@belleza

"Doing a daily drama is a good way to work on and improve your craft."

"Hard to say because Yoon Ki is a true actor’s director. Gives them a lot of space to act free and relax into the moment."

You're right, of course. *slaps forehead* I admit I'm biased against daily dramas in general (have never particularly enjoyed them), so my knee-jerk reaction was to diss. I keep forgetting that "Ad Lib Night" didn't make much money, and anyhow she needs more experience (d'oh). It's just that that movie made me see her in a completely new light. When I initially heard about the casting, I was a little "ehh" (given her acting in previous projects) but immediately went "hmm"; if Lee YoonKi saw enough potential in her to give her the role, then it MUST be there. (Conversely, she gained my respect by having the good taste to star in that strange, lovely, low-budget little film. Not many newbies--hell, even so-called veteran actresses--would've.)

And oh did she deliver^^. It was such a revelatory performance that I guess I expected a career revamp ala Kim MinHee post-"Goodbye Solo" (though she never got as bad as KMH at her worst lol). But that upward trend in quality of acting and film/drama choices didn't really happen. Hence my evil-and-unfair thought that maybe some special difficult-to-duplicate alchemy with LYK was involved lol. Sorry, I didn't mean at all to sound like HyoJoo doesn't deserve any credit for her perf. Having seen what she's capable of, I guess I'm tougher on her than I would otherwise be on some actor who plain sucks everytime. And after all not very many actors can elevate the material despite an average PD or a less-than-ideal thespic environment.

*goes fangirly* Agreed about LYK's directing style (it totally shows). How great was Kim JiSoo in "This Charming Girl"?! Can't wait for Jeon DoYeon's turn! (not that JDY isn't always excellent. so boringly predictable, that one. lol)

Btw all this trivia re Nonstop/HyoJoo's offscreen persona is fascinating, thanks (:

P.S. Silly me, I didn't recognize the "No Regrets" guy! Maybe this movie won't be so bad after all.

wow.. a lot of ppl have in depth opinions about han hyo joo's acting.. whereas i feel like i barely know her as an actress.. the few bits i've seen of her so far in iljimae haven't turned me off, but haven't blown me away either... like jihwan i'm finding her character to be a bit on the dull side.. but i wouldn't say she's awful in the role.. capable and adequate, but there's nothing about her that's grabbing my emotions just yet.. maybe the plot just has to blossom a bit more before i become emotionally invested in eun chae..
i agree she is quite "natural" in the way she carries herself onscreen... & unlike someone mentioned in a previous post, i wouldn't say she's ugly but quite pretty with a warm demeanor and nice smile.. & her strongest points looks wise are enviable height and a non-plastic face ;) it's really very cool to find out about her talents and interests outside of acting.. at least she's not a one-dimensional person.. introvert/ musician/ indie freak/ wallflower i can definitely relate to... i'm positive the song is another gimmick to garner interest in the film & sell the soundtrack.. but i have hopes that her performance won't be half bad..

i think Han Hyoo Joo is just an okay actress ... not impressively good nor pathetically bad. doesn't leave too much impression on me ... but Ad Lib Night is a good movie ... i believe, mostly due to the fact that it's under the direction of Dir. Lee Yoon Ki. i am more excited about this movie because of Lee Young Hoon. i love No Regret and Lee Young Hoon in it. one of the best gay movie i've seen. wish he'd be in a lot more movies in the future.

"plays multiple instruments, loves indie films and indie music. (Voice is shaky in the pitch department) Nearly had a meltdown during Spring Waltz, because she was in WAY over her head, and almost quit acting altogether. These things build character in an young artist!!"

This also suggests the tragic mix of incredible potential and insecurity. Which melusine expresses nicely with:

"I’m tougher on her than I would otherwise be on some actor who plain sucks everytime."

There is no consistency to the quality of her acting, so we are served with unpredicatable instances of mediocrity or hinted brilliance. A certain amount of frustration and criticism, I imagine, arises because it's a shame to see potential that is not applied with a thoroughness that should reflect in some way through consistency.

I agree with javabeans in that HHY's character management is a learning process rather than any type of excessive behaviour.

JiHwan, I thought it was more the character of Eun Chae lacking obvious dimensions rather than poor acting on HHY's part. I can't see how much more she could've really done with the portrayal outside of the confining dictations of period mannerisms. To me, there needed to be some simplicity in idea or character in Iljimae, to temper the general convoluted shennigans that occurred in relationships and plots. I chose to see Eun Chae as someone who lived for goodness and love, in the simplest way possible. Having every single character with multiple motivations and/or layers I think is overkill sometimes. Eun Chae choose to love unconditionally, with no future or further reciprocation. I don't find that depiction in any way 1-D, nor the way HHY expressed it.

I agree though that HHY doesn't seem to 'live' her character on screen. There is no total assimilation as I see with someone like Ariel Lin. Then again, AL's character processing is a freaky example of pure talent. Perhaps it is as javabeans suggets, that maybe focus would be well due to acting, instead of splitting energy and attention to other pursuits. However, I don't know how she learns best. Perhaps her other media pursuits is her way of defining/refining herself as an actress *shrugs*

Apologies, I meant: "melusine follows up nicely with..."

Use of "expresses" makes absolutely no sense to me. Duh!