[Edaily Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] “I learned how to deliver lines from Do-yeon unnie while filming *Shooting for the Stars*. It felt like I was back in that time.”

Actor Jo In-sung made these remarks while recalling his collaboration with Jeon Do-yeon and Seol Kyung-gu during an interview held on the 10th at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, to mark the release of the Netflix film *Possible Love*.

Released on the 6th, “Possible Love” tells the story of a couple—one a laid-off worker and the other wealthy—whose lives become intertwined through the production of a documentary, forcing them to confront their own desires and the cracks in their relationships. Jo In-sung plays Sang-woo, the husband of the documentary director.

Notably, this marks his first collaboration with Jeon Do-yeon in about 24 years, since the 2002 drama *Shooting for the Stars*. Earlier, Jeon Do-yeon shared her thoughts on their reunion in an interview, saying, “I even told Jo In-sung, ‘You’ve grown up well.’”

Jo In-sung said, “It was deeply moving.” He added, “I first met her when I was a rookie, so saying she’s ‘grown up well’ is probably accurate,” and continued, “Being able to meet again after all these years means we’ve both been doing our part faithfully, doesn’t it?”

He continued, “Being an actor isn’t something that happens just because you want it to; it’s only when an actor’s growth aligns with the public’s love that you can perform in front of an audience. The fact that we can still work together now felt like a way of saying, ‘In-sung, you’ve worked hard too.’”

Working together also naturally brought back memories of his early days. Jo In-sung said, “I felt the emotions I had when filming *Shooting for the Stars*—it was like going back to who I was back then. It was nice to reconnect with that version of myself.”

He continued, “I remember learning how to speak to my older sister during *Shooting for the Stars*. I believe every character is shaped by their counterpart,” and praised their chemistry, saying, “As I delivered my first line, I was transported back to that memory—it felt like a chance to learn all over again. I found myself thinking, ‘Thank you for being here.’”

Jo In-sung revealed that he received a call from Director Lee Chang-dong while filming *HUMINT*. This year, following *HUMINT* and *Hope*, he has collaborated with some of Korea’s leading directors on *Possible Love*. Jo In-sung recalled, “I felt overwhelmed and even worried about myself. I knew I had to make the most of this great opportunity, but I thought, ‘It’s like one mountain after another—just when I thought I’d crossed one, another looms ahead.’”

He added, “From Director Na Hong-jin to Director Ryu Seung-wan—I felt like I was climbing one mountain after another while working on these projects, and when I heard another mountain was waiting for me, I had mixed feelings: I was both excited and afraid.”

He also shared a behind-the-scenes story about how he called Seol Kyung-gu after reading the script for *Possible Love*. Jo In-sung said, “I was curious about what it would be like to work with the director. There are so many stories circulating about him, aren’t there? (Laughs) I called Kyung-gu hyung to ask if they were really true.”

When asked what kind of stories those were, he replied, “You know, like the one where ‘there’s no such thing as “OK,”’” drawing laughter. Jo In-sung added, “I asked what kind of direction he gives, but Kyung-gu hyung said he hadn’t even received the script yet.”

Jo In-sung then imitated Seol Kyung-gu’s voice, saying, “But Kyung-gu said, ‘I don’t know either. I don’t really remember… I’m just going to do it no matter what,’” which drew laughter. He added, “I’ve always wanted to act alongside Kyung-gu. He’s a brother I love dearly.”

He also mentioned that Seol Kyung-gu was the reason he shed tears after the screening at the Venice International Film Festival. “Those tears were beautiful. I think they should be viewed as part of the film’s interplay,” he said, adding, “I just couldn’t hold back when Kyung-gu-hyung started crying.”

Jo In-sung had a lot to do—including playing the clarinet, practicing Taekwondo, and making coffee—despite having relatively few lines in the film. “I was the busiest of all,” he said with a sigh, drawing laughter. Jo In-sung recalled, “While the others were filming, I had to play the clarinet, take English lessons, and work on my physique for the nude scenes.”

He drew particular attention when he revealed that for the much-talked-about clarinet performance scene, he took lessons for two hours, three days a week, over a four-month period. “I learned just enough to play one song. This was my first time learning the instrument,” he said.

Jo In-sung shared a behind-the-scenes story: “(When I read the script) I was really baffled. There was a line in the karaoke scene saying I had to sing ‘All I Know Is Love’—you can just picture it, right? So I skipped over it, but right below that, there was a single line that said, ‘Sang-woo plays the clarinet.’”

He continued, “After that, the way people looked at me… they’d ask, ‘How’s the clarinet coming along?’ and I realized I’d been found out,” adding, “It had to be a clarinet, and even the brand of the instrument was specified. It was exactly as the director had envisioned it.”

Jo In-sung also recalled, “The director was a professor at the Korea National University of Arts, wasn’t he? I went there as if I were taking an audition for the university,” adding, “The director said, ‘Still, it’s better because you’re approaching this with the mindset that the judges will give you the part.’ I was incredibly nervous.”

“Possible Love” has been selected as South Korea’s entry in the International Feature Film category for the 99th Academy Awards. As the film enters the Oscar race, Jo In-sung said, “Just being part of this race fills my heart with emotion,” adding, “We’re competing against them as a representative of our country, and beyond the competition, isn’t this a forum for exchanging our works and cultures? The outcome of the Academy Awards is in God’s hands, but I intend to enjoy this process.”