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[Video: a hand reaches up to knock on a sleek black door. After a brief pause, it opens and a fair young man in a cream-toned jacket and black jeans steps into view. He runs a hand through his chestnut hair and smiles brightly at the cameraman.]
“Johnny!”
“Jaehyun!”
[Jaehyun holds the door open wider and moves aside.] “Get in here.”
“Thanks.” [The camera pans the interior of a luxurious, traditional house. Jaehyun walks over to a well-lit kitchen and pulls a glass from the cabinet.] “I gotta say, it’s so good seeing you in person, Jaehyun, and absolutely worth the trip all the way over to Connecticut to ask you these 73 questions.”
“Well, thanks. I hope you had an enjoyable trip over, but you must be thirsty. Have some water.”
[A hand reaches forward to accept the glass of water Jaehyun hands over, and pans to the cluttered marble countertop.] “I appreciate that. What are you up to here? I see a lot of ingredients laid out.”
“Well, my partner is visiting me today, so I thought I’d make him one of his favorite smoothie bowls, edible flowers and everything.”
“That very romantic of you. Do you think of yourself as a romantic?”
“Yeah, I do. I think my fans are right on the money about that.”
Now Jaehyun, what’s the most romantic gesture you’ve ever done for someone?”
“I asked my partner to marry me.”
“And what’s the most romantic gesture done for you?”
“My partner said yes.”
[Jaehyun moseys out of the kitchen. They walk into the open-plan living room. A collection of plush white couches surrounds a bamboo coffee table stacked with coasters, magazines, and candles.]
“Lots of reading material there, Jaehyun. What do you typically read when you’re at home?”
“Ah, I don’t read.”
“But there’s so many magazines to browse over here. Elle, Vanity Fair, VOGUE—”
“That’s my Christmas wish list.”
“I see. So Jaehyun, you were raised in Connecticut, but moved to LA for your career. How’s it like being back home?”
[Jaehyun sits on a couch, draping a colorful knit throw over his lap. The camera steadily lowers with him.] “It’s really wet. We’ve had a lot of rain lately. I’m almost not used to it anymore.” [He gestures at the gray skies outside the window.]
“What do you prefer, the West Coast or the East Coast?”
“West Coast.”
“What do you miss about Connecticut when you’re over in California?”
“The peace and quiet.”
“And what do you miss about California when you’re in Connecticut?”
“My friends and partner.”
“What would you say is the most East Coast thing about you?”
“I’m pretty blunt. I don’t like to sugarcoat things.”
“Where do you feel most at home?”
“Wherever I have loved ones around.”
“If you had a full day off, what would you do?”
“Absolutely nothing. I’d burrito myself in my blankets on the couch and be on my phone until my eyes hurt.”
“What’s the first thought you had when you woke up this morning?”
“Honestly, what time it was, because it’s too dark outside.”
“What’s something you do every morning, without fail?”
“Get out of bed.”
“And what gets you out of bed?”
[Jaehyun grins.] “My arms and legs.”
“And Jaehyun, let’s talk a little about your career. You’ve been in many films, one of which just won three Oscars.”
“Yes, White Night.”
“And you actually left quite the impression that went viral when you walked up the stage to accept your Oscar.”
[The video cuts to a scene where a tuxedo-clad Jaehyun walks up the polished stage of the Academy Awards to accept his Oscar. Halfway up, he pauses, turns around, and begins walking back to his seat. The theatre erupts into laughter. A jovial-looking young man with strawberry blonde hair seizes him by the shoulders before he gets to his seat and forcibly shoves him back towards the stage.]
“That was such an iconic moment, what inspired your actions that night?”
“I was really nervous.”
“An Oscar, Jaehyun! The Academy Awards!”
“I was really nervous!”
“Fair enough. Who was the first person you told that you had been nominated for an Oscar?”
“Jungwoo.”
“And what did he say to you once he found out?”
“It went something like this.” [He makes a shocked expression and starts screaming. The camera shakes a little.]
“My goodness, it must have been an amazing moment. What would you say about Jungwoo, your co-star?”
“He’s just the sweetest guy. He takes care of everybody—the cast, the crew, just everyone around him. Yeah, he’s really great.”
“What part of White Night was the hardest to film for you?”
“It was…a very complex film, with very complex characters. My character is a very troubled, very emotionally brittle person, and they're a man who was raised as a noblewoman, so there's that issue of them struggling with their gender identity. It was a real challenge to bring that…authenticity to the character, and you know, playing the part of a classy woman who has this unfiltered masculinity about her. I also had to lose fifteen pounds to fit into the corset.”
“What’s something you always do before shooting a film?”
“I like to do a lot of research into the character. Figure out who they were, the era they lived in, what was significant for them, how they would act under you know, XYZ circumstance, and the social norms of their time.”
“How would your co-stars describe you?”
“Funny. Yeah. I’m funny.”
“What is the funniest thing you’ve done while on set?”
“When we were filming White Night, Jungwoo and I bought like $800 worth of Smiskis. You know, those little green guys you hide in your room? Yeah, we bought a bunch of those and started placing them all over the set.”
“How many of them do you think are still on the set?”
“Oh, all of them. I think if you watch the movie closely enough you can see one peeking out at you.”
“Is there an actor or actress you want to work with in the future?”
“I’ve never met him, but I’d die to work with Hendery Wong. Have you ever watched Might As Well?”
“I haven’t, but what’s it about?”
[Jaehyun’s face lights up.] “It’s a sitcom about this Asian-American family who travels back to the motherland—which is China—and the struggles that they face as foreigners in their own culture. Sounds deep, but I promise, it’s hilarious.”
“Would you recommend it?”
“A hundred percent.”
“And what’s your favorite role in all the movies you’ve done?”
“Actually, Jeffery on Wall to Wall. He’s just a silly dude doing his best, and I like that.”
“What draws you to a particular script?”
“The relatability of the characters. And whether or not I’ll get to set something on fire.” [He smiles mischievously.]
“Do you ever have trouble connecting with a character you play?”
“Sometimes, when I’m casted as a stoic psychopath or playboy. I literally have a degree in graphic design, I stay at home ninety-five percent of the time, and I can’t see anything without my contacts. I’m a—what do they call it—dork trapped in a hot body.”
“That is a pretty stark contrast. What’s something people will be surprised to know about you?”
“I don’t drink, smoke, none of that. My body is a fragile house of glass. One hit of anything will probably kill me.”
“Fair point. Do you ever try to stay in character between takes?”
“I try, most of the time, and I fail.”
“Who never fails to make you break character?”
“My partner. They had to ban him off a set once, because I was laughing too hard.”
“Switching gears here a little bit. Let’s do some rapid-fire questions. You ready?”
“Shoot.”
“Breakfast or dinner?”
“Breakfast.”
“Space or ocean?”
“Space. The ocean has giant squid.”
“Leather or denim?”
“Denim.”
“Wet socks or broken zipper?”
“Broken zipper.”
“You’re traveling now. Flight or road trip?”
“Flight.”
“Alright, that concludes our rapid questions. What drink would you never get sick of?”
“Fresh apple juice. Speaking of—” [He sets his blanket aside and stands.] “I need to pick some apples.”
[The camera follows Jaehyun as he walks over to a sliding door past the living room and opens it. A spacious backyard comes into view, full of blooming shrubs and fruit trees. A couple Adirondack chairs surround a covered swimming pool.]
“Wow, Jaehyun. Your backyard is beautiful.”
“Thanks, I try.”
[Jaehyun walks over to an apple tree laden with fruit. He grabs a wicker basket resting against the trunk and begins picking apples.]
“Jaehyun, if you could swap lives with anyone, who would you want to swap with?”
“Uh, living or dead?”
“Living, living.”
“Probably my partner. He also works in film and media, but he gets to travel and meet more people than I do.”
“Nice. If you were to write a memoir, what would the title be?”
[Jaehyun picks an apple and examines it, frowning in thought.] “Probably…I’m Too Young to be Writing This.”
[The cameraman laughs.] “Valid point. What’s the one thing you really want to achieve?”
“Front-page cover on VOGUE.” [He makes eye contact with the camera.] “Can you make it happen?”
“I can definitely try.”
[Jaehyun laughs and walks to a small, wood-enclosed patch of herbs opposite the apple tree. He bends down and begins plucking stems of basil.]
“That’s an impressive herb garden, did you grow all these yourself?”
“Indeed, I did.”
“Would you say gardening is one of your hobbies?”
“Yeah, not to brag, but I’ve got a bit of a green thumb. But you probably know that already.”
“What’s the most difficult plant you’ve ever grown?”
“Venus flytraps.”
“What other hobbies do you enjoy?”
“Uh, cooking, I like cooking. And uh, flower pressing.”
“That’s a very delicate hobby.”
“I’m a very delicate guy, what can I say?” [He stands, dropping a bundle of herbs into the basket.] “C’mon, let’s go back into the kitchen.”
[The camera shakes as it follows Jaehyun back into the house. It pans to a room past an archway to the left that’s filled with various gaming equipment.]
“I see a bunch of video games off in the room over there, Jaehyun. What’s your favorite game to play?”
“This is totally gonna show my age, but Wii Sports Resort.”
“What sport do you always go for in that game?”
“Bowling.”
“Do you ever go bowling in person?”
“If I have time, and I almost never have time.” [He sets down the basket on the kitchen counter and begins toppling apples straight into the sink.]
“What’re we making right now?”
“I was thinking apple juice, but now that I really think about it, maybe an apple tart. Y’know, just for the holidays.”
“It is getting to that season. What’s a holiday tradition in your family?”
“No jeans in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Stretchy pants only.”
“What’s your favorite holiday food?”
[Jaehyun pauses from where he’s filling the sink with soapy water.] “Hmm…my family always makes Korean barbecue for the holidays, and my partner makes a killer galbi, lemme tell you.”
“Sounds delicious.”
“It’s always the comfort food. He marinates it for a full day before it cooks, just ugh, so good.”
“Who’s on your invitation list for holiday dinner?”
“My family, obviously. Jungwoo, and my good friend, Sicheng. No big deal.”
“Family, fellow actor, and Olympic medalist. No big deal at all. What’s the most overused item in your wardrobe right now?”
“Black t-shirts.”
“Would you consider yourself to be a pretty routine person?”
“Not at all. I’m very go-with-the-flow. Oh, mind handing me that towel over there?”
“Sure.” [A hand reaches for the towel folded off the side of the counter and hands it to Jaehyun.] “What’s something you learned recently that completely blew your mind?”
“That cinnamon is tree bark, and ground cinnamon is essentially sawdust. Seriously, look it up.”
“Okay. What’s something you think you’ll regret in ten years?”
“What I did at the Oscars.”
“In fifty years, what do you think the world will remember you for?”
“My sense of humor.”
“What’s the worst advice you’ve ever received?”
“Grow up.”
“If you didn’t pursue acting, what profession would you be in now?”
“Unemployment.” [He rinses off the apples and starts laying them on the towel.]
“What’s a trade secret you can share with us, Jaehyun?”
“I’m a terrible liar, my ears turn bright red, so I actually have to wear concealer on my ears sometimes.”
“If you could interview anyone in the world, who would it be and why?”
“You, Johnny. Tell me about your job and all the people you’ve met.”
“Oh, I’m sure my job’s not as glamorous as yours—”
“No way, I’m jealous of your job, it seems fun.”
“Well, if you put it that way. Let’s talk about fame for a bit. Can you tell me a little about the red carpet? What was that like?”
“It’s overwhelming. You can’t see anything with all the cameras flashing and there’s just noise everywhere.”
“What’s the most flattering fan moment you’ve ever had?”
[Jaehyun leans down and pulls a cutting board and knife from the drawers. He starts cutting the apples into slices.] “The very first time someone came up to me out on the street and asked for a picture with me. That was when it—it kinda clicked. Like wow, I have fans.”
“What do you miss about life, pre-fame?”
“Being ignored.”
“How do you feel about some word associations?”
“Bring it on.”
“Tiktok.”
“My worst addiction.”
“Appalachian.”
“If you heard something, no you didn’t.”
“Mustache.”
“Ew.”
“If you were any article of clothing, what would you be?”
“Pajamas.”
“I like that. Comfy, cozy—”
“Covered in Cheeto dust, and fraying at the edges.” [He pulls a large mixing bowl from another cabinet and starts putting the apple slices into it.]
“I think you look perfectly put-together.”
“That’s because you’ve got a camera.”
“If there was no Wi-Fi in your house, what would you spend the day doing?”
“Laying in my bed, contemplating the state of my existence.”
“Alright, and that brings us to question seventy-three: what project are you currently working on, and what can you tell us about it?”
“As of the moment, this apple tart here. So Johnny, if you’re off work now, set that camera down and give me a hand, will you?”
“Yes, of course.”
[The camera shakes as it’s set down on the kitchen counter. The screen cuts to the signature white ‘VOGUE’ ending clip.]