Dialogue ยท Han Geng.
The following is an excerpt from the interview.
Playing hard is the only way out.
On the first day of the new year in 2024, we met Han Geng and his toddler daughter, who was not yet two years old. In addition to acting work, spending more time with his daughter and family is Han Geng's greatest wish after becoming a father. In Han Geng, we can't see the domineering of a top-notch artist who once topped the "Asia's First Day Troupe" and "who else is me" on the stage, without exquisite and gorgeous makeup and the sense of distance of people on the clouds. What I saw was the affinity with the staff, the humility of arriving at the scene earlier than the agreed time, and the sincerity and sincerity of wearing an extra pair of autumn pants in order to keep warm.
Tagawa: I wanted to wear one more today, but I thought it would be too embarrassing for the people of Tohoku, so I didn't add it. Han Geng: No shame, I wore a dress that I thought looked good in the morning, and after a while I went back to change and wore a pair of warm pants, it was too cold.
Born in 1984 in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, Han Geng, like most boys, enjoyed playing with models and studying racing engines until he was 12 years old. Occasionally, he participated in a school art performance, and he thought that his performance was very poor, but he was praised by the teacher, "his body shape and condition are very good", and encouraged him to go to Beijing to learn dance.
Han Geng: When I was young, I had to take a 29-hour train from Beijing to Mudanjiang. Tagawa: Was that your first time leaving Mudanjiang? Han Geng: I went to Harbin when I was younger.
Han Geng (middle).
At the age of 12, he was admitted to the secondary school dance class of ** University for Nationalities to learn folk dance, with an annual tuition fee of 3,500 yuan, which is a big burden for Han Geng's family. His father works outside all the year round, and his mother goes to Shenzhen to work in order to support Han Geng's schooling, and also sells breakfast, and sends 200 yuan of living expenses to Han Geng every month.
Han Geng: In the past, when I didn't have any money, I would borrow a little from my classmates. One dollar can buy three steamed buns, and you can eat steamed buns in the morning, noon and evening. At that time, I was growing my body, and because of insufficient nutrition, the membrane between my knees was gone, and then it became inflamed and swollen. Tagawa: I feel like you're being very yourself. Han Geng: It may have something to do with family. When I was studying in Beijing, I realized that I still love dance, and I watched a lot of dancers perform at that time, and I thought it would be nice for me to be like them in the future. But when I saw the conditions at home of many children who were learning to dance, I felt that I had to work hard, because my family couldn't help me with anything. At that time, in order to support my schooling, my parents were working part-time. I feel like I can only work hard, and I can carry it if I can. So since I was a child, I have been used to keeping things as much as possible in my heart, and I also report good news and not bad news to my mother, and I don't want her to know that I am very bitter or difficult, but I know that my parents love me.
At the age of 17, Han Geng graduated from the dance class of ** Minzu University, and participated in the talent competition held by the Korean SM company at the Great Wall Hotel in Beijing with his classmates, and Han Geng was lucky to be selected. At that time, the Korean Wave was sweeping through Asia with rapid momentum, and Han Geng was the first Chinese to have the opportunity to develop in South Korea.
Han Geng: Before signing the contract, I spent a year in Beipiao, dancing at the entrance of various shopping malls and bars, dancing for about 50 yuan, and later returned to my hometown to be a teacher at an art center. So when I signed the contract with SM, I casually looked at the contract, and I thought: Dad, hurry up and sign it, I only have this one choice. But my dad kept looking at it carefully, and I told him that if it was all right, he would sign it. He asked me, have you thought about it? You didn't look at it, but in front of you, this condition is very harsh, and you can't do anything for the next 13 years, you can only serve the company. After signing back, my dad hugged me, very distressed, saying that he had sold his child.
Han Geng: At that time, I hoped that I could make my debut soon. I also know how far I can get from them, so I'm practicing hard. I went to the basement to practice during the day, and when I came out again, it was dawn. At that time, there was no other way out but to practice with your life. I often call ** and tell my mom that I feel like I'm going to make my debut today. Why, she asked? I said that someone specialized in giving me haircuts, makeup, new clothes, and photographing. My mom said, yes, that's good. But after a while, I didn't believe it again, and I still didn't make my debut. Tagawa: Again and again I have given you hope and been disappointed. Han Geng: In fact, I gave myself hope. Tagawa: We always hear that Korean trainees are particularly hard, how tired are they? Han Geng: Hard work is one thing. I think their whole training system is very good, tired and bitter may be because of the strict management, you can't use your mobile phone, you can't be late, what homework tasks you have to complete, etc. Tagawa: So you've been very punctual until now, not just punctual, but you're sure to arrive early. We met twice today, and you arrived at least half an hour early. Being able to feel the impact of these experiences on you now is all there. Han Geng: Not being late is respect, and the other is your own rules.
On November 6, 2005, Han Geng and 11 other Korean boys formed a large-scale group Super Junior for the Asian market, officially debuted, quickly became popular in Asia, and continuously won many heavyweight awards in the Korean and even Asian record industry, and was known as "Asia's first day group". Behind the stardom of the stage, however, is a 13-year-long period of unfair contracts, overly intensive announcements, and an extremely unreasonable distribution of income.
Han Geng: It's really the same as a heartbeat, not long after my debut, I suddenly hit ** and said that I had a problem with my passport, because it was not a work visa, and I couldn't perform anymore. I just debuted, I couldn't do anything at once, and I went back to my original form. Tagawa: So then you came up with a way to put on a mask.
Han Geng: Yes, because you have to form a formation, if you lack one person, the formation will become very complicated. To prevent this from happening, I said that I would wear a mask and be a backup dancer in the team, at least better than staying in the dorm. Tagawa: Aren't you wronged? It's all members of the group, so you can't show your face. Han Geng: Fortunately, all the team members are really good to me, and they will share some money with me. Tagawa: What does it mean that "how much will give you some money"? Han Geng: Because I didn't settle much money in the first year, everyone didn't get much.
Tagawa: Is it less than when I was a trainee? Han Geng: Less. When we were trainees, the company would give us pocket money every month, but it didn't really give you the money, and when you made money on your debut, you had to pay back these expenses to the company. Tagawa: Do you have to pay back the cost of the previous training? Han Geng: Yes. During the training, the company would give me about 4,000 yuan a month. I will send a little to my parents and keep about 1,000 yuan for myself, which is enough, because the company has an aunt who cooks and lives there, so I don't need any money. But after his debut, the company no longer gave living expenses, and he had to earn it on his own, so there was no way to send so much money to his family. Tagawa: If you want to make a little more money, do you need to fight with a brokerage company? Han Geng: I don't have any social resources, so I can only tell the company that I want to make more money, but the company will say, how do you want to make more money? Can I pick you up? What about the combination? You can't leave the combo behind and do anything else. Tagawa: It's still a state of domination. Han Geng: Yes, very passive. At that time, I thought, continue to persevere, hope to have a little more work, even my personal work, so as to make more money. Tagawa: Although I didn't make a lot of money at the time, because I was very popular, I had a lot of fans, and my reputation was very loud, so did you enjoy being a star? Han Geng: Enjoyment, especially after returning to China, I feel safe when I get off the plane and breathe the first breath of domestic air. As soon as I want to go back to Korea, I feel very depressed, I don't want to go back, I want to stay in China, I feel that love surrounds me, whether it is real or fake, but at least I can feel that there are many people who like me.
Han. In 2008, Han Geng led Super Junior-M to enter the Chinese pop music scene as the captain, and his Chinese identity made Han Geng an important force for South Korea's SM company to expand the Chinese market.
Han Geng: In the five years from 2008 to 2012, I tasted the peak of being an artist. At that time, I felt that I was not like me, and I had lost myself. I would even quarrel with my friends, and they would say, I'll tell you the truth, why don't you like to listen to it. Tagawa: What did they tell you? Han Geng: Say that I have changed, not like before. But at that time I didn't want to hear these truths, and I was used to listening to compliments, nice words. I still have a lot of friends who are young and not in this business, they are the same people who used to tell the truth. Later, I slowly realized that what I was pursuing before was indeed very frothy and not real. And at that time, I kept giving, kept digging out, and slowly I felt hollowed out. I realized that I needed to recharge my batteries and that I needed some life experiences to fill myself. I have a sense of crisis, what should I do if one day I fall off and don't even do this business? I often think about these questions and get anxious. Later, I went to study EMBA and learned a lot of things, although I still have worries, but I am ready for everything. Tagawa: What does it mean to be fully prepared? Han Geng: It's what I will face during the trough and what I may have to bear. Including the changes of fans, the changes of society to me, and the changes of everyone around me, I can accept them. Tagawa: If you are no longer a high-profile star and become an ordinary person, you can accept it? Han Geng: It's acceptable, there used to be a performance next to it, and I ate a boxed lunch on the side of the road, and that's how I came. It can only make yourself more perfect and richer.
Break off your wings and take off again.
At the end of 2009, Han Geng terminated the contract with South Korea's SM company, quit the Super Junior group, returned to China to develop as an independent singer, and then held a two-day concert in Beijing, and the tickets were sold out in only 37 minutes and 16 seconds, creating the fastest ** ticket grabbing record in Asia at that time.
Han Geng: To be honest, I was crazy in those years. The higher you fly, the harder you fall. Tagawa: How crazy is it? Han Geng: In ** and dance, I am very confident, and I have the strength to prove myself. Slowly, new people and new elements will appear in a steady stream, and there will definitely be a lot of things that are not to be looked at. But there is a saying, you should not look down on those who go up the mountain, they will reach the top sooner or later. At that time, I was really arrogant, thinking that they might not be able to dance or something, and even many times it was this arrogance that wrapped me up and gave me a sense of distance from others. But I also understand that it can't always be my stage, and everyone has to go through this process.
In order to seek transformation, Han Geng began to try acting. In 2010, Han Geng participated in the movie "Da Wusheng", which was the first film he starred in. But the road to transformation has not been smooth.
Han Geng: After the release of "Da Wusheng" in 2011, all the ** said that it was a "fan movie", but in fact, I felt uncomfortable. I wanted to do it as an actor, but it turned me back into an idol, a fan, and a traffic. When filming "To Youth", I also encountered a lot of doubts. But after that time, I admired the actors more and respected the film more.
I've always wanted to be an actor. When I graduated from ** National University, I was very envious of those who were admitted to Chinese opera, Nortel, and media. But if I had been admitted to these schools that year, the tuition fee of 10,000 yuan a year would be too expensive, and it would be too stressful for my family, so I would have given up this idea. But I've always wanted to be an actor.
The movie "Da Wusheng" Han Geng as Meng Erkui.
Han Geng: I've always wanted to prove that I can act. When I played "Da Wusheng", I felt that it was the best time for me, I took out all my desires to act, and I could even break myself and completely immerse myself in it. But in the end, the results showed that I was still quite young and did not have the basic conditions to be an actor. I said, "Then I'll feel it." Later, when I filmed "Everything Grows", the happiest thing for me was that I could work with director Li Yu. When I was waiting for the shooting, one didn't work, two didn't work, I just didn't feel right, and the director said to do it again, but it was still wrong, and I started to be confused. There was a scene where he quarreled with Bai Lu (played by Qi Xi) downstairs, smashed and argued, and the college students in the dormitory building next to him shouted at us, don't make a noise. There was also a scene in the morgue, and it didn't feel right after filming many times, and finally I cried until I was numb and bored, and I didn't feel any consciousness when I was lying there, and the director said, okay, it's over. What she wants is for this person to suddenly disappear in front of you, and you will collapse at that moment.
Tagawa: From idol to actor, is there a need for a transformation process? Han Geng: There must be this process, you have to slowly get rid of your previous habits, you can't always have a layer of camouflage, a layer of armor there. When I first became an actor, I still had this habit, and others had to arrange everything for me first. Looking back now, I was really like a fool during that time, just a baby, everyone was protecting you, and there was even the idea that I was a very expensive "product" and couldn't get hurt. So this growth is about breaking your wings or even plucking your feathers. It's the same with filming, the character is not perfect, he has flaws and shortcomings, but the charm of the character is here. I was very impressed by the experience of acting in the drama "Hello, Maniac" this year. I rehearsed with these actors for a month, they don't have traffic, you may not know their names, but they are very good, and I respect them. In fact, I would like to be recognized by the industry. Tagawa: For example, did you win an award? Han Geng: Not necessarily. For example, there is a good project, and what others think of is that Han Geng can, which is an internal recognition, not that singer Han Geng and actor Han Geng are labels. This kind of recognition requires you to prove through one work after another that I am an actor.
Han Geng's most impressive role to the audience is Meng Yun in the movie "Predecessor Raiders" series, a little sullen, but very sincere in his bones, and a big urban boy who longs for true love. From the release of "Predecessor 1" in 2014 to "Predecessor 4" in 2023, the audience has grown up with Meng Yun, and has also watched Han Geng enter marriage and become a father.
Predecessor 4: Early Marriage" Han Geng as Meng Yun.
Han Geng: When "Predecessor 4" was on the roadshow, I felt quite a lot. Since 2015, I have devoted all my energy to the crew, and there are not as many fans as before. When "Predecessor 4" was broadcast, many of my fans appeared again, all with their babies and their husbands' families, and came to me and said, Han Geng has liked you for more than ten years, and then dragged the child and pointed at me and said, "Uncle." Tagawa: Suddenly there are a lot of relatives. Han Geng: Yes, I'm glad that there are still so many fans who like me, still support me, still watch my movies, and pay attention to my news. And because they now have families and children, the number of people who like me has doubled. Tagawa: Do you still need to prove yourself now? Han Geng: There is no need to prove yourself, what you need is to create more things, and in the process you can find yourself.
Producer: Zhang Yan.
Choreographer: Li Han.
Editors: Wu Mengyang, 612