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Sung Hyunjae & Han Yoojin from “The S-Classes That I Raised” | An Interview with Vanity Fair
[Before the interview begins, the screen shakes a little as the camera adjusts focus.
The interviewer’s voice comes from off screen. “Hello! Nice to meet you, thank you so much for agreeing to interview with us. I know you two are very busy.”
“It’s our pleasure,” comes Sung Hyunjae’s voice.
As the interviewer comes into view, she gestures to the couch in front of a black background, “You can just take a seat right here. Was it cold outside?“
“It wasn’t a problem at all,” Han Yoojin responds.
Sung Hyunjae enters the screen and takes a seat. He’s dressed in a name brand three-piece gray suit that’s worth the annual earnings of a middle-class family’s income.
Han Yoojin follows closely after, waving politely to the staff, and taking a seat on far on the other edge of the couch. He’s dressed much more comfortably with a sweater vest and a more relaxed aesthetic, complete with a scarf wrapped around his neck.
There’s an awkward amount of distance between the two.
“Sorry,” the cameraman says, “if you two could just move closer together so that we could fit you both in frame, that would be great.”
Sung Hyunjae stands up and makes a point to sit directly next to Han Yoojin, who makes a displeased expression. Their legs are brushing.
“Oh, there’s no need to sit that close—“
“No worries,” Sung Hyunjae says, self-satisfied grin tilting on the edge of his lips. He extends his arm across the back of the couch, effectively trapping Han Yoojin there. “We’re very comfortable.”
The audio recorder hears Han Yoojin mumble something that has the cadence of an insult under his breath, but there are no other complaints.
The interviewer takes this as her cue. “Great! Shall we begin?”]
Vanity Fair Presents: Questions With The Cast of TSCTIR
“Hello Vanity Fair, my name is Han Yoojin and I play the main character in the upcoming movie The S-Classes That I Raised.”
“My name is Sung Hyunjae. I play myself, or at least, the character with the same name as me.”
“I heard that they actually had to change the name of the character for you,” the interviewer says. “Is that true?”
“They did,” Sung Hyunjae confirms, keeping his words light and good-natured. He tilts his head towards his fellow actor. “Yoojin kept accidentally saying my name while filming and the directors eventually just changed it because we had to keep redoing the shot.”
“It was much easier in the long run,” Han Yoojin says pleasantly. “I enjoyed scenes where I got to insult him. I don’t have to imagine much when it’s his real name.”
“I also enjoyed the scenes where you insulted me, Yoojin.”
“Masochist.”
Sung Hyunjae hums, resting his head on his elbow and leaning closer to Han Yoojin. “Any attention you give me is welcome, positive or otherwise.”
“Times Magazine called you the most influential actor of the decade,” Han Yoojin counters, putting a hand on his chest to maintain the distance. “You get enough attention.”
“Yes, but not from you.”
“Maybe try being more interesting for a change.”
“I would, but we’re on camera right now,” Sung Hyunjae says, a small smirk ghosting his lips. “Unless you’re into that?”
“What type of nonsense are you saying?” Han Yoojin says. His tone is flat, but the interviewer catches his ears turning bright red. “Your fans are going to take that out of context.”
“Let them,” Sung Hyunjae says, finally leaning back, seemingly satisfied at Han Yoojin’s reaction. “I look forward to seeing what they come up with.”
“I feel sorry for them, being a fan of such a strange person.”
“And who should they be a fan of instead?”
“Han Yoohyun. Please vote for him for this year’s People’s Choice Awards everyone.”
“And for TSCTIR as well,” Sung Hyunjae adds.
“And for TSCTIR too,” Han Yoojin agrees.
The interviewer takes that as her cue and asks the first question. “This is the first movie that you two have worked on together, although you have both been in the industry for quite a while. What was your first impression of each other?”
“Our first meeting was pretty unconventional,” Han Yoojin says. “My cat, Peace, had escaped from my trailer and ended up sneaking into Hyunjae’s. Peace destroyed a lot of the flowers that Hyunjae’s fans had sent—“
“Those poor hydrangeas,” Sung Hyunjae comments.
“—and I had to break in to stop him from doing any more damage. That’s how Hyunjae found us.”
“That’s quite the situation.” the interviewer laughs. “What were you thinking when you stumbled across that scene?”
“I thought that the cameras didn’t do Yoojin justice,” Sung Hyunjae says, his smile widening as Han Yoojin grimaces at the blatant flattery. “And that I needed to get better locks. Although, I did appreciate the opportunity to talk to Han Yoojin alone.”
“I thought you were nice at first,” Han Yoojin sighs. “But in hindsight, I would’ve preferred to work with Noah. Is it too late to re-shoot the movie, do you think?”
Sung Hyunjae does not look put off in the slightest. There’s a playful glint in his eye that seems to invite the challenge. “You’re very welcome to try.”
“No major issues on set, I hope,” the interviewer says.
They speak at the same time.
“Not at all,” Sung Hyunjae says.
“Plenty,” Han Yoojin says.
The interviewer thinks her concern must be showing on her face because Sung Hyunjae quickly assures her, “We have a very amicable relationship.”
“Right,” the interviewer agrees. “How did you make up for Peace destroying Sung Hyunjae’s trailer?”
“Yoojin was kind enough to agree to go on a date with me.”
“It wasn’t a date,” Han Yoojin quickly intervenes. “We’re not dating.”
Not dating, the interview thinks doubtfully. Sung Hyunjae’s hand has migrated to the back of Han Yoojin’s neck and is currently playing with his hair. She doesn’t think either of them have noticed this yet.
“That matter is subject to change,” Sung Hyunjae says to the camera. “I can ask in an official capacity if you’d like me to, Yoojin.”
“My voicemail seems to be out of storage. Try again in two to three weeks please.”
“Hmm…I’m quite busy for the next few weeks, but I can adjust my schedule. How does 3:00pm next Friday sound?”
Han Yoojin pick up his phone and fakes checking his calendar. “Ah, looks like I’ll be sick during that time.”
“How terrible.” Sung Hyunjae puts a hand to his heart in mock concern. “Luckily enough, I’ll be free enough to drive you to the hospital.”
“No need. I’m sure it’ll clear up as soon as you’re busy again.”
“What a convenient illness.”
“Isn’t it?” Han Yoojin agrees, the corner of his lips quirking upwards. “I only developed it after I started working with you.”
“I should take responsibility then,” Sung Hyunjae says teasingly. “Shall I donate to a cause?”
“The only treatment seems to be time away from you, unfortunately.”
“That is unfortunate,” Sung Hyunjae says, not sounding very sympathetic at all. “I’m afraid you’ll have to suffer a little longer on my behalf Yoojin. If you’d like, I can buy you a gift to make up for it.”
“A new apartment would be nice. I’ve heard New York is peaceful this time of the year.”
“Consider it done.”
What type of relationship do they have? That they would be able to give gifts of that magnitude so easily? The interviewer wonders. She might have to remind them they’re on camera. Sung Hyunjae and Han Yoojin act as if they’re the only two people in the room, and it would be cute if it wasn’t eating the few minutes she had to interview them.
As much as she’d love to let them continue, she does have a job to do. She clears her throat a bit louder than she normally would.
Han Yoojin startles and turns to her, looking a bit sheepish. “Ah, next question please.”
“Han Yoojin. In the past, you’ve often played a side character or made a cameo while your brother, Han Yoohyun, played the main character. How does it feel being the lead?”
“It was intimidating at first,” Han Yoojin admits. “Especially when I was working with such big names like Moon Hyuna and Song Taewon. I had heard they were hard to work with, but that wasn’t true at all.”
“Yoojin was everyone’s favorite,” Sung Hyunjae remarks. “I know for a fact that Park Yerim purposefully messed up some of her lines just so she could spend more time filming with him.”
“That is not true,” Han Yoojin says defensively. “She said she was nervous because she had never filmed a movie before.”
“Park Yerim has been in two Broadway musicals and has also starred in multiple television shows since she was in middle school. I would argue that she’s had more time getting comfortable with the camera than you, actually.”
“I…” Han Yoojin pauses, sinking deep into thought, as if he had never considered this before.
Sung Hyunjae chuckles. “Oblivious as always,” he says, almost to himself. “The flowers you kept receiving were from me, by the way.”
“Those were from you?” Han Yoojin exclaims. “I thought those were from the fans.”
“I thought Peace would have fun destroying them, considering what he did to my trailer.”
“He did,” Han Yoojin reluctantly admits before raising an eyebrow suspiciously. “And you were the one sending me chocolates, right?”
“No, that was Kang Sooyoung. As thanks for taking care of Comet when she was busy.”
“But they were signed with your name?”
“She was trying to convince me to give her a raise.” Sung Hyunjae gives a wry smile. “Very clever of her. It worked.”
Han Yoojin shakes his head in exasperation. “Anything else I wasn’t privy to?”
Sung Hyunjae thinks for a moment. “We used to have a schedule about who would get to visit you in your trailer. It was divided based on who had the most scenes with you that day, so that’s why most people were forced to stick to just watching you during shooting.”
“That…explains a lot. It was nerve-racking when everyone on set came to watch.”
“It was very entertaining to watch you slip into character,” Sung Hyunjae says reassuringly. “You were perfect.”
“I think it was easy for me to slip into character because he has a very similar background to me,” Han Yoojin says thoughtfully. “When I was reading the novel, I felt like the main character was really relatable. I definitely wasn’t perfect, but I tried my best.”
“He’s being modest,” Sung Hyunjae says firmly. “I expect you’ll be seeing Han Yoojin win an Oscar and a Golden Globe by the time awards season rolls around.”
The interviewer, somehow, doesn’t doubt it. The way Sung Hyunjae says it — like it’s a fact of the universe, gives light to the sheer, undeniable confidence he has in Han Yoojin. As if the envelopes have already been sealed and the winner set by fate.
“A bold claim to make,” The interviewer says as Han Yoojin stammers. “On the other hand, Sung Hyunjae, you usually star in any movie you make an appearance in. How was it playing a side character for once?”
“It was a great experience,” Sung Hyunjae says. “I wanted to join the cast ever since I heard that Han Yoojin was going to be the main character. I’m very much a fan of his.”
“So we’ve heard,” the interviewer says, taking out a new bundle of flashcards from the side table. “We’ve actually prepared a list of questions from the Han Yoojin fan quiz. Would you be willing to attempt to answer some of them?”
“Oh?” Sung Hyunjae looks intrigued. “I would be delighted to.”
“How well do you think you know me?” Han Yoojin asks.
“I believe I will get a passing score,” Sung Hyunjae says confidently.
“This test is notoriously difficult for Han Yoojin fans, but we picked out five questions for you. We’ll start with the easy questions and they’ll increase in difficulty from there,” the interviewer explains. After they nod, she asks, “First question, what is Han Yoojin’s favorite food?”
“It used to be gopchang,” Sung Hyunjae says, “But nowadays it’s cake from the Cluizel Chocolatier in Paris. We visited when we were filming there.”
“It tasted better because it was on your credit card,” Han Yoojin says.
“I’ll have to trouble you into accompanying me back to Paris then.”
“As long as you’re paying.”
“I’m starting to think you only keep me company because of my money.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Han Yoojin says airily. “Your fame matters to.”
“I’ll take care not to disappoint Yoojin.”
“The quiz will have to be updated,” The interviewer says good-naturedly. She’s starting to learn that this is just their way of…communicating? Flirting? She’s been around enough actors to know they tend to have strange quirks. “What does Han Yoojin always ask for when he’s in his trailer?”
“Cat treats for Peace. Sometimes, millet seed for Chirpie.”
“Correct! What entertainment company is Han Yoojin affiliated with?”
“He’s the founder of Kiseungsu Co., but he should consider quitting and joining me at Seseong.”
“I’ve already considered and rejected your offer,” Han Yoojin says.
“Really?” Sung Hyunjae muses. “I guess I’ll just have to put in more effort.”
The interviewer holds up a picture of a movie still. Pixelated is an understatement; it looks somewhat similar to a Rorschach test, only with more color. “What movie with Han Yoojin is this photograph from?”
“Fear Resistance.”
“I can’t even tell what that is,” Han Yoojin says, squinting at the image. “Are you sure that’s me?”
“I would never mistake my beloved Yoojin’s face.”
“Who’re you calling yours? A little presumptuous, don’t you think?”
“You’ve always been mine,” Sung Hyunjae says shamelessly.
“…”
Han Yoojin doesn’t bother giving the comment a response.
The interviewer lets the silence sit for a moment before asking the last question. “What was Han Yoojin’s first role on television?”
“He narrated a five minute nature documentary about penguins before he made any visual appearances,” Sung Hyunjae answers.
“Correct! You got all of the questions right.”
“Surprising,” Han Yoojin says, thoroughly impressed.
Sung Hyunjae smiles pleasantly. “Do I get a prize?”
“Depends on the prize.”
“Hm,” Sung Hyunjae pretends to be deep in thought. “A kiss?”
Han Yoojin feigns ignorance, making a show of searching through his pockets. “I’m afraid I don’t have any chocolate on me right now.”
That pulls a small laugh from Sung Hyunjae, who doesn’t seem disappointed in the least. “Another time then.”
The interviewer returns to the prepared questions. “Were there any behind-the-scene shots or bloopers from the movie that you wish had made the cut?”
“Moon Hyuna breaking one of the prop swords because she was too strong,” Han Yoojin says.
“Song Taewon crashing one of the cars,” Sung Hyunjae says. “They ended up borrowing one of the producer’s cars instead.”
Han Yoojin narrows his eyes. “Wasn’t it your fault that Song Taewon crashed?”
Sung Hyunjae at least has the decency to pretend to look apologetic. “I did pay for it, afterwards. The concerned expression that he makes is very funny.”
“That’s because he’s actually a decent person.”
“Decency is subjective.”
“Would a decent person run their life based off of what’s fun?” Han Yoojin challenges. “Open a charity or something.”
“I have one.”
“Do something else then.”
“I’ve done everything I’ve wanted already,” Sung Hyunjae says.
Han Yoojin looks at him incredulously before muttering to himself, “The world really is unfair…”
The interviewer silently agrees with him. Being born into money would’ve been nice. That being said, she doesn’t mind her job that much. The next question is one the fans have been dying to have answered.
She reaches into a folder and pulls out two photos for them to see, laying them on the table.
The first photo is of Sung Hyunjae on the red carpet, wearing a long red velvet coat and waving as cameras flash. It had been taken at the premiere of one of the movies he starred in, titled Seeker Chains.
The second photo is at a much later date and has a lower resolution, depicting Han Yoojin ducking into a restaurant, wearing the same coat.
“No comment.”
Sung Hyunjae moves to speak, but Han Yoojin slaps a hand over his mouth before he can make a sound.
“No comment,” Han Yoojin repeats, shooting him a glare.
Sung Hyunjae’s eyes sparkle with mirth, but he holds his hands up in surrender. He mimics zipping his mouth and throwing away the key.
The fans will simply have to use their imagination.
The interviewer continues. “There’s been a rumor going around that Han Yoojin got injured during the filming of this movie. Can you explain more about the situation?”
“There was a bit of a safety issue,” Han Yoojin says a bit nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s this scene in the movie where we use wires to fly. One of my cables ended up breaking and I fell maybe twelve feet. Hyunjae had to carry me to the medics.”
“We had to pause filming for a month,” Sung Hyunjae confirms, tilting to look at Han Yoojin. The look in his eyes is uncharacteristically serious. “I was worried, you know.”
“I know,” Han Yoojin says quietly, before looking up at him with a warm smile. “I’m all good now though. No need to worry.”
Sung Hyunjae’s keeps his stare for another moment before letting it ease into something more gentle. He offers a smile of his own, unpracticed and lovely all the same, seemingly reserved only for Han Yoojin.
Then, he’s back to his previous expression in less than a second - well-trained and charming enough that it makes the interviewer think she was somehow imagining what just happened.
“Luckily enough, Han Yoojin was fine and there were no lasting injuries,” Sung Hyunjae says.
“Hollywood can’t get rid of me yet,” Han Yoojin says, giving a wink to the camera.
“We’re all very glad to hear that it was nothing serious,” the interviewer says, flipping to the last two questions. “What did you like most about working with each other on this film?”
Sung Hyunjae takes a pause to mull over the question. “Most people tend to be nervous when they’re around someone like me,” he says. It’s not hard to see why — from the designer clothes to the well-worn confidence, every inch of him screams money and power. “Han Yoojin was not. If I remember correctly, he even called me out for skipping a reading once.”
“He’s not half as scary as everyone thinks he is,” Han Yoojin huffs, reaching up to flick his forehead with something akin to affection. “See? Human like the rest of us.”
No, the interviewer thinks, watching as Sung Hyunjae’s gaze softens. Han Yoojin is definitely fearless. In this industry, anyone would be afraid of someone who could ruin their career.
Sung Hyunjae grabs the hand that flicked his forehead and intertwines their fingers before bringing it to his lap.
Han Yoojin makes a half hearted effort to pull his hand away, cheeks coloring with light pink. When he sees that Sung Hyunjae has no intention of letting go any time soon, he gives an exasperated exhale and simply allows it to happen.
Or maybe, The interviewer watches and quickly jots down some comments, Sung Hyunjae just treats Han Yoojin differently from everyone else.
“I like to think that I’m at least above average,” Sung Hyunjae says.
“Your personality could use some work,” Han Yoojin says, a touch of amusement in his eyes. “But your looks are somewhat okay.”
“Careful,” Sung Hyunjae warns, “That was almost a compliment.”
“What if it was?” Han Yoojin asks lightly.
As they bicker, the interviewer notes how Han Yoojin’s trained smile loosens, becomes more genuine. She would say that he looks almost…fond.
“I might start to believe that you’ve fallen for me,” Sung Hyunjae teases.
Han Yoojin laughs. “Are you sure you don’t have it the other way around?”
“I would love to confess, but you’ll have to wait two to three weeks to find out,” Sung Hyunjae says, echoing Han Yoojin’s earlier words.
“Your fan club will be heartbroken.”
“Your opinion is the one that matters the most.”
Han Yoojin raises a hand and brushes Sung Hyunjae’s hair out of his face with too much care to be anything but adoring, even if he tries to hide it. “Sap.”
“Since we’re running out of time, I’m going to have to cut you off there,” the interviewer says apologetically. Han Yoojin quickly snatches his hand back, flustered by what he had just done. Sung Hyunjae, on the other hand, looks particularly smug.
“There’s only one thing I have left to ask you: What’s next?”
“Yoojin and I have a lot of upcoming projects together, but we’re all tied up by NDA’s right now,” Sung Hyunjae says. “Hopefully, you’ll be seeing more of us in the future.”
“For now, we just want to say thank you to everyone for their support,” Han Yoojin says, expressing his gratitude towards the camera. “TSCTIR really is an amazing movie and everyone should get the chance to see it in theaters. Thank you for watching and I hope we’ll see you soon!”
[“Cut!”
The camera cuts from color to black and white. The audio continues to roll as ads pop up on the screen.
The producer’s voice calls out, “That’s a wrap!” Applause rings out across the room. There’s the sound of shuffling as people begin to move equipment.
“Thank you for the interview. It was great having you two here,” says the interviewer.
“It was fun!” says Han Yoojin. “Easier than expected.”
“Are there any parts that you want us to cut?”
“Maybe the part where Hyunjae was talking about the Oscars. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes.”
“Keep it in,” Sung Hyunjae interjects.
“You’re confident, huh?”
“Of course, I have faith in Yoojin.” His tone of voice makes it clear there’s no room for argument.
They stare at each other, a silent war of wills.
Eventually, Han Yoojin sighs. “Fine. You can leave it in, but if people start blacklisting me I expect to be compensated.”
“I’ll support you for the rest of your life, if you want me to.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”]
Recommended:
Oscar Nomination Announcements | Hosted by Park Yerim and Moon Hyuna
“Sung Hyunjae has been insufferable” - Han Yoojin about his Oscar nomination on the Late Night Show with Yoo Myeongwoo
Sung Hyunjae reacts to Han Yoojin’s Oscar Nomination (Exclusive)
Han Yoojin Wins Best Actor | Oscars (2023)
Golden Globe Awards | Han Yoojin wins Best Actor in a Motion Picture for “The S-Classes that I Raised”
Golden Globe Awards | Sung Hyunjae wins Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for “The S-Classes that I Raised”
Sung Hyunjae’s Full Speech at the Golden Globes - “Thank you to the cast of TSCTIR. Han Yoojin, I was right, wasn’t I?”
Comments:
I’m not even in this video and I feel like I’m third wheeling
An interview with the cast of TSCTIR, aka 10 minutes of Sung Hyunjae and Han Yoojin flirting
Han Yoojin needs to drop the ‘how to get a sugar daddy’ tutorial ASAP I am running out of rent and do not have a hot actor buying me apartments
Fellas is it gay to ask your fellow cast member to give you a kiss
Sung Hyunjae doing better than me on the Han Yoojin fan quiz is my thirteenth reason
After this interview, they went backstage and kissed change my mind
I’ve been a fan of Sung Hyunjae for like 5 years and I’ve NEVER seen him smile the way he does at 7:15
Bookmarking this so I can come back once they confirm that they’re dating
EDIT 1: Y’ALL I WAS RIGHT THEY CONFIRMED IT THEY’RE DATING!!
EDIT 2: They’ve apparently been secretly married?!? WTF? For a year now? Han Yoojin’s ring cost more than I’ll make in my entire life I’m gonna be honest
Edit 3: They have a WHOLE ASS CHILD together