Jo In-sung Recalls First-take Swim With Jeon Do-yeon

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The “Possible Love” actor describes the nerves, physical preparation and location coordination behind a demanding scene directed by Lee Chang-dong.

Jo In-sung says one of his most demanding scenes with Jeon Do-yeon in “Possible Love” received director Lee Chang-dong’s approval on the first take, following careful preparation for a nude swimming sequence filmed in Goheung.

According to his November 10 interview with Sports Kyunghyang, the difficulty involved more than appearing unclothed on camera. The actors needed a controlled environment, the location required cooperation from people nearby, and Jo was beginning his work on the film with a scene carrying considerable dramatic weight.

Four people dining together at a table filled with Korean dishes and drinks

A Difficult Scene at the Start of Filming

Jo plays Sang-woo, whose encounter with Jeon’s Mi-ok forms part of the film’s story about two married couples drawn together through a documentary project. According to Sports Kyunghyang, he explained that the swimming scene had to be filmed early because it required entering the water.

For Jo, that meant approaching a pivotal section of the story near the beginning of his own filming schedule. He recalled feeling particularly sensitive and nervous the day before, conscious that the scene could become uncomfortable and difficult for the performers.

He credited the people supporting the production with helping the first take earn approval. His account emphasizes the work surrounding the performance, including managing what could appear behind the actors and keeping the location suitable for filming.

From the Script’s Bullfighting Image to Shark-Like Movement

According to the interview, the screenplay compared the two characters’ situation to a bullfighter and a bull. Jo described taking that physical imagery further in his approach to Sang-woo, wanting his movement through the water to suggest a swimming shark.

That explanation offers a more specific understanding of his preparation than the scene’s nudity alone. He was considering how movement could communicate an animal quality and generate tension between the characters, making the swim part of the performance rather than simply an activity required by the script.

Our reading is that the distinction matters because an actor’s physical choices can carry meaning that dialogue does not spell out. Jo’s description identifies the effect he intended to create, although it should not be treated as the only possible interpretation of the finished scene.

Possible Love Netflix film poster featuring four people, a moonlit seaside scene, and the release date November 6

Location Control Helped the Actors Concentrate

Jo also told Sports Kyunghyang that boats and local residents could not appear in the background of the shot. He expressed appreciation for the cooperation that allowed filming to proceed quickly, explaining that a prolonged shoot would have made the performance harder.

According to his account, the actors placed their trust in Lee while the wider team helped manage the circumstances around them. The first-take approval was therefore presented as the result of collective preparation as well as concentration in front of the camera.

That is different from saying the sequence was easy or improvised. The interview describes anticipation, a clear performance intention and practical coordination, with the brief filming period following work already invested in getting the conditions right.

Two Marriages at the Center of Possible Love

Netflix’s official introduction describes “Possible Love” as the story of a laid-off worker and his wife meeting a documentary filmmaker and her husband. Sul Kyung-gu plays Ho-seok and Jeon plays Mi-ok, while Cho Yeo-jeong portrays filmmaker Ye-ji and Jo plays Sang-woo.

According to Netflix, the documentary and a shared summer trip bring differences between their lives, unresolved wounds and hidden desires into closer contact. That framework places the swimming scene within a broader story of relationships under pressure.

Our earlier coverage of the film’s poster examined how its imagery separates the characters even when they occupy the same frame. Jo’s interview supplies a different perspective, explaining the performance decisions behind a scene rather than the visual design of the promotion. Readers can also find the film within our overview of this year’s Blue Dragon acting nominations.

Now Available on Netflix

Netflix’s release announcement confirms that “Possible Love” arrived on the platform worldwide on November 6. The film is directed by Lee Chang-dong and stars Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Jo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong.

Jo’s recollection adds a practical account of how a demanding scene was approached: through a specific physical idea, cooperation around the location and a concentrated first attempt that met the director’s expectations.

Editor’s Note: The filming details are attributed to Jo In-sung’s Sports Kyunghyang interview. First-take approval refers to the take he discussed, rather than establishing that every shot in the sequence was filmed only once.