Christine: This must be quite a relief for you, after the flak Jin got initially! What was your reaction when you read the script for "...In Translation" the first time? Did Jin's back story fulfill your hopes? It must also have been nice to smile for a change!

Daniel: It was a thrill to see and read, "...In Translation." The writers of our show do such a great job of revealing a character's backstory, and at the same time, allowing them to retain their mystery. My episode was no exception. As much as I learned about Jin, it left me wanting to know even more. To me, that's a sign of great television writing. And yeah, it always feels nice to smile. :)

Christine: Is there a deeper meaning behind the title, "...In Translation", than just the obvious reference to the language barrier between Jin and the other castaways?

Daniel: I think it speaks to the state of all us on the island. As Locke said, "We all get a new life here." It doesn't matter who we were or what we wanted in our previous life, we're all making the transition - or "translation" to who we need to be now. Then again, maybe it's just a title...

Family reunion

Christine: Jin admitted to Sun's father that he comes from a fishing village. So why did he say his father was dead?

Daniel: It's part of the notion that Jin doesn't feel worthy of Sun's family. There's a strong sense that he needs to live up to the idea of what Sun's ideal husband should be, instead of allowing the person he is to be enough. There's no doubt in mind that he loves his father deeply, but the fact that he's willing to forsake him to be with Sun speaks volumes about his depth of feeling for her. Jin is a man who commits himself 100% to the things he believes in, and as we've already seen, sometimes that gets him into trouble.

There are also some cultural implications. In Korea, the kind of family that Sun comes from would be extremely particular in who would marry into it. A man from a poor fishing village wouldn't fit into that profile.

Christine: You once mentioned being uncomfortable about the violence in an episode of Angel when your character, Gavin, attacked Stephanie Romanov's character Lilah. Was there any of that uncomfortable vibe here when Jin hit Secretary Han?

Daniel: It doesn't hurt to be a little mindful of violence on TV in general, but the discomfort I felt in the scene w/Stephanie had more to do with idea of violence towards women. That's not something I like to see unless it's really thought through and done for specific storytelling purposes. I'm not saying it wasn't appropriate on ANGEL. I'm just speaking generally.

Self reflection

Christine: We saw in aforementioned scene that Jin is capable of violence. Why did he not fight back when Michael was beating him up, or at least try to defend himself? Does Jin feel like he deserves to be punished or is he just afraid of what he knows he's capable of?

Daniel: Primarily since he knew there was no way to communicate his innocence, any violence on his part would be interpreted as a confirmation of guilt. It probably would have caused others to join in as well. I think Jin knows that he's not well-liked on the island. It's part of why he stays away from people, especially because being the outsider is completely contrary to his nature. Look at his early life, how charming and friendly he is. Look at the kind, gentle nature of his father. To me, that's Jin. But his life on the island has been filled with so much suffering. It seems like less of a "tabula rasa," (one of the episode titles) and more of a punishment for past sins. For instance, almost every time he tries to help someone on the island, it gets misinterpreted - from the offering of sea urchins as food, to not peeing on Hurley's foot (that's for jellyfish stings, btw). I'm sure a part of him knew that as much as he wanted to help, putting out the fire would backfire as well.

I also think buried somewhere under there, Jin harbors a certain level of self-hatred. I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to make manifest some of the pain he'd been feeling on the inside since the crash.

...Sorry. I'm rambling now, but Jin is as complex as any character I've ever played. I'm grateful to the writers for letting me play someone with so many layers and conflicts. I know we've gotten some flak about Jin being a one-dimensional stereotype, but honestly, after these recent episodes, it's hard for me to agree.

Christine: When Sun told Jin she wanted to go back to the beginning, he told her it's too late. Why do you think Jin feels that way? Could he even have had an altruistic reason to distance himself, or was he simply disappointed about Sun's lack of faith and her keeping secrets from him?

"It's too late"

Daniel: I think it goes back to the fact that he gave up so much for her: his ambition, his future, his family. Discovering that she had been keeping a secret, especially one as big as learning a new language, which requires months, even years, to learn, must have been a huge betrayal. And I do think part of his leaving was altruistic. I also think Jin realizes that since she knows English, he'd only be holding her back now. Maybe losing her is also part of his penance.

Christine: Is there still hope for Jin and Sun?

Daniel: Absolutely. Where there's love, there's hope. Corny, huh? I think it's true though.

Christine: What do you think is Jin's motivation for helping Michael to rebuild the raft? And did we glimpse the beginning of a wonderful friendship there?

Daniel: I think he now believes his clean slate starts OFF the island, not on it. After all that he's been through, he knows leaving is what he needs to do for his own survival, physically and psychologically. As far as a friendship with Michael is concerned, we'll see what the future holds, but they sure are off to a rocky start, aren't they?

Christine: There are fans who still think Jin at least understands a little English--he certainly knew the word "boat". I won't ask you to confirm or deny, but can you tell me whether you know for sure if he understands and/or speaks English?

Daniel: I think "...In Translation" made it pretty clear, but I think the question really is how quickly he'll want to start making an effort to communicate. That's as much a character choice as a question of his ability.

Christine: Will Jin start interacting more with the other castaways now?

Boat building

Daniel: I can't wait for that! Given the diversity of characters, there's so much to look forward to. For instance, what would a scene between Jin and Locke be like, or what kind of a situation would bring Jin and Sawyer together? Interesting, no?

Christine: Where would you like to see Jin go from here?

Daniel: I'm really happy with the way he's progressing. I think his motivations are clear, his storyline is being fleshed out, and his journey is coming into focus. I guess the only thing left now is for him to start speaking English. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Christine: How difficult is it to pretend not to speak English? In other words, is it hard not being able to really react to anyone's lines? Or do you like that aspect of the character?

Daniel: It's an interesting challenge. I first have to hear what's being said, determine how I'd react, THEN try to make choices that don't betray that I, as the actor, understand the lines. It takes a little extra work, but as with many things about this character, it's a unique opportunity.

Christine: Among all Jin scenes pre "...In Translation", one fan favorite is the one between Hurley and Jin on the beach in "Hearts and Minds"--they were compared to Laurel and Hardy, in fact. How many takes did you need to tape that?

Mute frustration

Daniel: Funny you should ask. We had a lot of fun shooting that scene, but it ended up taking a couple of days actually. As we were shooting, a moray eel started swimming around my legs! From the way our water safety crew started screaming, we gathered that moray eel bites can cause serious injury. We actually had to get out of the water and shut down for the day. We ended up coming back and finishing the scene about a week later.

Christine: Could you tell us your favorite Jin scene and your favorite episode of Lost?

Daniel: My favorite episode? Lost "...In Translation" of course!

Christine: You've been taking some flak for your inability to speak the Seoul accent well, but since it was revealed that Jin actually comes from a fishing village, is that not an acceptable reason to have the less refined accent?

Daniel: I think so, but the combination of the Busan accent and my American accent can make it harder for the average Korean to understand. That's why I've been trying to eliminate any kind of regionalisms in my dialogue. It's important to me that the Koreans watching this show are proud of the work Yunjin and I are doing. It's really the first time Koreans have been portrayed on American TV in such an in-depth way. I want to make the most of the opportunity, even if it means having to work a little harder to do it.

I've come to realize though, that there will always be a small segment of the Korean viewing public that will dismiss my work because my Korean isn't perfect. Just like there are some people who will always call my character a stereotype. If they're looking for a reason to criticize me or my work, there it is, on a platter. But I'm okay with that. Ultimately, there's no way to control how I'm perceived. All I can say is that I'm proud of what I've been able to do on the show, I'm proud to be portraying a Korean, and I'm so honored to be speaking the language of my ancestors. Actually it's a huge tribute to America. What other country in the world has aired a hit show that featured dialogue in a foreign language on a regular basis? I can't think of one. It might be a cliché, but its' true. In many ways, we are in the land of opportunity.

Christine: Do you and Yunjin have any say about the Korean dialogue? Do you help with writing it?

"I promise ..."

Daniel: We have a great translator, and sometimes we do help with the translations. We're very careful though to try and translate exactly what's written for us. We all have a lot of respect for the words our writers choose, and we do our best to honor them.

Christine: What was the reaction from the Korean community in the U.S. and abroad so far?

Daniel: So far I'm really happy to say that it's been overwhelmingly positive. I've gotten a lot of really encouraging feedback, and if the amount of fan mail is any indication, we're doing fantastic. There are those people who are looking for better character development for Jin, and I'm grateful to them for "looking out" for him. I'm sure though, that as the seasons progress and the character continues to grow, they'll turn out to be fans as well. I'm totally confident that Jin -and Sun- are characters that will help change the notion of how Asian Americans are portrayed in mainstream media. After all, the dialogue in "...In Translation" was over 50% in the Korean language! I'm so deeply grateful to J.J., Damon, the producers and abc for taking a chance like that.

Christine: One question is on the mind of many Lost fans: Will Jin get rid of The One Handcuff anytime soon?

Daniel: That's a good question. The whole conceit seems like a little nod to Coleridge, doesn't it? If that's so, then he'll have to transform somehow before it can happen. We'll see when that is. Who knows? Maybe he could have taken it off by himself this whole time...

Christine: When you considered this role, did the fact of having to move to Hawaii if the series gets picked up influence your decision?

Daniel: A little, but it really was a secondary consideration. When you get a chance to be involved with a project like this, it's worth taking a chance and moving. And Hawaii??? Come on! I love it here.

Trying to cool burnt hands

Christine: Did anyone on Lost expect it to be such a big hit, or for it to grow such a huge, dedicated fan base?

Daniel: You know that saying, "Expect the worst, hope for the best?" I think it really applies in the world of television. Sometimes you can be involved with a bad show that seems to stay on the air forever, and other times you can be on a great show that just can't find an audience. It takes the stars to align a certain way for everything to come together. We're lucky enough to be in that place right now.

Christine: Many series and films you've been in fall into the science fiction/fantasy/horror genre, like Spiderman 2, Crusade, Angel, Enterprise, and now Lost. Do you have a preference for that genre?

Daniel: It hasn't been anything intentional. It's just the way my career has developed, I think. Actually, I would like to do some more comedy or romance. It's something I've been looking for in future projects.

I was a huge fan of Star Trek (the original series) though. Maybe sci-fi was in my destiny. :)

That said, I really don't think of Lost as just a sci-fi show. I think part of what makes it so special is that it goes beyond being pigeonholed into any one genre. We definitely have elements of sci-fi, but it's also a human drama about relationships. We've also got some slapstick, romance, mystery... and a whole lot of other stuff thrown in there as well.

Christine: What are your most and least favorite parts of filming Lost, and how does it compare to other series you've been on?

One of many misunderstandings

Daniel: I think the best thing about this experience has been working with such great people. From the cast and the producers, to the writers and crew, it's been a real pleasure to go to work every day.

The worst thing is... definitely the mosquitoes. I've been getting eaten alive! And since Hawaii is so warm, they're around all year 'round. If you ever see Jin with a big welt on his face, you'll know where it came from...

Christine: Who do you hang out with on the set?

Daniel: Pretty much everyone. I live closest to Yunjin and Harold though, so we get together a lot. Ironic, isn't it? The two people I can't seem to get along with on camera, are the ones I've been hanging out with the most off of it.

Christine: Maggie Grace said that since joining Lost, she's seen more naked skin than in her entire life before. There are also tales making the rounds of some cast members going skinny dipping. Would you like to comment on any of that?

Daniel: What happens in Hawaii, stays in Hawaii....

Christine: You have played strong, enigmatic characters with a dry sense of humor on cult shows from Crusade to Angel and now Lost. Do you try to get intriguing roles like this?

Daniel: I look for interesting roles, regardless of genre or media. I think I've been really lucky in getting to do the shows that I have. (knock wood!)

Christine: Out of all the roles you got to play so far, which is your favorite? How do you see the character of Jin in relation to these other roles?

Daniel: I don't think I have a "favorite," but since I've been living with Jin for the past year now, I'd have to say he's the one I've been thinking about the most.

"... She is my dream"

Christine: Quite a few Lost fans know you from 24. They would like to know if you'll be coming back as Agent Baker?

Daniel: I would love to! I really enjoyed my time on 24. It was a great group of people, and like Lost, a very well written show. Of course, my allegiance now is to Lost, but if scheduling worked out, I'd be thrilled to make an appearance back at CTU.

Christine: Have roles in Hollywood for Asian American actors improved and if so, how?

Daniel: We have a long way to go, but we're making progress. There's an increased awareness of Asians in the media now with the success of films from Korea, China, Japan, and Hong Kong. Along with that, certain Asian stars have emerged, like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Choi Min-Shik (a phenomenal actor!), Zhang Zi Yi, and a few others. But they're Asians doing work in their respective countries, which then gets imported here. The challenge now is to find a way to integrate us into the American experience. As Asian Americans, we already are your neighbors, your best friends, your lovers (Sandra Oh rocked in Sideways, didn't she?). We are a part of American life, and I'd really like to see that reflected even more on screen. I do think, though, that by and large, there are more non-stereotypical roles for us now than in the past. That's definitely a step in the right direction.

Christine: Lost's first season will soon be wrapping up, and as you can imagine, we're all very curious what the writers have in store for the season finale. Here's your chance to make us salivate--give us a few cryptic hints about what we can expect from the rest of the season!

Daniel: I sooo wish I could tell you...

Christine: And finally, what are your plans for summer hiatus?

Daniel: I'm still reading scripts, but right now I'm leaning toward heading back to New York to do "Ivanov" by Anton Chekhov. I haven't been on stage in two years and I've really been missing it.

Christine: Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions! We're looking forward to see more of Jin, and wish you the best of luck for your future.

Special thanks from Christine and Daniel to the denizens of the lost-tv.com forum and the DanielDaeKim Yahoogroup for submitting their questions!

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