September 1, 2021
Disclaimer: Article is roughly translated. It may contain inaccuracies. Please pardon any mistakes.
[Interview]
Q: You’ve been so busy.
A: I was hoping to have a bit of free time after filming River Where The Moon Rises (RWTMR) but filming started right away for At A Distance, Spring Is Green. And I’m thankful that I got scheduled for photoshoots and a variety show. I’m having a busier life than I thought.
Q: You also had a shoot for MBC Radio Star.
A: I was very nervous. The seniors who I guested with took care of me, so I finished the shoot well. I spoke as honestly as I could. I’m still not confident about appearing on variety shows, but I want to do it again.
Q: You were unexpectedly offered the role of Ondal as the main actor dropped out of the show. You must have felt a lot of pressure.
A: Rather than feeling pressured, I felt a sense of responsibility whether I can do it or not. I did my best, and I’m really thankful to the viewers for loving it. It was a situation where the drama would air after the shoot, so I felt burdened later on. Honestly, there was no time to feel pressured at first. The director gave me acting freedom from the first day so I had a lot of fun on set.
Q: They said you almost got casted for the role of King Yeongyang. How do you feel about meeting Kim So Hyun who almost met as your sister (in the drama)?
A: Even if I met So Hyun as King Yeongyang, I would’ve still enjoyed filming as much as I did (when meeting her as On Dal). So Hyun and I met her for the second time. We’ve said hello to each other before and thankfully So Hyun remembered me, so I was more than happy.
Q: It was a tight schedule where you filmed 40 scenes in a day. Did you think that was possible?
A: Every minute, every second, every hour, I only filmed looking forward. I’m thankful to all the actors and staff on set who took care of me, and helped me feel comfortable both in acting and mentally. Honestly, everyone was tired and worn out. But we still gathered our strength and worked hard to show a good atmosphere.
Q: Since you re-filmed after (the character of) On Dal is already established, you must have worried a lot about setting the character up again.
A: My interpretation of On Dal and the original interpretation are different. I also worried that if On Dal’s atmosphere suddenly changed, the viewers might feel different. But looking at On Dal’s character, I felt that he was a free-spirited character with a lot of things to express. Thinking that it was ‘all or nothing,’ I went ahead with my interpretation of On Dal, and I think that honesty was seen by the viewers. Honestly, there’s no right answer to character interpretation. It’s just they’re all slightly different. I might have just been lucky, but I’m thankful that many viewers loved On Dal.
Q: It probably wasn’t easy to flesh out the character On Dal. What did you think On Dal was like?
A: The title of the folktale itself is called “On Dal the Fool and Princess Pyeong Gang.” I don’t think that he was named ‘the Fool’ because he was a fool, so I thought that On Dal’s character depends on our imagination. When I first saw the script, I didn’t feel the image of “On Dal the Fool” that we commonly see in the folktale. I recall that the reason On Dal was called a fool, was because of his environment. The people around him saw On Dal as a fool, but I think rather than being a real fool, he chose to live like one. In fact, there were parts that were adapted like that.
Q: You showed your growth every time through RWTMR. How did you feel about yourself?
A: As the filming went on, I became more comfortable with the other person (I’m acting with). As the filming set became more comfortable, there were many things I could do with the other actors. In the scenes with So Hyun, we both thought a lot about creating more interesting elements. The director was the one who gave the details on the romance, but I wanted to demonstrate more chemistry with Pyeong Gang in other scenes on top of the romance parts. As we got more comfortable with that, the viewers took it more comfortably and naturally.
Q: I think the filming site must have been intense. Were you able to get some healing time in such a busy site?
A: The filming location was very beautiful that I was able to get and breathe some fresh air. That was healing in itself, and it was my own little happiness.
Q: There were many comments saying it was great to have a happy ending.
A: As I followed the progress of the drama, I also thought this ending is the most natural. Historically, a sad ending would be right, but our drama is, at some point, a fiction with some imagination. I think the viewers would have liked it because it was a convincing ending. I also filmed and was convinced it was a happy ending.
Q: You have a lot of affectionate nicknames such as HoHoBa (a fool that isn’t a pushover), GoDiBa (Goguryeo’s biggest fool), and JunBa (a fool who is always ready). Personally, what’s your favorite nickname?
A: GoDiBa. The meaning may be different, but the word somewhat feels luxurious. Ha ha. And I think it sticks to my mouth the most.
Q: On the KBS drama At A Distance, Spring is Green, you’re going to do a special appearance as Yeo Jun Wan, the older brother of Yeo Jun.
A: Jun Wan is a very different character from On Dal. I start filming right after RWTMR so I’m thinking and preparing a lot. Jun Wan is very different from the characters I’ve played so far, so I think this will be a new challenge for me. I tend to deliver my characters persistently. I’m showing new acting right after RWTMR ends, and it feels like I’m taking a test in front of the viewers.
Q: Successively, you’ll be appearing as Gong Soo Kwang in the drama The Jinx’s Lover.
A: Thankfully, Director Yoon Sang Ho came to see me again, so I’m looking forward to a fun project. I also want to put my best self forward to the viewers.
Q: It’s been a while since you started acting. Was there a special reason as to why you chose to be an actor?
A: I wanted to do a variety of things when I was in elementary school. While watching famous dramas at that time, I vaguely thought that I also wanted to try something like that. Then in my 3rd grade of middle school, I received a business card from an agency through street casting. I was a trainee for quite a while and it didn’t work out, so I took a break and thought about my career. I decided to try acting, which was something I wanted to do when I was young. I wanted to do acting until the day I die, and that’s how I started.
Q: Many people say that through RWTMR, you took an opportunity through chance and proved that chance. What do you think of this opinion?
A: I was just doing my job. I’m just thankful that the viewers gave me good ratings. Honestly, I didn’t think of this as just an “opportunity”. It was a work that was given to me, and acting itself is a job that I love so much, so I only did my best.
Q: You must have characters that you want to show in the characters, right?
A: I think the viewers remember my bright characters, but I want to show a genre with rough and dark acting. I also want to try an action-noir genre like the movie <Sunflower>.
Q: So far, as an actor, it seems that you showed Na In Woo’s charms in a compressed way within a short amount of time. Can you pick a new charming point?
A: You’ll find out when you meet me. Ha ha. I want to show you more new characters in the future.
Q: You were nominated for the Best New Actor at the 2021 Baeksang Arts Awards.
A: It was such an honor to be suddenly nominated and to attend. Some people said that winning the award is very valuable and important, but even if I didn’t get the award, I’m thankful enough to be able to attend and fill in my seat.
Q: What kind of actor do you want to be in the future?
A: An actor who never changes, and an actor who always acts with sincerity. I’ve been thinking about this recently, but I’m greatly influenced by my seniors. Someday, if I also become someone’s senior, I want to be an actor who gives good influence and become a good role model. In order to do that, I’d have to act for a long time.
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