May 2022 Issue
Disclaimer: Article is roughly translated. It may contain inaccuracies. Please pardon any mistakes.
From Dusk Till Dawn
Q: In 2017, you had a photo shoot with Dazed Korea around this time of the year. You must be feeling a lot of emotions (meeting Dazed) again after 5 years with a new image.
A: I also remember that time. Actually, I didn’t know anything at that time (laughs). Like, how my face looked like, or what poses I should do. That was really when I barely started (my career), and now, I felt comfortable, and I had a great time filming. It seems that as I keep getting older, I’m gradually growing and improving in new ways before I know it.
Q: In 2017, (you) were 23 years old, and your fresh boyish looks stood out. Five years has passed, and now the word “adult” is what comes to mind first. (Dazed) wanted to express Ahn Hyo Seop’s mature appearance through this photo shoot.
A: The atmosphere’s lighting used in today’s shoot is the same, but I think the Calvin Klein brand has masculine beauty in itself. Rather than the straightforward definition of masculine beauty, I think the sensual tone that characterizes the casual visuals is what makes it attractive.
Q: The drama Business Proposal ended with lingering feelings amidst the loud cheers. I think that response is natural because of the well-matched compatibility between Kang Tae Moo and Ahn Hyo Seop. I heard there are still a lot of people who couldn’t get over Kang Tae Moo.
A: First, I’d like to say thank you to all the fans who loved and supported our drama. Thank you also to the actors and staff who I worked with. Thanks to them, I think I’ve had fewer worries (working on this drama) compared to any other dramas (I did). I’m not talking about worries regarding my character, but the trivial things (laughs). The filming set was more fun and happier than usual. Perhaps that’s why I thought a lot about how lucky I was.
Q: Which parts made you think a lot?
A: Hmm, well, so many characters written in a good script and drama received so much love. Also, Kang Tae Moo, the role that I played, was also able to receive so much love thanks to the help (of the other characters). I’m not saying this to be humble, but it’s the truth (laughs). Including the director, Sejeong, In Ah, and Min Gue hyung, everyone who worked on the drama all took a step back and tried to understand each other. Since many people came hand in hand to film (the drama), we were able to create better scenes, and (the viewers) loved Kang Tae Moo.
Q: It hasn’t been long since the drama ended, so you may still have lingering feelings for the drama and your character.
A: Kang Tae Moo has a strong personality. He has such a distinct color, that I often had to confront Kang Tae Moo while acting. He’s confident in his actions, he speaks his case clearly to anyone, and he’s relentless in dealing with things at work. I haven’t yet completely gotten out of the character Kang Tae Moo, but I’m trying to de-role as much as I can as I have to prepare for a new role again.
Q: How does Ahn Hyo Seop see the character Kang Tae Moo?
A: Looking at him from the outside, he’s cold and sharp, and especially when working, he wants to be accurate. He looks extravagant, and is perfect in many ways. However, there’s a boy living within the mature Kang Tae Moo. When he was young, a small hole formed (in his heart) due to losing his parents, and he fell in a bottomless pit. There was something (in him) that couldn’t be filled. He then meets Hari, learns about true love, and I think Kang Tae Moo became his real self.
Q: You’re right. I think I saw a boy within Kang Tae Moo’s mature sides.
A: I thought that he acted like a child from time to time in the drama. He argued with Shin Hari over childish reasons, and one time, in a playful revenge, he (repeatedly) asked Hari to taste the food she was researching and recreate it. He may have acted like a kid at that time, but he meant it. I thought that he still possesses innocence at his age.
Q: Is Ahn Hyo Seop also a person with a lot of innocence?
A: There are people around me who say that, but I don’t know (laughs). I tend to think a lot, and when my friends see that, they think I’m cute.
Q: Today’s photo shoot is in collaboration with Calvin Klein Jeans S/S 2022 Collection. You probably saw a different charm in casual looks as opposed to the formal wears in Business Proposal.
A: I usually enjoy wearing casual and comfortable clothes. I would never wear the clothes I wore in the drama in my daily life (laughs). I felt like I was being restrained with the neat and clean look. Of course I became comfortable as I filmed more episodes, but I prefer something more free and natural.
Q: What’s your favorite item among the ones you wore today?
A: I really enjoy wearing jeans, so I liked them all, but the matching leather jacket and denim jeans looked especially good. It was like looking at a new image of myself.
Q: (You) seem to be a different person every time you do a drama. As I was watching Business Proposal, I also didn’t immediately think of the actor Ahn Hyo Seop. Is that like a change that happens when you immerse yourself in the work and the character?
A: I heard that a lot (laughs). At first, I thought that I should work harder to try to impress people, but in a way, as an actor, I’m able to immerse myself more in the character. So, I’m taking that positively.
Q: I think it’s amazing that in every drama, you’re able to immerse yourself in the character, and get out of it. On the other hand, I also think it must be really hard to do that.
A: I don’t go to the point of being overly immersed, but sometimes, I do get confused about who Ahn Hyo Seop really is. For me, self-reflection is a huge branch of my life, and is my goal. But I think it’s important to empty myself out in order to be a different person when I act.
Q: It looks like you’re becoming more solid as an actor. How does the ‘actor Ahn Hyo Seop’ want to be recognized by the public as you gain a lot of experiences over time?
A: An actor they want to see? It’s a bit vague, but when I was younger, I felt like I wanted to see a certain person’s works (dramas/movies) not because of their good voice or good appearance, but solely because I like them. If you ask me for an explanation, it’s hard to say. It may sound simple, but I want to be an actor who (the public) wants to see.
Q: Lastly, it hasn’t been long since Business Proposal ended. It will probably take a while to see you, not as Kang Taemoo, but in a new role. Please say something to your fans and readers of Dazed Korea.
A: I received so much love this time, and I really want to repay you all for that. I don’t have many ways to repay that love, but I want to give more emotion and joy to the viewers through good roles and good dramas. Depending on the person, it may take a short or long time, so I’m not going to ask you (fans) to “please wait for me.” Instead, I want to say that I will appear someday when everyone is living their lives, so, in the meantime, I hope your lives will be filled with happiness.
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