[Interview] Kim Seong-gyun "Having lived in a semi-basement, I related to 'Sinkhole' after buying my own home"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Kim Sung-kyun has shed his cold gaze and returned as an office worker who has finally succeeded in buying his own home. Challenging himself with his first disaster film, he shared the difficulties of the tough shoot but also said he was encouraged by the support of his fellow actors. Having made a strong impression through numerous historical and genre works, he expressed his hope to approach audiences with a more relaxed and everyday face in the future.

In an interview held on the 4th, Kim Sung-kyun calmly shared his thoughts on the film Sinkhole (directed by Kim Ji-hoon).

Sinkhole is a disaster buster film about a house, prepared after 11 years, that falls into a massive sinkhole 500 meters underground. Directed by Kim Ji-hoon, who previously directed Tower (2012), this new work is set to be released on the 11th.

Kim Sung-kyun plays Dong-won, who achieves his goal of owning a home in Seoul after 11 years. Taking on his first disaster film, he recalled, “It was the most physically demanding project. Overcoming those difficulties feels like earning a medal,” adding, “I was surprised at myself for enduring it.”

He said, “I felt Dong-won and I were very similar,” and explained his motivation for taking the role: “I empathized with the way he lives with his son and wanted to try acting that out.” He added, “I focused on portraying an ordinary man, a small citizen around us.”

Previously, Kim Sung-kyun made a strong impression in films such as Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2011), The Neighbor (2012), and The Divine Move: The Wrathful (2019). Director Kim Ji-hoon also shared an amusing story about how he was relieved by Kim’s cold expression during filming.

Kim Sung-kyun said, “I tried to act with a face like an ordinary citizen. While acting, thoughts of wanting to be funny or stand out sometimes surfaced. But one day, the director called me to the monitor room and said, ‘Why is your gaze so fierce? It’s scary.’ He said it was chilling. After that, I tried to express the image of an ordinary and kind citizen,” he laughed.

Through Dong-won, Kim Sung-kyun recalled his own overwhelming joy after buying a house. He said, “Like Dong-won, I lived in a semi-basement before buying my own home. When I first moved to Seoul and got my first house, I was so happy that I went inside even before the construction was finished. I went alone to a house without flooring or wallpaper, spread out my blanket, and tried to sleep. It was really great.”

In the film, Dong-won faces worries from the first day of moving in due to the meddlesome Mansu (played by Cha Seung-won) and defects visible throughout the villa. To celebrate buying his own home, he invites his company colleague Manager Kim (played by Lee Kwang-soo) and intern Eun-joo (played by Kim Hye-jun) to a housewarming party, but he ends up falling into the sinkhole along with the entire villa, leaving his wife and son behind.

Kim Sung-kyun recalled, “Before filming, I was worried about the first acting chemistry with the actors. Cha Seung-won is a senior actor with a long career, and Lee Kwang-soo is known as the ‘Prince of Asia.’ There is quite an age gap with Kim Hye-jun and Nam Da-reum,” reflecting on their meeting.

He showed special affection, saying, “While filming the scene where I wipe Cha Seung-won’s face, there was physical contact, and naturally, we got closer. After 4 to 5 months of training together, I felt a comradeship like fellow soldiers.” He added, “I wanted to try a role where I suffer and overcome hardships with the actors, and this time I fulfilled that wish. I’m satisfied with my role struggling and thriving in the film.”

At the earlier Sinkhole production briefing, Kim Sung-kyun jokingly showed jealousy over Lee Kwang-soo receiving the director’s affection, which brought laughter. He said, “Because Lee Kwang-soo is known as the icon of betrayal on variety shows, some people think of him as a funny person,” but praised him, “He is a very serious actor on set. He sits down, studies the script, and approaches his role seriously.”

He continued, “The director always praised Lee Kwang-soo, calling him a talented actor. One day, the director said that Kwang-soo never takes out his phone on set. Hearing that, I couldn’t take out my phone either, so I secretly looked at it,” making everyone laugh.

Recalling the shoot in the Incheon area, Kim Sung-kyun was filled with special emotions. He said, “Overcoming the cold was the hardest part. Because of the weather, all the actors and staff suffered,” and shared, “Because it was cold, we ate warm and fatty foods like gukbap (soup with rice) and galbitang (beef rib soup) every day. I felt I could only endure by eating hot food.”

Although acting out disaster situations was not easy, the actors supported each other by sharing their hardships after the tough shoot. Kim Sung-kyun recalled, “We ate dirt together and were placed in the same environment during filming. Senior Cha Seung-won played a decisive role in bringing us together. After washing with hot water at the lodging, we gathered at a small pub in Incheon. We ended the day sharing a glass of beer with spicy rice cakes in broth. Thanks to that, we became very close and it remains a precious memory.”

Meeting Kim Sung-kyun with a noticeably more refined face, changes in his appearance were evident. Having finished his first disaster film lead role, he said his perspective on recent works has also changed. He said, “Recently, I’m drawn to more relaxed roles. I want to play everyday and comfortable characters,” adding, “If I have played serious roles in historical or genre works before, now I’m attracted to characters like Dong-won who can move comfortably without it seeming strange.”

He said, “I’m still an actor waiting to be chosen by projects, but like Lee Kwang-soo who read scripts and sent love calls first saying he wanted to do them, I want to meet projects like that,” and shared, “In the future, I plan to read good scripts and actively seek roles and projects to act in.”

Photo=Showbox

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.