[Interview] 'Jicheonmyeong Idol Kkuku' Seol Kyung-gu "Life Is Still Beautiful, Nevertheless"

'Kingmaker' Actor Seol Kyung-gu Interview

Seol Kyung-gu / Photo by Megabox Joongang Corp. Plus M

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "During Director Lee’s (Jo Woo-jin) speech, there was a line, 'If your cause is Kim Un-beom, then my cause is each one's own.' It’s both frightening and touching. The word 'justice' is scary. Isn’t politics ultimately a fight for each person’s own justice?"

Actor Seol Kyung-gu recently said in a video interview with Asia Economy, "Starring in the movie 'Kingmaker' was another challenge for me."

Seol Kyung-gu recalled that during the filming of 'The Merciless' (2016), when director Byun Sung-hyun handed him the script for 'Kingmaker,' he tried to avoid it, saying, "Let’s just quietly shoot the movie first." "Then suddenly, I found it so interesting that I was curious about going to the set with young actors, and I wanted to do the project again," he said.

Opening on the 26th, 'Kingmaker' is a film depicting the drama that begins when politician Kim Un-beom (played by Seol Kyung-gu), who constantly challenges to change the world, and the hidden election strategist Seo Chang-dae (played by Lee Sun-kyun) jump into a fierce election battlefield.

Seol Kyung-gu, who plays Kim Un-beom, a politician who has lost several elections but keeps challenging to change the world, said, "Originally, the character’s name was 'Kim Dae-jung,' but I asked director Byun Sung-hyun to change it." He confessed, "Still, the character reminded people of someone, so it was a big burden."

He continued, "The character was inspired by the late President Kim Dae-jung, who spanned modern and contemporary history, so the burden was very heavy. I couldn’t just portray him safely, and if I had imitated him, there would have been many embarrassing parts. Changing the character’s name made me feel more comfortable," he said.

When asked how he viewed the film, he said, "A few months ago, I watched it first through a technical screening. I kept noticing only the parts I was dissatisfied with, so I couldn’t watch it properly until the press screening. I think I’m someone who can’t watch movies objectively," he said with a wry smile.

Seol Kyung-gu / Photo by Megabox Joongang Corp. Plus M

Seol Kyung-gu recalled, "'Kingmaker' paid screening was attended by Kim Hong-up, chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center, and his family, but I couldn’t even make eye contact. I kept bowing my head." He added, "I’m glad they said they enjoyed it." Then he lowered his gaze and said, "He was such a difficult figure to face."

Director Byun Sung-hyun emphasized the importance of the speech scene at Mokpo Station before filming. Seol Kyung-gu shared an episode: "I was stressed for two months. I didn’t know how to approach it. We shot at the outdoor set in Yangsu-ri, but I couldn’t even imagine how the scene would be completed with special effects (CG). On top of that, the heatwave came, so it was tough to shoot."

Seol Kyung-gu is working with director Byun Sung-hyun for the third time, following 'The Merciless' and 'Kingmaker,' and now on Netflix’s 'Gil Bok-soon.' Without deep trust, this collaboration would have been difficult. When asked why, he laughed heartily and gave an honest answer.

"Honestly, when I received the 'Kingmaker' script during the filming of 'The Merciless,' I didn’t find it very interesting because it seemed like a political story. I thought I should just focus on filming. But I wanted to work with this team again. We built a lot of trust. I half-jokingly told director Byun, 'Roles for my age group must come to me, or else we won’t meet again.' (laughs) 'Gil Bok-soon' doesn’t have a lot of screen time, and it’s the most commercial script I’ve received so far. I wanted to try it because I thought it would show another side of Byun Sung-hyun. Maybe it’s fate."

When asked why he finally decided to take on the role of Kim Un-beom, which was hard to accept at first, he chuckled and said, "I told director Byun to try recommending it to other actors, but he wouldn’t budge."

Seol Kyung-gu, who began acting in theater in 1993, established himself as a representative actor in Chungmuro after passing through Hanyang Repertory and Hakjeon Theater. When asked about his thoughts as he approaches his 30th debut anniversary next year, he said,

"I started performing in Daehangno in my senior year of university, and next year marks 30 years since I started acting and receiving pay. I’ve met many good people and come this far. I feel like a very fortunate person."

Seol Kyung-gu / Photo by Megabox Joongang Corp. Plus M

When asked about the work that left the strongest impression among many powerful works, Seol Kyung-gu chose "'Subway Line 1' for theater and 'Peppermint Candy' (1999) for film."

"I performed for four years, and since I did 'Subway Line 1' for about two years, it’s a work I can’t separate from. The work that remains most in my heart, both before and after, is 'Peppermint Candy.' It’s a work that made me feel complex emotions. After building up 30 years of experience, I don’t think I can express awkwardness or trembling so much that my face twitches in front of the camera anymore. The line in the bathroom scene, 'Life is beautiful. Isn’t it?' still stays with me. Although the meaning is different, it’s memorable. So when I sign autographs, I write that sentence. I always add 'Still' after the sentence."

Looking back on his journey, Seol Kyung-gu said calmly, "There are all kinds of emotions on set." "Being on set as an actor has become my life. When acting goes well, I feel so good I want to jump like a child, but when it doesn’t, I feel like I’m standing on the edge of a cliff and want to die. No one solves it for me, and I sometimes feel despair, thinking 'This just won’t work.' Mixed emotions cross my mind, but I’m happy when I act."

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