[Interview] Ryu Seung-ryong "I Played an Unkind Husband, But I Kiss My Wife Every Day"

Movie 'Life is Beautiful' Jinbong Role

Ryu Seung-ryong / Photo by Lotte Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Ryu Seung-ryong (53) will make audiences laugh and cry this fall with a jukebox musical film. It took 13 months from vocal lessons and choreography practice to filming. The long hours of hard work did not betray him.

On the afternoon of the 16th, Ryu Seung-ryong, whom we met at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, said, "Please watch it comfortably as if our dad, mom, or the neighbor uncle is singing," adding, "We tried to lower the barrier and approach familiarly through the jukebox format rather than a classic musical."

Opening on the 28th, Life Is Beautiful is the country's first jukebox musical film that tells the story of Jinbong (Ryu Seung-ryong), who reluctantly travels across the country with his wife Seyun (Yeom Jeong-ah), who made an absurd request to find her first love as a birthday present, embarking on a journey into the past that sings about our lives.

Directed by Choi Guk-hee, who helmed Split (2016) and Default (2018), the film evokes universal empathy through themes of first love, friendship, and family love.

Ryu Seung-ryong, playing Jinbong who sets out to find his wife's first love, charmingly performs songs like Lee Moon-sae’s “Unknown Life” and Eco Bridge & Choi Baek-ho’s “If You Go to Busan” with his deep voice. He recalled, "It took 13 months of continuous vocal lessons and recording. For the dance, we gathered in gyms or practice rooms to rehearse and prepare."

"I felt a strong sense of nostalgia. I remembered when the late Kim Hyun-sik passed away, and 'My Love Beside Me' was playing everywhere on the streets. The scene where I sing 'Beauty' was completed based on my suggestion to perform with my classmates from Seoul Institute of the Arts’ theater department. They are classmates with whom I trained acrobatics in the past. We made it like the Avengers with actors active in musicals and professors. We are all in our 50s, and we completed it while creaking together. I couldn’t be the only one looking old. (laughs) Watching the film, I got choked up and felt good."

His experience as an early member of the musical Nanta also shines before his film debut. Ryu Seung-ryong said, "In my 20s, I trained extensively in ballet, Korean dance, mask dance, martial arts, and my long experience with Nanta became nourishment."

Trusting his intuitive feeling from the first read of the script, Ryu Seung-ryong decided to appear in Life Is Beautiful at once. He recalled, "I laughed, cried, hummed, and thought of someone. It stung like my chest was ironed. A healthy sigh came out, and I wanted to make it well. I hoped it would allow people to reflect on precious people and important things in life."

Although Ryu Seung-ryong plays a harsh husband who seems to have torn through reality, he is actually a 'lover.' He smiled and said, "I tend to talk a lot with my wife." In real life, he is a husband who expresses love often.

"Except for worries or unsolvable issues, I talk about everything in detail. We have assigned roles for eating, cleaning up, and throwing away trash with my two sons. If they don’t listen to their mother, I say, 'Don’t hurt the woman I love.' I still kiss my wife when we wake up in the morning. I do the same with my sons. I often express that I like them and love them."

When asked what makes a good couple, Ryu Seung-ryong answered, "Like comrades, like good friends, looking toward the same place." He added, "We have acknowledged our differences for over 10 years. I think accepting those parts humbly makes the relationship stronger. Now, we live relying on each other as good friends and comrades."

He is also a caring father who lists family trips as his number one bucket list item. Ryu Seung-ryong said, "My eldest son is in the second year of high school, and I want to travel with my family after the college entrance exam and before the results are announced, regardless of acceptance. I want to see the great nature, the Milky Way, and the aurora in Australia and New Zealand."

Ryu Seung-ryong, who found his trip to Mongolia with his son impressive, said, "In Mongolia, many people recognized me and asked for autographs and photos. They said they watched the movie Miracle in Cell No. 7 and Netflix’s Kingdom. I was happy because many recognized me even while eating, but my eldest son, watching this, hugged me and said, 'Dad, it must be hard.' He understands that being a celebrity dad is good but also has many hardships."

Ahead of the film’s late September release, Ryu Seung-ryong said, "I don’t know the audience’s mind." He said, "The summer market is like that, and it’s unpredictable. Top Gun is still receiving attention, and I think it must be really well-made, honest, and fun to be chosen," shaking his head. He emphasized, "In the past, various things could lead the trend, but not anymore." He continued, "I hope the happiness I felt while making the film carefully, and the catharsis given by laughter and tears, will be well conveyed to the audience."

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