[Interview] Seol Kyung-gu's Philosophy: "Are There Seniors and Juniors on the Scene?"

Photo by Mindmark

원본보기 아이콘

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "Where are seniors and juniors on the set? We are simply colleagues acting together. How could I possibly judge their past and present? I neither have the insight nor the time for that."

On the morning of the 25th, actor Seol Kyung-gu met with Asia Economy via video call and was asked if he gave advice as a 'senior' to Chun Woo-hee, with whom he worked in the film Your Parents' Faces I Want to See (Director Kim Ji-hoon). He responded this way.

Anyone who knows Seol Kyung-gu would find this answer quite familiar. He has always spoken about his mindset of viewing and treating junior actors as 'colleagues.' What makes the mindset of this actor, who has been in the industry for 29 years, feel special?

On sets where many actors gather, it is common for seniors to tell juniors what to do, so-called 'giving directions.' Actors exchanging emotions while looking into each other's eyes inevitably notice each other's shortcomings. Seniors especially so. Actors agree that they have no choice but to point out shortcomings while talking together. They believe that the work, and even themselves, would suffer otherwise. For this reason, many actors often give 'acting advice' to juniors.

Seol Kyung-gu is different. He has a philosophy of not giving advice carelessly on set. This stems from the perspective of seeing juniors not as 'juniors' but as 'colleagues.' He neither views himself as superior because of his long experience nor looks down on others.

"I used to be a very sensitive actor on set, but now I am trying to shed that sensitivity. When filming the movie Idol, Chun Woo-hee smiled after finishing a very difficult scene. When I asked why, she said, 'Does it get better if you show how hard it is? You have to smile.' Hearing that felt like I got hit hard. I learned from Chun Woo-hee. Since then, I smile even if it’s a forced laugh. Juniors are not subjects to be judged. Rather, they are colleagues from whom I learn more."

He said the same about actor Sung Yoo-bin, who played his son in the film. Seol Kyung-gu emphasized again, "I cannot and should not dare to judge juniors." He added, "This is the third project we have worked on together, and despite his age, he was upright and solid. That solidity gave me trust and helped me as a co-actor. I am curious as a colleague to see how he will grow and develop in the future."

원본보기 아이콘

원본보기 아이콘

The film Your Parents' Faces I Want to See, starring Seol Kyung-gu, will be released on the 27th. He plays Kang Ho-chang, a lawyer and the father of Kang Han-gyeol (played by Sung Yoo-bin), a student accused of school violence. He described the film as "a movie that rejects the image of parents becoming monsters and demons." He emphasized, "I hope the audience also reflects on and shares the role of parents."

Regarding the film's theme of school violence, Seol Kyung-gu said, "One film won't change the world, but it's an issue that must be continuously addressed." He sighed and added, "The incidents reported in the news are causing public outrage day after day. The severity of crimes is increasing, and bullying is expanding from individuals to groups and becoming more sophisticated."

"There are cruel stories that even parents have taken away the opportunity for offending students to ask for forgiveness. I thought the role of parents is very important. I agree with the film's tagline, 'Children become monsters and parents become demons.' Watching these events, I felt not responsibility but a sense of helplessness as an adult."

Following Kingmaker and Yaksha, he has released three leading roles just in the first half of this year. Sitting in front of the interview camera consecutively, Seol Kyung-gu smiled sheepishly, saying, "This is the first time since my debut that I am experiencing this situation, and I feel completely overwhelmed."

"Some actors worry about having five or six films completed but not released. I have been steadily releasing films during this time, and recently I have been filming Boyz and The Moon. I hope the film industry returns to normal as soon as possible. Maybe it will recover starting from the summer market? I heard that eating food in theaters is now allowed. I hope things normalize quickly so that film sets can return to their original state. Because new COVID-19 cases keep emerging here and there, filming is not going smoothly. I want to regain the old normal."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.