Park Hae-soo shared behind-the-scenes details about his acting in "Karma."
On Nov. 9, an interview with Netflix "Karma" actor Park Hae-soo was conducted at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul.
"Karma" is a crime thriller that depicts the intertwined stories of six people who want to escape from an inescapable fate. Based on a webtoon of the same name, "Karma" was adapted into a drama by director Lee Il-hyung.
On this day, Park Hae-soo said, "When it first came out, I felt a lot of pressure and couldn't watch it well, but after everything was released, I binge-watched it. Each episode has different roles for the actors, so since I had never had the experience of feeling the atmosphere all at once, I enjoyed it. "
Park Hae-soo played the role of 'the witness' who witnesses a mysterious accident and gets involved in covering it up. About his participation in the project, Park Hae-soo noted, "At first, I thought this project had a very strong character, was deep and had only villains in it, and the story was so intense that I found it very interesting. When I read it a second time, the message was fascinating. It was intriguing to see a character that pulls out the villains. I felt it was very attractive because it appeared to be quite evil, yet there is comedy from an outside perspective. It looks quite foolish. It resembles a fable and can be viewed from a third-person perspective. I found the contrast amusing and thought it would be interesting if expressed well. The director also had that thought. Rather than showing it too deeply and disgustingly, the ability to laugh at the choices of foolish people from an outside perspective was what I thought was interesting."
Amid praise for his portrayal of an exceptional villain, Park Hae-soo said, "I'm trying not to get too carried away and to keep my feet on the ground. So, I don't usually look into it too much, but every time people around me tell me about it, I end up looking it up a lot. Where did it come from? How can I see it? Where exactly are those stories? It seems people view it positively. I think my character, because of the many changes in the drama, was viewed favorably. I had some pressure about how I was changing, perhaps because it's a project I'm involved in. I wondered if the expressions came out well. I pondered whether the points we discussed with the director turned out well. The character has to be constructed effectively for it to take shape, so I felt that pressure. When I think about how this character changes, I didn't focus on that specifically in my performance. I judged how the character makes choices, how their thoughts narrow down, and where they aim to go. The transformations seem to have been given to me."
He went on, "The later parts of the performance were easier because of the physical changes. With the mask of a burns victim, the altered behavior of the body naturally led the character out. As the goal became clearer, the character emerged naturally. The initial concern was about meeting actor Lee Kwang-soo, who has a slightly dull, sociopathic vibe as a rural youth. I wanted to create a character who seems to be an adult but lacks intellectual capacity, which I discussed a lot with the director. Fortunately, I was able to give that character some depth because it was extremely cold weather. I bought several earmuffs from DaXso, and luckily they matched my outfit perfectly, allowing the character to evolve more in that direction. " Moreover, he noted, "The powerful energy that actor Kwang-soo possesses made me feel that I had to perform poorly as the supporting actor, and that led to the birth of a naturally flawed character. I never intended to act in a way that seemed deliberately inadequate."
He also did not miss mentioning the actors he collaborated with. When asked if there was an actor who gave him a significant energy boost, Park Hae-soo responded, "The moment I met actor Kwang-soo was really important to me. I think he's a very energetic actor as well. On stage, too. The physical energy that Kwang-soo possesses contributes immensely to his acting immersion. When performing together, it was a great help to me. He was very committed on set and prepared a lot. That was a crucial moment for me, and it was a lot of fun to work together. Also, the most notable thing was that everyone was a villain. Everyone came in with energy, and the moment I felt new energy was when I met actress Shin Min-a."
He shared, "A very touching moment for me was the scene where I hail a taxi in front of a hospital in the drama. At that moment, I realized that a strong villain, when faced with another villain, can fight back, but when a strong villain meets light and goodness, they flee and become more fearful. So when I reached out my hand, I found myself looking away. Later, when I encountered her in an alley, I also found myself retreating. In contrast to other roles where I had acted proactively, it seems it was because of the energy possessed by actress Shin Min-a. It was a very interesting experience."
He, who has made a strong impression with consecutive intense roles, shared, "As an actor, I certainly seem to have ambitions. There are challenges I want to face as Park Hae-soo. I secretly want to see my child calling me 'Dad' in a warm production. However, my child is still too young to watch Netflix. Nevertheless, I am often drawn to extreme roles. It varies depending on the time. Right now, I also have expectations for warm productions. So I feel like I don't have much to show yet, except for 'Seulgi's Room.' But even that is about prison."
He also shared his thoughts on being referred to as a "Netflix civil servant." Recently, as he has continuously found projects through the Netflix platform, he remarked, "Many works have been released on Netflix. I carefully select and ponder over the projects offered to me, and amid the pandemic, it seems it's become a time for much Netflix viewing. I've gained good opportunities and heard many wonderful stories. I choose the works, and while also participating in theaters, I feel grateful for the civil servant title, but I also have many upcoming projects. I hope to meet many people." He added jokingly, "Originally, from being 'the son of Netflix,' I have now become a civil servant. I wonder if it's because I'm getting older? Honestly, any title is fine. I think it's what viewers find easy to call me."
He also discussed his life outside of work, stating, "In my daily life, I tend to be a bit messy, and if something is good, I just accept it as it is. However, when I play a character in a work, I don't typically meet people. I usually don't engage much in cultural activities. I tend to only talk to people from the team. Therefore, I haven't gone out much." He revealed, "In fact, in the past, there were side effects. That sensitivity would linger at home, causing me anxiety. I can't let that happen anymore. When I return home, I'm scatterbrained and have to clean up and put away toys, so I try to cut off those feelings before I come home. To be honest, when I play a villain, there is a stress relief that I experience. I can play around to my heart's content."
As he approaches his mid-40s, Park Hae-soo noted, "Now, I find myself letting go a bit. In the past, I used to think I had to grasp tightly, to do well, and to succeed unconditionally. Now, I seem to be broadening my perspective on how people come together as a community, whether in film or drama. Regarding myself as a human, the thoughts and importance of my child and their education weigh heavily on my mind. I wonder what kind of life my child will lead. I'm curious about what the world will be like 10 or 20 years from now. That's what I'm most curious about. What kind of character should they possess? Is going to college important? I'm in a state of many thoughts. As an actor, I continue to have the desire to take on challenges. I enjoy melodramas as well and want to do warm productions like 'When Life Gives You Tangerines.' I also hope to find more interesting works as a stage actor. My ambition regarding works seems to continue."
[Photo] Provided by Netflix
[OSEN]