Lee Seong-wook from 'Try' expressed his thoughts on playing a villain.
Recently, Lee Seong-wook met with OSEN at the office of People Entertainment in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to conduct an interview following the conclusion of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Try'.
In 'Try', Lee Seong-wook played the role of Jeon Nak-kyun, the director of the shooting department, and his flavorful villain performance provoked viewer anger. With his despicable villainous role, not only did he heighten the drama's immersion, but he also elicited viewers' irritation and increased the tension of the show.
What was it like when he first received the script for 'Try'? He said, "I felt that the story was simple, bright, and hopeful. I first had the thought that I wanted to do this work, although I did have some concerns regarding my character. Even though there are no scenes where he hits someone, he was still a bad character. I wondered, 'Is it okay to build such an image?' I was worried, but I thought that as an actor, I need to try different roles. Ultimately, I chose to think that 'whether I get criticized or not, it would overall be enjoyable to come out of it.'"
Lee Seong-wook mentioned that he had not played many villain roles in the past. When asked if he faced difficulties, he replied, "Jeon Nak-kyun in 'Try' was a character that you can often see in reality. He's a person with a clear purpose and straightforwardness, so it wasn't particularly difficult. There are people in the news who never acknowledge their mistakes until the end. Although I don't understand it, I think there are quite a few out there. In that sense, Jeon Nak-kyun was actually a fitting character for me."
However, he noted that the character Choi Sil in the Netflix 'Aema' was different. He said, "I had to portray a character with power that I don't usually come into contact with. I relied heavily on Jin Seon-kyu and the director while researching."
Lee Seong-wook mentioned that he also had many NGs, saying, "'Try' had a lot of ad-libs. The director cut out unnecessary parts, and there were many spontaneous moments on set. I mostly had NGs when I was laughing. Semi and Yohan also laugh a lot, making the atmosphere bright. There were many times laughter erupted while exchanging ad-lib ideas."
As he received praise for his villainous performance, there is anticipation for the characters he will portray in the future. Lee Seong-wook said, "I want to play more villains. Although Choi Sil was a tedious role, I want to challenge myself to play a truly cruel villain. I would like to continue taking on roles worth attempting, regardless of whether they are good or evil, as long as I can read the script."
When asked if there was a gap between the two characters and reality, he revealed, "While playing Jeon Nak-kyun, there were certainly aspects of me reflected. When I get angry, there are parts of my personality involved, but the attitude I have towards life is quite different. I consider myself more of an idealist. I value the process itself. In reality, I tend to be pretty just. However, I don't know if I can raise my voice for that justice."
In discussing which character he resembled the most in 'Try,' he commented, "I thought I resembled Baegi (played by Lim Se-mi), but upon closer observation, I feel I resemble Bang Heung-nam, played by Jeong Sun-won. While I do put in effort, I tend not to step into the spotlight, which makes me feel closer to my real self."
'Try' depicted the growth of youth, but many responses noted that it was also a drama about good adults. What does Lee Seong-wook consider to be a 'good adult'?
He said, "Not only in today's society but also in the past, it seems that there aren't many adults who embody 'adulthood.' It is because humans tend to be greedy. Joo Ga-ram and the principal are too idealistic. I believe that idealistic people and realistic people inevitably mix. That's how balance is achieved. Nevertheless, I felt that I should not become an adult who only thinks of himself like Jeon Nak-kyun."
[Photo] People Entertainment, SBS 'Try' provided.
[OSEN]