'Wild Sing' Gang Dong-won recently revealed a changed mindset, saying "I think retiring as an actor might not be a bad idea."
On the morning of the 19th at a café on Samcheong-ro in Jongno-gu, Seoul, an interview was held with Gang Dong-won, the lead actor of the film 'Wild Sing'.
'Wild Sing' (director Son Jae-gon, distributed by Lotte Entertainment, produced by About Film) tells the story of a once-dominant pop music trio 'Triangle' that was swept through the music scene but suddenly disbanded after an unexpected incident, and their reckless challenge to seize a second chance 20 years later. It is a work that brings together About Film, the production company behind the 2019 comedy Extreme Job, which drew 16.26 million viewers, and director Son Jae-gon, who has built a unique comic world with Hitched (literally "Doesn't Hurt") .
Starting out as one of Korea's representative handsome men and conquering every genre, Gang Dong-won plays Hyun Woo, the Triangle leader and dance machine who boasts an unparalleled aura and almost torn-from-the-page visuals, leading the team at its center. Charismatic actor Um Tae-goo plays Sangu, the maknae storm rapper of Triangle who flaunts unstoppable swagger, and Park Ji-hyun, who has been active across films and series, plays Domi, the Triangle center with refreshing energy and absolute charm. The unpredictable chemistry of the new actors who meet as idol members Triangle is the biggest point of interest. In addition, Oh Jung-se plays self-proclaimed eardrum boyfriend and the tragic ballad singer Choi Sung-gon, who has been No. 2 for 39 consecutive weeks, injecting the film with singular comedy and cheerful vitality.
Gang Dong-won, a prolific actor who has worked like an ox in the film industry, has been presenting one work each year in recent years, including Broker (2022), Cheonbaksa exorcism research institute (2023), Designer (2024), and Jeon,Ran (2024). Last year, he returned to drama after 21 years since SBS's Magic through Disney+ Tempest with Jun Ji-hyun.
In the film, Hyun Woo, whom Gang Dong-won plays, rises to the top star as the idol group leader with the greatest popularity upon debut, but is dragged to the bottom after being engulfed in a plagiarism controversy.
In real life, Gang Dong-won rose to stardom immediately after his debut and has maintained his spot as a top star for 23 years. He laughed, saying, "When 'Temptation of the Wolf' did well, I looked down from the square in Busan and it was unbelievably packed with people. At that time I thought, watching those people, it was amazing but I wondered 'how long will this last?' It lasted longer than I thought."
He continued, "My fans are getting older and they don't come to sets much anymore. It's hard for them. (laughs) I completely understand; they are busy with their children and such," and said, "I'm getting older too, so the things I can do are changing. And I've never once thought about retiring until now. I used to think actors don't retire, but I think retiring might not be a bad idea. I've had that thought for a few years," which surprised many.
When asked, "If you retire, what will you do?" he replied, "I have to think about what I will do," and said, "It's not that people won't look for me; actors always have roles suitable for their age. In the past, if I got older, I thought I'd always want to act in roles that fit being ill, but these days I wonder, 'Was that only my thought?' I question whether it's really necessary to go that far."
Gang Dong-won added, "In the past I said in an acceptance speech that 'I want to act until I die'..." and said, "My talk of retirement is separate from being tired of acting. It's a thought that naturally came with age."
Meanwhile, 'Wild Sing' will be released on June 3.
[Photo] Provided by AA Group
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