Actor Koo Kyo-hwan explained why he teared up when Mun Ka-young, with whom he worked in the film "Once We Were Us," won best actress.
On the afternoon of the 28th, at a cafe in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, an interview was held with actor Koo Kyo-hwan from the film "Colony" (director Yeon Sang-ho).
Colony is about isolated survivors inside a building sealed off by a mysterious outbreak facing off against the infected, who evolve in unpredictable ways, and it opened on the 21st.
Koo Kyo-hwan plays Seo Young-cheol, a biologist who causes the outbreak. Seo creates an unidentified virus and spreads it through the Dunguri Building, and, after reporting in advance that his own body carries a vaccine, becomes a target of the authorities and the survivors.
Before Colony, Koo Kyo-hwan appeared in the film Once We Were Us and the drama We Are All Trying Here, both of which were box-office successes. In particular, after working with Oh Jung-se in We Are All Trying Here, they are now competing with Wild Sing and Colony.
Koo Kyo-hwan said, "I plan to go to the theater to see Wild Sing in its first week. I've watched the music video more than 12 times," then spontaneously sang "I Like You," drawing laughter. He added, "Senior Jung-se is my absolute favorite. I hope both Wild Sing and Colony do well so people keep coming to the theaters."
Also, when Mun Ka-young won best actress at the recent Baeksang Arts Awards, it drew renewed attention that Koo Kyo-hwan's prediction of her best actress win proved accurate.
Regarding this, Koo Kyo-hwan said, "I was her co-star, and as the first audience member I saw Ka-young's effort and performance, so more than anyone I wanted Ka-young to win that award," adding, "I think she deserved it, and I wanted it more than anyone. If Ka-young won, somehow it felt like I was winning. So I, too, have a best actress award," he boasted.
Told that he was seen with his eyes welling up, Koo Kyo-hwan said, "Was I showing off? I held it back, but when I heard, 'Eun-ho...,' we had acted together and spent time together, and Jung-won and Eun-ho and the production team flashed by like a panorama. I hope Colony also has such an opportunity."
Koo Kyo-hwan said there is little difference between himself now and nine years ago during Dream of Jane. He said, "I think my heart is the same. The me who acted in Dream of Jane and the me acting Seo Young-cheol are the same. It would be strange if that had changed, and my sincerity in approaching the character then is the same."
Asked whether his name recognition has changed, Koo Kyo-hwan said, "It still feels amazing and I'm glad. I'm truly happy when people call me by my character's name. Those who called me Jane, and Hoyeol too, and Dong-man, Young-cheol—when they call me by those names, I'm happier than by any review."
Asked whether he had concerns from an image-consumption perspective about releasing many works this year, Koo Kyo-hwan emphasized, "I'm interested in introducing to audiences the people I've portrayed, and there's no point in worrying about how I might be seen."
Koo Kyo-hwan said, "If anything, I just want to introduce the current character well, and I'm busy focusing only on that. It feels amazing when people call me by the character's name, and I want to show even more."
Meanwhile, Colony, starring Koo Kyo-hwan, opened on the 21st.
[photo] SHOWBOX
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