Even in his 20s Seo Inguk was loved for rom-coms, and he was the same in his 30s and will be in his 40s. Seo Inguk wrote the standard for the "adult rom-com" and sketched out his blueprint for the future.
Kindness hidden beneath prickliness, from a cold workaholic to an "inciter of lovesickness." Actor Seo Inguk once again proved his mettle as a rom-com artisan through the tvN Monday-Tuesday drama See You at Work Tomorrow. Seo Inguk took on the role of Kang Si-woo, Cha Ji-yoon's direct superior, a face genius who has everything except personality, and exuded deadly charm.
On the 29th at a cafe in P'alpan-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Seo Inguk, whom I met, candidly said there were many parts of the character Kang Si-woo he didn't understand. That was because Kang Si-woo's meticulous life, in which everything is related to work until he falls asleep, was the exact opposite of Seo Inguk in real life. Seo Inguk said, "If you ask whether there are similarities with Kang Si-woo, there aren't any at all. I can't live like Kang Si-woo," but added his affection for the character, saying, "I respected him, and he also seemed interesting."
There were also significant visual challenges in portraying a laconic, stiff character three-dimensionally. Seo Inguk said, "While erasing expressions to look rigid, I wondered what a 'rigidity that doesn't look mean' would be," and shared behind-the-scenes details: "I often hear that I don't have a face suited to physiognomy. I have white around my eyes, my eyes are slanted, my philtrum is short, and my mouth sticks out, so when I'm expressionless I am often misunderstood as sulky. Kang Si-woo is not a sulky person, so I made meticulous efforts to avoid looking that way."
He had intense 고민 over emotional expression as well. A representative scene that drew attention was the moment Kang Si-woo and Cha Ji-yoon met at the convenience store. He explained about the talked-about convenience store scene, "If Kang Si-woo's expressions throughout the drama are a calm lakeside, that scene was like a waterfall," adding, "Even if someone's expressiveness is small, there are times when the laugh point hits hard, and I think it was that kind of point."
Following his previous work Boyfriend on Demand, Seo Inguk successfully led another office drama and cited the charm of office dramas as 'sexiness.' He emphasized, "Isn't a person sexy when they're immersed in work? I think that's the biggest advantage of rom-com office pieces," and added, "Love is love, but because it's the same work in the same office, it comes out on the edge. It came out thrillingly and therefore felt sexy." He especially spoke about the delight of secret office romances: "It was so fun to think about how to secretly send signals just between two people without anyone noticing and yet express them clearly," describing the detailed acting process.
His chemistry with co-star Park Ji-hyun was also perfect. Seo Inguk praised, "She's a very fun person. Whatever idea I mentioned she absorbed well. She was very open-hearted, so when I actively offered things she could be bolder with ideas," and did not hold back praise. About the bridge-ending scene that gave viewers fluttering feelings, he revealed a warm behind-the-scenes story: "Because it was an open ending I thought something more definite was needed, so I ad-libbed 'I love you,' and everyone liked it so much."
The reason such ad-libs were possible was that he placed the highest importance on communication on set. Seo Inguk added his steadfast secret as a rom-com artisan: "You must rehearse with the co-actor on set. Only then will viewers not be jarred and can empathize with the situation."
Now 15 years into his debut and born in 1987, he has entered his 40s this year. Seo Inguk laughed, "Actually, yesterday during filming Jung Soojung asked me, 'Do you feel like an oppa's age?' Right now my age doesn't feel like my age; when I talk with friends it feels like I'm in high school. Still, I'm 40 years old."
As the secret to perfectly pulling off romantic comedies in his 40s, he answered, "I hope that by working hard at self-care, when many people watch it they will root for the meeting of the thrilling feeling and the narrative. Meeting a rom-com suited to my age feels less like something I prepared for and more like meeting what fits the situation."
The greatest weapon that 15 years has given him is undoubtedly 'composure.' He said, "These days the catchphrase is 'nothing is impossible.' I've become really quick when it comes to delivering the expression the set wants," and added, "Even if I'm a bit disappointed I know how to be satisfied, and when to be ambitious—that's experience and the starting line of my 40s. Whereas before I only thought about my emotional line and the situation, now I can calmly consider visible aspects like set conditions," showing the maturity of an actor.
When asked about the driving force that keeps him running without rest as an actor, he unhesitatingly cited 'fans.' He said, "I tried resting once and it didn't suit me. I can keep going because there are people who like me," and said his usual MBTI is INTP, so when intrusive thoughts increase he immerses himself in games or golf to recharge mentally.
Having completed another successful acting transformation through See You at Work Tomorrow, Seo Inguk will challenge a third consecutive office piece with his next project, Fate-Seeking office worker. Beyond a simple rom-com male lead, the 40-year-old Seo Inguk expands his own territory by fiercely contemplating each role and continuously revealing new faces. With his adeptness at leading the set and his deepened acting, there is more reason to look forward to the next chapter he will draw.
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