Yun Kyun Sang: [bnt interview] Yoon Kyun Sang, “Bromance with Lee Jong Suk? We’re close friends, he’s a reliable advisor”

[by Jung Han Ah, translated by Sora Ghim] Entering the studio wearing a sophisticated outfit, he captivated everyone’s attention. Having to look a long way up before seeing his small face, his wide shoulders that seemed he would be able to hug 3 to 4 people was enough to steal women’s hearts.

Brightly greeting the studio, the man giving a warm smile is rising actor Yoon Kyun Sang from drama ‘Pinocchio.’ From his acting talent to proportions, how can the world ignore this perfection?

With an attractive mask and emotional acting, he wet the hearts of the audience and continues to ride on his heated popularity even after the drama’s end. This man took the time and sat down for an interview with bntnews to talk about acting and his future endeavors.

Q. You debuted in the 2012 drama ‘Faith’ and also came out in movie ‘No Breathing.’ You joined the list of hot actors with just 4 works. Do you realize your popularity?

It would be a lie if I said I didn’t feel lit. There are now a lot of people who recognize me. I feel it most from my family. When my parents and younger sibling calls me as says, ‘I need your autograph,’ I feel the most proud.

Q. In ‘Pinocchio’ you played a difficult role where good and bad coexist. Wasn’t it hard?

They say good and evil coexists but Jae Myeong is a sharp line. He is a very kind person. That’s why it was more difficult. Don’t they usually say you use experiences when acting? Since I didn’t have similar experiences to how Jae Myeong felt, I had a hard time trying to find that emotion while filming the drama.

Q. As much as your acting, your chemistry with Lee Jong Suk also became a huge issue. How is the real atmosphere?

I got really close to Jong Suk through ‘No Breathing.’ It was surprising to meet him in this work, but I think I had good luck to have Jong Suk as my partner. He is a friend that makes me comfortable and helped a lot to make me not nervous. He has more experience in acting and is my senior so I liked that he would give me advice.

Q. I feel like you’ll have close actor friends besides Lee Jong Suk.

The people who watched the drama know that Jae Myeong was completely alone. I was always close to Jong Suk but there wasn’t much chance to meet the other actors and get close. That’s a pity.

Q. I heard you were originally a model. What is the reason you went from a model to actor?

It’s embarrassing to say I was a model. It was a very short period. I did 3 collections so about a year and half before I went to the army. At that time, I wanted to do acting but I wasn’t prepared and the army was a big obstacle. Following my father’s advice, I enlisted into the army and after getting discharged, I started earnestly acting.

Q. You were a completely different person during your school days?

I was completely different than now. I weighed over 100kg and I couldn’t approach people first. I was shy and had no confidence. I had the thought that I had to do something but I wasn’t prepared to do something. That’s why I just lost weight. If my appearance changed, I thought that I would gain some confidence when I talked to people, that’s why I focused on dieting. I lowered my weight in a short amount of time that I almost became anorexic. I lost more weight than I thought I would so there was no fluctuating.

Q. When you’re not working, how do you spend your time?

I am a complete homebody. I don’t have hobbies or talents. I really stay at home and eat well, rest well, and watch dramas and movies. If it gets too stuffy, I go out, listen to music and walk along the Han River.

Q. Looking at your SNS, you seem to have a lot of aegyo (cute charm). In particular, you seem to have a lot when you’re sending messages towards your fans?

(Laughs) I’m not the type with a lot of aegyo. On my SNS and fan café, the fans say things with aeygo so I think, ‘Is it hard for me to do this too?’ That’s why I started to match my fans and reply. Since I can’t do it in person, my fans really like it when I do it through text.

Q. Is there a character you want to play for your next work?

Since I started acting, I wanted to do a story about strong friendship with friends. However, since doing Jae Myeong, I want to do a soft romantic comedy.

Q. If you do a romance drama, who is the actress you would like to work with?

I don’t have a lot of acting experience but I haven’t worked with an actress yet. I’m worried if I would be able to comfortably absorb the role so I haven’t even thought about who I would like to work with. However, ‘A Moment to Remember’ left a strong impression in my head. Jung Woo Sung is very cool but Son Ye Jin is very pretty. It was a story about a deep love. The plot was great and I thought it would be nice to learn that kind of feeling,” as he smiled shyly.

Q. Your ideal type?

I’m not sure about appearance-wise. There are people that make you feel good when you are together, even if they don’t have aegyo. I would like someone I want to see when I’m tired. On the other hand, I don’t like women who don’t have manners. There are people who don’t have manners even at a restaurant. They either treat the workers rashly or are really bossy. Those sides aren’t good.

Q. When you look at Yoon Kyun Sang’s articles, there is always one keyword. That is your role model Park Hae Il.

There are various reasons as to why I chose Park Hae Il as my role model, but the biggest reason is that no matter what he does, he is Park Hae Il. However, whatever you see, it is not boring and each one is different. He has his own color and I think it is a good thing to become an actor with your own distinct characteristic. Park Hae Il’s mask is very peculiar. He seems playful yet there is a cool image. A mask with coexistent images is really good.

Q. If you ever get to work with Park Hae Il, what kind of genre and role would you want?

I would like a comedy family drama. Aren’t there ones like that? The immature younger brother and mischievous and unskilled older brother go through chaotic events but in the end, it portrays family affection, stories like that.

Q. Then if you had to choose a role in one of Park Hae Il’s movies that really left an impression?

‘Rules of Dating.’ There might be people who haven’t watched it, but those who have, must have watched it more than once. When he played that role, he was in his late 20s. It was around my age right now. While watching that, I reflected a lot. When I first saw that movie, I thought Park Hae Il was someone just like that. Very shameless and sly, but while watching ‘The Host’ or ‘Memories of Murder,’ ‘Eungyo’ it made me think he was a very amazing person. His ability to freely go between light and heavy is very incredible.

Q. I feel like you’ll have a strength as an actor.

I think it’s my eyes and eyebrows. My eyes aren’t sharp and big but since I don’t have double eyelids and my eyes are long, when I’m doing an expressionless face, it looks cynical and crooked.

Q. I want to hurry up and see you in your next work.

I think I’ll be greeting everyone through the movie ‘Passion Like You're Sound And.’ This is also a story about reporters. I get to work with Park Bo Young and Jung Jae Young and in this work, I got the role of top star Woo Ji Han. It is about various situations that happen with reporters.

Q. Lastly, what kind of actor do you want to be remembered as to the public?

In the future, I can become the lead and I can be the support. I don’t know how many more works I’ll be able to do but I hope to become an actor that lasts in the memory. With each work I come out in, I want people to say, ‘Wow, Yoon Kyun Sang, that actor is good’ and ‘Who’s that actor?’ It’s a big desire but I want to become an actor like that. (photo by bntnews DB)

Contact: news@bntnews.co.uk