[INTERVIEW] Kim Nam-gil from "Seon-deok" (Part 2)

10: It's quite shocking how Bi-dam killed dozens of people by poisoning them when he was young.
Kim: He only did it on Moon-no's order to conceal an important publication but the way he did it was wrong. All he wanted was to be approved and praised by his master but to Moon-no, it seemed an act too evil to be done by a child. But it's actually because Moon-no hasn't raised kids before. (laugh)

10: Both good and evil coexist with your character but since Bi-dam has shown more of his good side, he will have to start changing soon.
Kim: Bi-dam is only human so he starts wondering who his parents were, why they deserted him and gets upset over it. So if the Bi-dam till now was someone who is a good guy but has a side to him where he can occasionally kill people cruelly, I think he will gradually become someone who hides the evil growing inside him and deceive people by pretending to be good.

10: I think the closest similarity between Bi-dam and Mi-shil will be that they stay true to their desires.
Kim: I agree. I think Bi-dam is similar to Mi-shil in that he is so greedy that he will want to have what he wants no matter what and that he'll try to remove all obstacles that are laid in front of him. People say Bi-dam looks more like Moon-no though. (laugh)

10: What is the largest desire you have as actor Kim Nam-gil?
Kim: For actors, it's all about acting. I wish my acting would become recognized in my country, that people would laugh and cry while watching it and I also hope to be able to express the sentimentality that people can sympathize in Korea throughout Asia too. My ultimate hope is to become someone who won't be ashamed of being an actor.

10: You once said you won't pretend you don't idolize stars. But despite the fact that you haven't tried to become one, you actually are a star right now.
Kim: Nah, I'm not a star. You have to be at least like Lee Min-ho to be considered a star. I should have tried harder to become friends with him. (laugh)

10: Then despite all that, what's the good thing about becoming known to the public:?
Kim: I've met a lot of great seniors while doing movies and they don't do it to become popular. Not that they don't think of it at all. (laugh) I think money and popularity come with the acting if you do a good job of it. And what I've come to realize is that there are a lot of good scenarios out there which could bring the development of our culture even with a small budget. But sometimes the investment will come depending on the actor. So if I become known to the public, I've thought that I hope to become an actor who can create an environment where the producer, director and staff can all be more abundant. If I have gained recognition, I think that will be the good thing about it.

10: You've gone from playing a minor role, to supporting role and now to an actor with star qualities. But you recently wrote "I am doing what I like so I am so lonely the moment I do what I like" which was impressive. What is it like living as an actor?
Kim: There aren't many people who can live life doing what they want. So people often say to me that I should consider myself lucky because I live my life doing what I want, but I answer that that's why I'm lonely. In the beginning, I was happy being able to do what I want as my job but you gradually have to compromise more and my identity starts to shake as I am confronted with the duality of the world or financial issues. I've stood my ground so far and I think I probably won't make a different choice. But ironically, I'm really happy when I'm acting. And that's also how lonely I am.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@10asia.co.kr, Wee Geun-woo eight@10asia.co.kr
Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr, Jang Kyung-Jin three@10asia.co.kr