[Interview] Director Woo Min-ho: "The Second Jo Woo-jin? Seo Hyun-woo, a Clever Actor"

[Lee Isul, Entertainment Reporter]

Director Woo Min-ho spoke about actor Seo Hyun-woo, who showed a strong presence in the film The Man Standing Next.

Director Woo Min-ho recently shared various stories about the upcoming release of The Man Standing Next during an interview with our publication at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

The Man Standing Next is a film depicting the 40 days leading up to the assassination of the President of South Korea in 1979, focusing on the Director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (played by Lee Byung-hun), who was known as the second most powerful figure at the time. Since its release on January 22, the film has maintained the number one spot at the box office for seven consecutive days, continuing its success.

Following the 2015 hit Inside Men, which attracted 9.15 million viewers and set a new record for adult-rated films, Director Woo Min-ho’s new work has drawn much attention. After the release of The Man Standing Next, voices predicting the rise of a “second Jo Woo-jin” emerged regarding Seo Hyun-woo, who portrayed Jeon Doo-hyuk.

Seo Hyun-woo is an actor who has built his skills through numerous roles, from supporting to minor parts, on the big screen. He delivered impressive performances in many works such as Baekdusan, Believer, 1987, and The Jury.

In particular, Seo Hyun-woo showed great passion for the project and his character by shaving his head for nearly six months for his role in The Man Standing Next. It is said that during the filming period, he wore a wig when shooting other projects, demonstrating his exceptional dedication.

On this day, Director Woo Min-ho expressed his affection, saying, “I am truly grateful that Seo Hyun-woo is being called the second Jo Woo-jin. He is an actor I cherish.”

Director Woo Min-ho continued, “He had to shave his hair. It was not an easy decision for him as an actor.”

He added, “Although his screen time was not extensive, he had the insight to understand the entire script. I got the impression that he accurately grasped his role after reading the script. Sometimes actors might want to do more, but Seo Hyun-woo is a smart actor who precisely fulfills his part.”

Director Woo Min-ho said, “I hope that The Man Standing Next receives a good response and that Seo Hyun-woo will show even better performances in his future projects.”

Reporter Lee Isul