[Interview] Kwon Sang-woo "Action = Dream, Exercising to Not Lose to Young Actors"

Interview with Actor Kwon Sang-woo from The Pirates: Goblin Flag

Kwon Sang-woo / Photo by Su Company

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "With the advancement of media such as CG (special effects), the screen has become faster and more dynamic. The era has come where actors have to keep up. I am working out hard so that young actors don’t take away the action scenes from me."

Actor Kwon Sang-woo said this during a video interview with Asia Economy on the morning of the 20th, adding, "My goal is to be told that I perform well because I manage myself well, even when my peers or seniors are no longer able to do action scenes."

Kwon Sang-woo reunited with director Kim Jung-hoon, with whom he worked on 'Detective: The Beginning' (2015), for 'Pirates: The Goblin Flag.' He expressed strong trust, saying, "I think we trust each other. Just by looking into each other's eyes, we can tell if the director is tired or not."

'Pirates: The Goblin Flag' (directed by Kim Jung-hoon), the sequel to 'Pirates: The Bandit Goes to the Sea' which attracted 8.66 million viewers in 2014, is a film depicting the grand adventure of pirates who gather at sea to become the owners of the royal treasure that disappeared without a trace. Kwon Sang-woo plays Bu Heung-soo, who spares no means for his ambition, displaying fierce momentum.

Kwon Sang-woo debuted in 2001 with the drama 'Delicious Proposal' and rose to fame as a Hallyu star through hits like 'Into the Sun,' 'Stairway to Heaven,' 'Sad Love Story,' and the movie 'My Tutor Friend.'

Since then, Kwon Sang-woo has established himself as a unique action actor through works such as 'Once Upon a Time in High School,' 'The Beast and the Beauty,' 'In the Line of Fire,' the 'Detective' series, 'The Divine Move: The Wrathful,' and 'Hitman.'

Gang Ha-neul, who played Moo-chi opposite Kwon Sang-woo in 'Pirates: The Goblin Flag,' said, "It felt like learning a move from a master," and added, "The movements were organic. It wasn’t training but instinctive action."

Kwon Sang-woo / Photo by Su Company

Kwon Sang-woo emphasized, "I want to be an actor who performs visually impactful acting and uses his body well. When monitoring, I tend to pay close attention to the actor’s movements. Good lines and voice are important, but using the body well comes first. I believe that body movement accounts for more than 50% of acting. Action is that important in modern dramas."

Earlier, in an interview for 'The Divine Move: The Wrathful' in October 2019, Kwon Sang-woo expressed, "I want to do action acting until I turn sixty." Born in 1976, he is now past forty and approaching fifty. Action acting involves many risks and requires well-maintained physical condition, so it might be tough.

"I am working out hard to maintain the flexibility and stamina needed for action acting. I am exercising for my dream. Although I had ankle surgery and my body is not the same as before, I always prepare by managing my condition. Everyone ages, but if you manage well, you can delay it. That’s why I never neglect exercising."

Challenging the historical drama genre and playing a villain for the first time through 'Pirates: The Goblin Flag,' Kwon Sang-woo said, "I don’t usually worry about whether a project will be a hit or not when I appear. I bravely jump into good scripts," adding, "If there are interesting roles, I want to continue being active."

He also said, "Someday, I want to shoot a really cool action movie and also meet a touching comedy film. I want to try a melodrama with a mature feeling that suits my age."

He said it’s okay not to be the main character. Kwon Sang-woo said, "There are still some producers who don’t think that way. I approached 'Pirates' with an open mind. If I am confident in my character and can show a good performance, I won’t hesitate."

Kwon Sang-woo / Photo by Su Company

Kwon Sang-woo, who now finds that there are more juniors than seniors on set, said he feels a sense of generational gap.

"I think I stopped at 28 years old, but I just got older. My body is aging. (laughs) On set, I sometimes think, 'Have I really become like this already?' There are many directors who are much younger than me. When I was filming the drama 'The King of Ambition,' I promised the assistant director that I would appear if he made his directorial debut, and now he has become the main director. The director of the project B team, where I recently made a special appearance, is 32 years old. I am rather cautious. When you are young, you can get away with mistakes, but as you get older, you shouldn’t make mistakes. These days, I feel even more grateful for the set."