[Interview] Yoo Yeon-seok "I Must Stay with My Beloved Pet Until the End"

Movie 'Meongmung-i' Lead Role Minsu
Tears Thinking of Real Pet Dog Rita
20-Year Debut "Sincerity and Challenge"

Actor Yoo Yeon-seok (38, An Yeon-seok) adopted a stray dog named Rita through director Im Soon-rye, who was the head of the animal protection organization KARA. At the time of rescue, Rita was suffering from a skin disease that caused hair loss and was also afflicted with heartworm. When she first came home, she was confused and restless, unable to stay in one place. Yoo lovingly cared for Rita, and they became inseparable family. The film Meongungi (director Kim Joo-hwan) gave Yoo the courage to reach out to Rita. One year after finishing filming, he met Rita as if by fate.

On the 17th, Yoo Yeon-seok met at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and said, "I hesitated to have a pet dog because I was often away from home due to filming, but I found courage while shooting the movie. Recently, with the emergence of dog kindergartens, training centers, and care services, the conditions for taking care of pets have improved, so I thought it might be possible if I were just a bit more diligent." He added with a smile, "I heard the rescuer named her 'Rita' because she was drinking a margarita cocktail at a bar on the day of the rescue."

"Together Until the End" Tears Over His Pet Dog

Actor Yoo Yeon-seok [Photo by Kidari Studio]

Yoo Yeon-seok recalled, "After feeling the message and meaning the film conveys, I couldn't put down the script." He continued, "When I met director Kim Joo-hwan and talked, I felt his sincerity in making the film. I decided not to calculate anything else and just focus on the message the film carries," explaining his reason for appearing in the film.

Known for rarely shedding tears, Yoo cried at a press screening for the first time in his 20-year career. He said, "I didn't expect to cry either," recalling, "I was choked up about five or six times while watching the film." He added, "I emotionally connected at unexpected moments, like when Loony runs toward me. The expressions of sadness shared by the pet dog and the wagging tail greeting you are not something that can be trained. Seeing such reactions on the big screen doubled the emotion."

The scene stealers in Meongungi are the pet dogs. Yoo Yeon-seok, who played the main character Minsu, acknowledged this. He said, "Because of the kids (the dogs), I didn't even realize filming was difficult. The scenes where the little ones lick me while I deliver lines or endlessly dig sand at the beach were improvised. Even while watching the movie, I could only see the kids," he laughed.

Meongungi, which opens on the 1st of next month, depicts the story of young Minsu heading to Jeju Island to find a new owner for his cousin's dog Loony, whom he has raised for 11 years. Some reactions criticized the premise as unconvincing, saying it is hard to believe Minsu cannot keep Loony as he prepares for marriage. There are also voices accusing the film of glamorizing abandonment. When asked how he understood Minsu, Yoo said:

"To call it abandonment... Minsu never gave up on Loony. I think he never considered sending her away unless it was to someone who would become family or care for her closely. Rather than focusing on small choices and anecdotes in the process of growing up, I hope people focus on how Minsu overcomes trauma and realizes the meaning of family through his journey. I believe it has a meaning about growth."

'Mungmu' still photo [Photo by Kidaristudio]

Yoo Yeon-seok is also a pet owner. When asked what he would do if he faced the same situation as Minsu, he answered, "I would stay together until the end." He continued, "I would try to find a way to live together somehow. I would expand the house to a bigger place and set up a space for Loony. I would feed her and pet her. The only regret is that we couldn't sleep together on the bed."

"Meongungi is not a film where the number of viewers is important. It has a small budget and is not distributed by a major company, but I hope the audience who watch it will be positively influenced like me. I hope it encourages people to courageously adopt stray dogs and gives those who briefly considered giving up their pets due to the realistic dilemmas depicted in the film a chance to reconsider."

20-Year Veteran Actor... The Challenge Continues

Actor Yoo Yeon-seok [Photo by Kidari Studio]

Yoo Yeon-seok debuted as the young Yoo Ji-tae in Oldboy (2003) and gained attention with Reply 1994 (2013). Since then, he has appeared in films such as The Whistleblower (2014), Secret Temptation (2015), Love, Lies (2016), Steel Rain 2: Summit (2020), and dramas including MandoRong TtoTto (2015), Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim (2017), Mr. Sunshine (2018), Hospital Playlist (2020?2021), and Suriname (2022).

Yoo Yeon-seok has a knack for choosing hit projects. With a keen eye for roles, he has taken on interesting characters one after another, expanding his range. Now in his 20th year of acting, he said his perspective on works has changed over the two decades.

"When I debuted, I wasn't someone with a strong, distinctive look, so I decided to become an actor who could embody various colors. I wanted to show diverse images without being confined to a genre or image. I realized my first impression was dandy but with intense eyes, and I felt that was my color. Until before the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a strong desire to appear in big-budget blockbusters and so-called '10-million viewer films' starring famous actors. Amid that, I met Meongungi and learned that sincerity in approaching a project is important. While working on Hospital Playlist, I developed a soft image and wanted to break that and show a fresh side. I also did works like Suriname. In my next project, I will play a serial killer."

He cited Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim as a turning point in his acting career. He said he gained great insight through senior actor Han Suk-kyu. Yoo Yeon-seok said, "After a film I was about to join fell through, I had a gap and met Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim. Acting with senior Han Suk-kyu made me reflect on myself. One day, he asked me, 'Would you try acting as if no one is there and just look into my eyes?' It was shocking. It made me realize I had been conscious of the camera and viewers."

"I realized I cared more about how I looked than the emotions I felt while acting. Senior Han Suk-kyu asked plainly, 'I'm the one speaking, so why is the focus elsewhere?' He was pointing out my lack of sincerity. It meant a lot to me. Someone like him, who has acted for so long, I thought he would just deliver lines casually, but he has a routine to immerse himself in the situation. I reflected and it became a moment of awakening in my acting life."