[On the Record] 28-Year Veteran Song Seung-heon "Acting Is Fun Now"

Netflix 'Delivery Driver' Ryu Seok Interview
Reunion with 20-Year Friend Director Jo Eui-seok
Villain Role & OTT Challenge "I Want to Break Fixed Image"

Song Seung-heon Photo by Netflix

When thinking of actor Song Seung-heon (47), his calf-like eyes come to mind first. Known for always playing pure-hearted, romantic leads like characters from a shoujo manga, he has now wiped away his smile and returned as a cold-hearted villain. This new face is welcome. He confessed that he has come to enjoy acting more and feels a greater thirst for it. The challenge is just beginning.

In a recent interview for the online video streaming (OTT) series Delivery Man (directed by Jo Ui-seok), Song Seung-heon said, "When people think of 'Song Seung-heon,' they tend to see me as a righteous and kind stereotypical image," adding, "From now on, I want to try breaking that image."

Approaching 30 Years Since Debut... "I Want to Play Diverse Roles"

Song Seung-heon debuted in 1995 as a model for the clothing brand Storm and rose to stardom through the MBC sitcom Men Three Women Three (1996?1999), where he was noticed as 'Ssut Geomdaengi.' Since then, he has appeared in dramas such as Happy Together (1999), Autumn in My Heart (2000), Summer Scent (2003), and films like Obsessed (2014), Miss Wife (2015), and Chief Kim Chang-soo (2017), maintaining a 28-year career as an actor.

Song Seung-heon reflected, "Time really flies." He added, "Steven Spielberg mentioned that the secret to making good films is having a healthy body. I want to take good care of my health and work hard at acting."

"There are still many types of acting I want to try. The villain role I played in Delivery Man is different from the image people have of me. Honestly, acting wasn’t fun in my 20s and 30s. I suddenly became an actor in my 20s, and time passed in a blur. I just thought it was something I was doing. I didn’t particularly find it interesting, but now acting is fun. I used to be shy, but as I got older, I started talking more on set. If I had done that when I was younger, I would have enjoyed acting more. It’s a pity, but it’s not too late. I want to play various roles going forward."

A Villain with Complex Instincts for Survival

'Delivery Driver' still image [Photo by Netflix]

In the Netflix series Delivery Man, released on the 12th, he revealed a different side. He transformed into the villain Ryu Seok, the son of Ryu Jae-jin, chairman of the Cheonmyeong Group who established the current order in a desertified world, and the representative of Cheonmyeong with boiling ambition. He is in charge of construction in Zone A, mobilizing a large number of refugees, and orders the completion of the project as soon as possible to facilitate relocation to a new area. Despite opposition from Chairman Ryu, he tries to take the lead in the relocation plan on behalf of the government, clashing with them.

Song Seung-heon said, "Ryu Seok is pitiful, and as a son, the responsibility of navigating the world felt heavy. The human instinct for survival is close to good and evil, but when you look deeper, it’s complex."

He continued, "I can’t justify the forced sacrifices, but he is a character making the best choice." He added, "Like the line, 'There is no world where everyone is satisfied,' I focused on the unavoidable choices in reality."

Regarding feedback that Ryu Seok’s backstory was somewhat lacking, he said, "When I first received the script and talked with director Jo Ui-seok, there was a setting where a planet approached Earth during the father’s younger days. Ryu Seok’s backstory was part of that process, but it was regrettable that it couldn’t be fully included in the limited series. Still, I’m satisfied because I like the work."

Song Seung-heon revealed that he appeared in the project due to a special connection with director Jo Ui-seok. Their relationship has lasted 21 years since they worked together on the director’s debut film Runaway (2002). He affectionately called him "a twenty-year-old friend, making it awkward to call him 'director.'" He added, "We met in our youth and both went through trials and errors. I’m just happy to be working together again after all this time."

When asked about working with actor Kim Woo-bin, Song Seung-heon laughed, saying, "He has no humanity." He explained, "He’s so perfect that you don’t feel his humanity. I heard he’s polite and has a good character. When I met him on set, I wondered if it was an act because he was so good. But in reality, he’s manly, humane, and consistent. He’s really great," showing his affection.

Blue Screen, OTT... Song Seung-heon’s Another Challenge

Song Seung-heon Photo by Netflix

Delivery Man is adapted from the webtoon of the same name by writer Lee Yoon-kyun. Song Seung-heon said, "I didn’t read the webtoon." He added, "It’s difficult to satisfy fans of the original work." He continued, "There may be some regrets, but please understand that the scenario was chosen by the production team and actors. Interestingly, overseas fans have been responding well to the new world view."

The Korean dystopia depicted in Delivery Man was mostly created with special effects (CG). The actors had to perform mostly in front of blue screens. Song Seung-heon said, "I’ve filmed in front of blue screens before, but never for such a large portion of the shoot." He added, "It was unfamiliar at first, but I created it with imagination while talking with the director."

Taking on his first OTT series since debut, Song Seung-heon said, "I feel that viewers’ pacing has become faster." He added, "These days, there are many 6 to 8-episode works, and you can feel the speed and power. If something drags, viewers turn away. There are separate works for dramas, movies, and OTT, each with their pros and cons. For example, Squid Game succeeded by being made into a series rather than a 2-hour movie," he observed.