"Wit Enriches Life"... Actor Cha Seung-won's Path [On the Record]

Exercising Since '89... Maintaining 72kg with One Meal a Day
Action & Romance OK "Actors Must Stay Sharp"

Actor Cha Seung-won [Photo by Walt Disney Company Korea]

“‘Wit’ enriches life. I like people who never lose their wit no matter the situation. It’s the same with roles. I like characters that crumble effortlessly. I hope the audience and viewers chuckle quietly when they watch my acting.”

Actor Cha Seung-won (54) played a former National Intelligence Service agent in the four-part OTT series ‘Pokgun’ on Disney+. The character commits ruthless murders with a polite tone and courteous demeanor. His performance, marked by his unique wit, has been praised as the most striking role. When we met at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Cha Seung-won said, “I focused on the character’s dual-faced expressions and gestures.”

Gentle yet Clumsy Murderer “Struggling with Dilemma”

‘Pokgun’ (directed by Park Hoon-jung) is an action thriller depicting a chase between people with different motives trying to obtain the last sample of the ‘Pokgun Program’ that disappeared due to a delivery accident. Im Sang is a cleaner who tries to remove obstacles to the Pokgun Program. He was a legendary agent but retired, and he picks up a gun again to make money.

Im Sang sports a 2:8 parted hairstyle and wears a long trench coat. When checking messages on his flip phone, he lifts his large glasses and brings his face close, speaking in an extremely formal tone as if he has long experience in corporate life. He is a commonly seen (handsome) “ajusshi.” Cha Seung-won and director Park exchanged ideas to create an interesting character. Cha said, “All the props?glasses, shotgun, flip phone, old car?are metaphors that tell the story of the character. They represent Im Sang’s stagnation after his days of flying around fueled by poison.”

'Tyrant' still image [Photo by Walt Disney Company Korea]

Despite committing terrifying murders, Im Sang politely says things like “I really hate repeating myself” and “Please just die already,” which comes across as chilling. Cha Seung-won said, “There was a dilemma.” He continued, “The original intensity was strong, but various opinions came up. We discussed with the director to adjust the intensity of the murder scenes, such as the one where he visits the first infected person and the horse racing scene.”

Cha said he acted Im Sang as a ‘psychopath.’ He explained, “Director Park asked, ‘Isn’t Im Sang a psychopath?’ and I also wanted him to be seen that way. I wanted to portray him as an unpredictable character, someone you can’t figure out. I was also inspired by Morgan Freeman in the movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1995), who comes out after decades in one place.”

His favorite scene in the film is the ‘train’ scene, where a murder takes place on a train. Cha said, “I really felt that Im Sang was a terrifying person. It was scary that he calmly tells his story while trying to kill the person in front of him. His shy hesitation, wondering ‘Should I say this or not?’ was also interesting.”

Variety Shows Like Dramas... Romance Next Year

Cha Seung-won said he likes roles grounded in everyday life. He cited his appearances in the tvN drama ‘Our Blues’ (2022) and MBC’s ‘Rose Bean Sprouts’ (1999) as examples. He said, “I’m drawn to characters who could be around us. Some characters have a high barrier for the audience and viewers. Roles where ‘the acting is good, but I just can’t relate’ are difficult. I feel very fulfilled when I perform in a way that makes people laugh with a ‘What the...?’ reaction.”

Cha maintains certain routines. He has been exercising since 1989 and has been doing one meal a day for two years. This is also the secret to maintaining his 189cm height and 72kg physique. It’s not just for appearance but for ‘strong stamina’ as an actor. He said, “My routine to work healthily is a promise to myself.” He added, “I try to eat rice as little as possible, avoiding white rice, and focus on protein and meat. I do circuit training. If I have filming the next day, I don’t drink alcohol and try to sleep before 11 p.m. In the morning, I feed my dog milk and get personal training at the gym.”

Approaching his 60th birthday soon, he remains healthy thanks to long-term care. Cha said, “About 3-4 months ago, my vision was blurry and I felt unwell, so I went to the hospital for a health checkup. My bone density and physical age came out as 29 years old. I have no polyps and my cholesterol levels are normal,” he laughed.

Actor Cha Seung-won [Photo by Walt Disney Company Korea]

While filming ‘Pokgun,’ Cha Seung-won’s elbow hurt from carrying a 15kg firearm during action scenes, but he said he wants to continue doing action roles even in his 60s and 70s. What about romance? He said, “I’ll try romance once next year. If it comes, I’ll do it before it’s too late.” He added, “If it’s mixed with humor, it won’t be creepy.”

Recently, he filmed the long-running variety show ‘Three Meals a Day’ with actor Yoo Hae-jin. In variety shows, Cha is known as ‘Chef Cha’ for his cooking skills. The unique chemistry between him and Yoo Hae-jin is considered a key to the program’s popularity. On the island where they filmed, they understand each other’s needs just by eye contact and move naturally. He said, “When I wake up in the morning, Yoo Hae-jin runs about 5-10km, and I wash up. It’s an unspoken agreement. Then Yoo Hae-jin lights the fire, and I prepare the food. Filming sometimes feels like the movie ‘The Truman Show.’”

Cha Seung-won is having a busy year. He finished filming the Netflix movie ‘Jeon, Ran’ produced by director Park Chan-wook, and recently shot the drama ‘Dwaeji Uri’ directed by Kim Sang-man, who also directed ‘Jeon, Ran.’ Starting from the 17th, he will also film Park’s new work ‘Eojjeol suga eopda.’ He said, “The production market is tough, but I’m grateful to keep getting work. I intend to stay sharp and act well. The production team and actors go through a self-censorship process where we knock and doubt once more. I want to do it rigorously well.”