Nam Yoon-su "Father's Survival Rate 25% Kidney Transplant Was Not Hesitated" [Interview]

TVING's 'Love in a Big City' Lead Actor Go Young

"Love of Sexual Minorities Is No Different... 300 Kisses Only"
On Days Off, Cooking and Cleaning "Good at All Korean Dishes"

Actor Nam Yoon-su Photo by Merry Christmas·Big Stone Studio

Actor Nam Yoon-su debuted as a model and quickly made a name for himself as an actor. Standing tall at 187cm with broad shoulders like the Pacific Ocean, his small face features dimples that appear fully on both cheeks when he smiles. His youthful and fresh face carries an ambivalent charm. Despite his glamorous appearance, he is down-to-earth. His hobby is cooking. He prefers Korean cuisine and mainly cooks that. On days off, he finds peace by cleaning his home. Last summer, he donated a kidney to his father, who was battling end-stage renal failure. We met him, a man full of unexpected facets, and had a conversation.

"Love Between Men Is No Different"

The OTT drama Love in a Big City, released on the 21st of last month, is a romance about a young man named Go Young living in the metropolis of Seoul, learning about love through various encounters. Based on the novel of the same name by author Park Sang-young, which sold over 100,000 copies since its publication in 2019, the drama was directed by Son Tae-gyeom, Heo Jin-ho, Heo Ji-young, and Kim Se-in, each directing two episodes for a total of eight episodes. Nam Yoon-su plays the role of Go Young, a writer who struggles with his sexual identity while his devout Christian mother (played by Oh Hyun-kyung) has been diagnosed with cancer.

Simply put, the drama is "a story of a man meeting several male lovers and finding himself." Nam Yoon-su recalled, "I read the novel and felt emotionally connected. It was sad, happy, and fun at the same time." He had no aversion or prejudice against queer content and said, "I didn't see it as a romance between men. Dating and loving are the same whether it's a man or a woman. The same goes for kissing. It doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman."

The emotions humans feel while dating are similar. Nam Yoon-su focused on universality, portraying the ups and downs of youth from their 20s to 30s. He said, "Go Young's 20s reminded me of my clumsy 10s and 20s. Back then, I wanted to live happily and everything was just good, but as I entered my 30s, my thoughts became complicated. I became anxious about what to do next and how long I could continue acting. I incorporated these feelings into the character's development."

[Photo by TVING, still from 'Love in a Big City']

While filming the drama, Nam Yoon-su kissed male co-stars over 300 times. When asked if the romantic scenes were burdensome, he laughed and replied, "There was no time to worry on set. I, the other actors, and the staff all showed excellent professionalism." He added, "We filmed scenes with different partners multiple times, and the first kiss was always nerve-wracking. After breaking the ice, it became easier. We adjusted as we went along. We had conversations like, 'How should we do this?' or 'Should we just lightly touch lips or make it more intense?' and immersed ourselves in the scenes."

Director Heo Jin-ho, who directed episodes 3 and 4 titled "A Piece of Rockfish, the Taste of the Universe," said in a previous interview, "Nam Yoon-su's eyes conveyed plausibility. He had countless worries, but seeing his eyes put my mind at ease." Nam Yoon-su said, "I didn't want to fake it. I acted while genuinely feeling and expressing love and affection."

In the drama, the four men burn passionately and part ways intensely. Standing at the center, Nam Yoon-su laughed and said, "Nam Gyu (played by Kwon Hyuk) is my type." He continued, "In real life, when I love someone, I'm indifferent and not the type to take good care of them, so I'm attracted to that kind of person." He pursues comfortable relationships. He said, "Rather than expressing myself to my partner, I expect them to understand without words. When working, I put my phone on 'airplane mode' and focus on my work. I hope my partner understands that."

Actor Nam Yoon-su Photo by Merry Christmas·Big Stone Studio

The Youngest Son of Three Brothers Who Donated a Kidney to His Father

After finishing filming Love in a Big City, Nam Yoon-su underwent kidney transplant surgery for his father. His father was suffering from stage 5 end-stage renal failure, with kidney function reduced to less than 15% of normal, and a 10-year survival rate of only 25%. As the youngest of three brothers, Nam Yoon-su donated part of his kidney to his father on June 19. He said, "My father said he would wait for dialysis and not have the surgery, but I wanted to do it as soon as possible. Seeing my father struggle, I didn't hesitate. My eldest brother has a family, my second brother is just starting his career, and my mother is elderly. I thought I would recover faster as the youngest. Without consulting my brothers, I told them I would go home and have the surgery a week later."

He was hospitalized alongside his father at a hospital in Seoul for the surgery. Nam Yoon-su stayed in a four-person room due to his public recognition, while his father was placed in a single room. He said, "When people recognized me at the hospital and asked for photos, I took them without hesitation."

Due to the surgery, there was a break in his activities, which led to rumors that "Nam Yoon-su's health was very poor." However, on this day, Nam Yoon-su looked even better than before. He said, "I was discharged a week after surgery and was walking a month later. My recovery was fast, and I started exercising two months later." He added, "The surgery was a turning point for me to quit smoking and drink less. I used to drink at least once a week and often overdrank, but now I might drink once a month, if at all."

Actor Nam Yoon-su Photo by Merry Christmas·Big Stone Studio

Nam Yoon-su is serious about cooking. He has shared various cooking tips on the KBS2 variety show Fun-Staurant. On his days off, he relieves stress by cleaning his home. He laughed, saying, "Cooking and cleaning make the day go by quickly." He added, "Cleaning the kitchen takes about three hours. Taking things out, wiping them down, throwing things away?it takes a lot of time. I tend to clean slowly and thoroughly." His favorite and most confident cuisine is Korean food. He said, "I'm not good at Western food, but I can make all the representative Korean dishes. I'm especially confident in soups and stews. I have a great sense of seasoning." He explained, "When I was young, my parents both worked, so I started cooking for myself."