[Interview] Ryu Deokhwan: "I'd Be a Fool to Miss the Chance to Act with Kim Hyeja"

Pastor Role in 'More Beautiful Than Heaven'
"After Getting Married, I Fell in Love with Cooking... I Became a Real Person"

Actor Ryu Deokhwan is participating in an interview at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 26th. C&Company

"For a long time, I lived under the compulsion that I had to act well and was constantly constrained by others' evaluations. Acting always felt like a test, and every time I stood in front of the camera, the tension and pressure weighed heavily on me. But through 'More Beautiful Than Heaven,' it was the first time I wasn't afraid of acting."

For actor Ryu Deokhwan (37), the JTBC weekend drama 'More Beautiful Than Heaven' allowed him to discover something more beautiful than heaven. When we met at a cafe in Gangnam, Seoul on the 26th, he said, "I realized that I don't have to struggle to show what I've prepared; just being present in that moment is enough."

Ryu Deokhwan made his debut in 1992 on MBC's 'TV Kindergarten Ppoppo Ppoppo' and has continued his acting career for 33 years. He has established his presence with sincere performances in films such as 'Welcome to Dongmakgol' (2005), 'The Most Beautiful Goodbye' (2011), and dramas like 'Quiz from God 1~5' (2010~2019) and 'Nobody Knows' (2020). Having started as a child actor and grown into an adult performer, he has always approached acting with a sense of responsibility and tension, but through this project, he was finally able to let go of that heavy burden.

In 'More Beautiful Than Heaven,' which ended on the 25th, Ryu Deokhwan played the role of a pastor who died at the age of five and grew up in heaven. In this heavenly setting, he meets Haesook (Kim Hyeja), and as they comfort each other's wounds, they form a relationship. He delicately portrayed a character who is not just a simple helper, but someone who embodies waiting, loss, and hope.

When asked what motivated him to take the role, Ryu Deokhwan answered, "Just having the opportunity to work with Kim Hyeja was enough. I thought I would be a fool to pass it up." He added, "Because it was a set filled with great actors, I felt more gratitude than pressure."

"In the past, I was obsessed with the pressure to act well, filling my script with notes and unable to relax until I stood in front of the camera. I constantly pushed myself, thinking I always had to do well, and acting felt like a task I had to prove myself in. But this time, I decided not to struggle to show what I had prepared and to simply be present in each moment."

He said that acting with Kim Hyeja taught him that it is more important to naturally flow with the other person's rhythm than to force emotions. He emphasized, "There were moments when I overacted, wanting to show my skills, but she never accepted that. Through her, I realized that acting is not about showing off, but about sincerity."

Ryu Deokhwan said, "I also thought a lot about how to portray the role of a pastor. At first, I focused on how to express his professional identity, but director Kim Seokyoon's instruction to play him as 'someone who simply waits' became a turning point. Rather than focusing on the title of a religious figure, I concentrated on the essence of someone who harbors emotions and waits for someone in the space of heaven."

JTBC 'More Beautiful Than Heaven' still photo. Studio Phoenix, SLL

The changes in Ryu Deokhwan's approach to acting are closely connected to his life. He married Jeon Surin, the CEO of an online shopping mall whom he had dated for eight years, in 2021. He laughed as he said, "After getting married, I became a real person." Marriage has made him stronger. He said, "I was once confined within a fence, but now I've finally stepped outside it. Having someone who is truly on my side gives me strength. Now, the time I spend cooking, eating, and talking with my wife is the most precious."

The memories of his childhood acting days are still vivid. Looking back, Ryu Deokhwan said, "On set, I was called 'hey.' I grew up watching fellow child actors get slapped if they couldn't cry on cue, and the fear from those days is still very real to me." For this reason, he said he would not easily encourage his own child to become a child actor in the future.

Ryu Deokhwan has recorded his own stories through directing short films and holding exhibitions. In the short film 'My Wife Gained Weight,' he expressed his memories and gratitude for his mother, and he also held an exhibition. He said, "Even with small projects, I wanted to capture my own perspective and thoughts in them," and added, "I want to continue directing short films in the future."

"These days, I'm really into cooking. The kitchen feels like a battlefield. Suddenly, I remembered my mother scolding me for not cleaning up red pepper powder while doing the dishes. I wonder how many times I made my mother cry in my life. I've only realized with age that cooking is something that deserves respect. I even want to write a fantasy film set in a kitchen."

As for his future plans, he said, "I haven't decided on my next project yet. For now, I just want to prepare well for my mother's 70th birthday party," he said with a laugh. He added, "Some people may have thought I quit acting, but I hope this project lets people know that 'Ryu Deokhwan is still acting.'"