Actor Seo Kang Joon Talks About His Busy Life, Personality, and His Favorite Drama Through NYLON

Actor Seo Kang Joon recently posed for the fashion magazine NYLON. This is the interview that ensued following the shooting. Check out the pictures and interview!

We met too early in the morning, right? Your manager was worrying that your face was going to be puffy but fortunately, I can see that your face looks great.

I think the manager was worrying because I was busy yesterday and went to bed at 4 a.m. But as I knew I was going to shoot a pictorial, I put some hydrating cream on my face before going to bed.

You’re right. Your skin looks good. It seems like all the young actors are getting many skin treatment these days.

I don’t particularly go to skin clinics but I do put on a lot of the basic skin lotions and hydrating creams.

But everybody does that nowadays.

Oh, really? I thought I was doing a lot.

You work out as well, right? Like actresses who only eat celery and drink water…

I don’t do that, but I did lose a lot of weight. It’s because I heard I had a lot of cheek fat while I filmed the “After School Bokbulbok” with the other 5urprise members.

You must feel like it was worth it to work out for all these pictorials you recently shot. Do you like shooting pictorials? There are a lot of skilled actors who feel awkward when taking pictorial shots.

It was hard at first. I didn’t know a lot of things, but as the number of pictorials grew, I think I’m having fun now. Now I know what kind of picture will come out if I make a particular pose. I also think that the pictures depend a lot of the lighting.

Quite recently, I heard that you did about 60 interviews. A lot of the questions you are asked must be the same. What do you think when you hear the question? If it was me, I would think “Oh, this question again.”

Not for me. Even if I say the same answer 50 times, it would be the first time for the interviewer.

Are there are any questions that you faced difficulty in answering?

Questions like, “Is there anything else you want to say?”

And how do you answer that?

I say whatever comes to my mind at that time which is usually a short message to the fans or a new resolution that I have for myself.

So what is your new resolution?

I want to work without resting in between. My body would be tired but I think I would feel a sense of accomplishment and it would be worth it.

Maybe you don’t like to sit still. I heard you watched about thousands of movies until you were 20. Then how many movies did you watch every month?

I watched those thousands of movies in about four to five years. To do that, you need to watch movies every day for three years. So for me, I watched movies every day for four to five years. I watched one to two movies every night before going to bed. Sometimes I dozed off to sleep while watching them…

The movies must have helped you a lot.

You’re right. They helped me without me knowing. When I receive a script and feel like I’m not skilled enough, I think about some of the scenes from the movies I watched.

Can you pick one particular movie you like the most out of the thousand?

I think the one that I remember the most is “Eternal Sunshine.” The scenes’ colors, emotions, and visuals were just fascinating. I liked that the ending was shown from the beginning.

Usually, you can sense a person’s personality depending on what kind of movie that person likes. If you liked a girl, what kind of movie would you want her to like?

A classic movie, like “Waterloo Bridge.” I would think to myself, “That person really is interested in movies!”

Do you have any dramas you like? Actors only tend to talk about their favourite movies in interviews.

I do, it’s “The Greatest Love!” I watch various dramas that are currently popular. The most recent one that I watched was “Doctor Stranger.”

I would have never guessed that your favourite drama would be “The Greatest Love” because of your calm personality. If you were to act in that drama, who would  you want to portray? The role of Yoon Gye Sang?

No. I would want to act the role of Cha Seung Won‘s “Dok Go Jin.”

But I can’t really picture you in the character of “Dok Go Jin.”

Me too, but I want to do it. But I doubt I can do it well because I’m so young.

Your roles in dramas such as “The Suspicious Housekeeper,” “Drama Festival – Haneuljae’s Murder,“ and “Cunning Single Lady” were all very important and you gained a lot of attention in such a short span of time. You must be dazed.

Yes. I felt a lot of pressure because I acted with a lot of great actors in every project. I didn’t have a lot of confidence I would pull the character off very well. So I studied a lot. For “Haneuljae’s Murder” I met with the director three weeks prior to filming and we talked a lot about how I should portray my character.

How did you find three weeks to prepare for your role when you’re increasingly having such high demands as a rookie? Aren’t you worried?

Yes, that happened when I was filming “Cunning Single Lady.” I thought that it would have been better if I had more time to prepare for the role. My character needed to look as charming as Joo Chang Wook’s character but it’s too bad that it didn’t go that way. When I watched the drama, I felt like I didn’t measure up to him.

Still, your acting skills were great and there were a lot around me who loved your character. Maybe you’re a genius in acting?

No, a lot of the 5urprise members are skilled. They would be able to achieve a lot. But not me. I can’t improvise and just go for it. I have to study in advance and I like to analyze my character before starting work.

How do you think you are changing as an actor?

I think I’m getting more competent. Not just in acting, but in getting along with the staff members, which I think is very important to learn. I meet a lot of people and I learn a lot from them.

It feels like you just memorized that last answer. Your facial expression didn’t even change. Are you being shy?

Haha. Yes. I’m not very outgoing.

Don’t you get stressed? I see a lot of rookie actors and idols who bow and say hello in a big voice.

That’s right. I think when you are a rookie, there is a special kind of custom. You need to be outgoing and approach people first but there are times I can’t do that well because as a shy and awkward person, I fear they will see me as fake.

With such a shy personality, how do you film the reality show “Roommate”? You need to live with the other members for five days a week. 

I’m an introvert but as I get close with people, I’m very playful. I can’t approach people well but when I see someone and want to be friends, I do my best.

Do you have any inconveniences why filming “Roommate” or living together with the other members? A lot of problems arise when living together. Like why someone is not cleaning the bathroom. 

I try to understand them. I do get angry when someone does not do their chores but I do tell them to do it quickly.

Do you consider yourself as a man of principles?

No. There are a lot of things I can’t keep promises to.

Anyways, do you always talk so calmingly?

Yes…

You must have been a model student at school.

No, I liked to play. I went to play games with friends and though I become quiet when I meet someone who I’m not close to, we were a bunch of loud guys.

What was the word you heard the most back in the days?

Uhm..son?

Son?

Yes. My parents called me “Son~”

That was the word you heard the most? Where do your parents live?

At Sanbon.

Oh right, your nickname is “Sanbon’s vitamin.”

That just came up at “Radio Star” as a joke but it’s consistently becoming a much-talked topic.

Then think of a new word.

“Younger male friend”? Like the word I was called while doing “Cunning Single Lady. “

As a younger male friend, what do you do in your free time? You don’t even do Twitter or Instagram.

I watch dramas through IPTV or go shopping.

How do you do your shopping? Are you very detailed? Or just buy whatever?

I just scan, pick the prettiest outfit and try it on.

Then your shopping time must be short.

How is it for other people?

For some people, it takes half a day.

Wow! Really? Then I really am quick.

Do you shop with other 5urprise members as well?

No. When I shop for clothes, I really just shop.

When are the 5urprise members coming to the audience? It is the first time that there is officially a group of actors who act and sing at the same time.

There is nothing that has been officially planned yet, but even if we do release a single, it’s not definite that it’s going to be dance music. For now, we’re just practicing very hard at singing and dancing.

You’re appearing in the drama “What’s With This Family” while you’re so busy. This drama is full of veteran actors such as Kim Sang Gyung and Yoo Dong Geun. How are you going to study for this production?

Truthfully, I’m not the one who chose to appear in it, but I was lucky enough to be given a chance. Since it’s a weekend drama, it would be good training for me. I’m going to learn a lot of the other actors.

Is there anything you want to do after shooting the drama?

An MC at the music show. I did it once but I found it fun to talk with other MCs in such a high-toned animated voice.

What about other than work? Anything is good.

I want to ski in the Alps. Oh, and becoming a pianist! I have played the piano a lot. But still, I want to do a lot of work, like shooting for pictorials and doing interviews.

You seems to have a lot of desires. Including this one, how many interviews do you think you have done?

Let’s see..I’ve done about 60 after the drama…so now…oh I don’t know. Haha.