[INTERVIEW] Model-turned actor becomes TV heartthrob

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Sat, April 21, 2018 | 18:57

Dramas & TV shows

[INTERVIEW] Model-turned actor becomes TV heartthrob

Posted : 2017-11-26 17:54

Updated : 2017-11-27 14:09

Actor Jang Ki-yong poses during an interview with The Korea Times on the recently ended KBS TV's romantic comedy "Couple on the Backtrack" at a cafe in Seoul, Friday. / Courtesy of YG Entertainment

Jang Ki-yong wins viewers' hearts with ‘Couple on the Backtrack'

By Park Jin-hai

Jang Ki-yong, a model-turned actor, has been one of the biggest surprises of the recently ended romantic comedy "Couple on the Backtrack."

Portraying a university senior Jung Nam-gil, who is interested in lead actress Jang Nara's character, and showed many heart-fluttering romantic scenes, the 25-year-old main supporting actor has gained instant attention from viewers and is being touted as a hot new rising star.

"I feel the drama's popularity. Before, only a few fans in their 20s recognized me, but while shooting the drama, people in their 40s, 50s and over I see at the sites come and say they love watching my role in the drama. I felt great responsibility at the same time," said Jang, revealing how much he owes to the drama during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Friday. "My brother and I, after I was cast for the role, had dinner and told each other that it might be really great if my name was mentioned alongside actors Yang Se-jong and Woo Do-whan, two actors whose acting was memorable at the time. It has just been a great surprise to see my name actually appear in the news with those actors."

Yet, the 1.87 meter-tall actor with a great physique, who debuted as a model at Seoul Fashion Week 2012, said he had difficulty playing the role at the beginning. "At first, I had too many worries. It was my first time acting this kind of role -- cold-seeming, women-distrusting, but warm-hearted character. I found myself rather stiff and unnatural, with low self-esteem. But the director and lead actress Jang came and told me that I should trust them. It relieved the pressure and I came to act more naturally."

Saying that his most favored love scene in the drama was when he confessed his feelings for Ma Jin-joo, played by actress Jang, he added that shooting a romantic scene with Jang was "easy" because she is so lovely. "Although Jang is older than me, I didn't feel it. Looking at her lovely big and round eyes, anyone would have romantic feelings," he said. "To better immerse myself in the character that has a crush on Ma, I printed out two pretty photos of Jang and put one next to the living room television and the other on the wall at my house's entrance. I thought about her while relaxing and again whenever I stepped out of the house. Such image training helped me a lot."

Jang says "Couple on the Backtrack" has been the first project he calls "his." "In my previous projects, I didn't use the term my or our. While working on this drama, I found myself calling it my drama. For the first time, I felt the feeling that I belonged to the drama," he said. "Previously, my only attention was how attractive my role might be. Now I have learned the importance of the big picture: understanding why certain characters are put in particular environments and why such incidents happen in a certain context. Analyzing my character should come later."

After the success of the drama, Jang is busy dealing with many offers to appear in commercials and variety shows, yet he says he wants to show more of himself as an actor. "Speaking of variety show offers, although I appreciate it very much, I would like to show more of myself as an actor for now. Since I'm a big movie fan, I'd rather be in a movie," he said.

Jung mentions Heath Ledger as his role model. "The legendary actor, who played the Joker in The Dark Knight, is my role model. After watching the film, I looked for his previous work and they were mainly playful and lovely characters, hard to match with the Joker image. Like Ledger, I want to be an actor who can perfectly change his image with different roles he is in. I would like to hear an is it really him kind of reaction from viewers.

"If I could, I'd love to work on a strong character in a film noir like the 2001 Korean film Friend."

jinhai@kitmes.com