INTERVIEW Actor Zo In-sung embraces artistic challenge in 'Possible Love'
Actor Zo In-sung / Courtesy of Netflix
For actor Zo In-sung, starring in master director Lee Chang-dong’s latest movie "Possible Love" means both a career peak and a profound journey of self-discovery.
"Possible Love,” which clinched the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival and has been selected as Korea’s official entry for International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards, centers on two couples whose lives collide during a documentary project, exposing hidden desires and social divides.
In the Netflix original film, the 45-year-old actor plays Sang-woo, a wealthy heir who embodies a multilayered nature of capital and power.
"Working with director Lee came as a complete surprise," Zo told The Korea Times during an interview at a cafe in Seoul on Tuesday.
"While I was on a set of ‘Humint,’ I got a call that director Lee was asking about my schedule. I was thrilled, but at the same time, I wondered if I could live up to such a great opportunity. It felt like facing another massive mountain to climb."
Working under Lee’s thorough direction required Zo to strip away artificial acting techniques and inhabit the character as naturally as possible.
"Director Lee told us not to 'act' in a technical sense, but simply to exist as the characters," Zo explained. "Because of that, I refrained from making definitive judgments about Sang-woo's motivations."
That subtle ambiguity defines Sang-woo's delicate interactions with Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon), wife of a laid-off worker, Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu).
Their quiet tension surfaces when the couple meets Sang-woo and his documentary director wife Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), who aims to capture the laid-off worker's harsh reality in her film.
"Whether Sang-woo's kindness is perceived as flirting depends entirely on the audience; that ambiguity is the core of the character,” he said. “Unlike genre films where intentions are clearly defined, 'Possible Love' leaves room for viewers to project their own perspectives."
Actors Zo In-sung, right, and Jeon Do-yeon in a scene from "Possible Love" / Courtesy of Netflix
His role also demanded physical and technical preparation. Zo spent nearly four months taking clarinet lessons three times a week to perform singer-songwriter Shim Soo-bong’s “I Don’t Know Anything But Love.”
"I served in the military band, so I knew how tricky the clarinet gets as the pitch goes up," Zo joked. "Along with learning the instrument, I had to handle English lessons and physical training, which kept my schedule completely packed."
The movie also reconnected Zo with co-star Jeon, more than two decades after their 2002 SBS drama "Shooting the Star."
"Acting with Jeon Do-yeon again brought me right back to the basics," Zo recalled. "To share the screen with her after more than 20 years made me reflect on how fortunate I am to still be acting before the public. Learning from her on set felt like discovering treasure all over again."
As "Possible Love" continues to receive global acclaim, Zo also expressed deep admiration for how director Lee is recognized internationally.
"Seeing director Lee's influence firsthand at international film festivals was eye-opening," Zo said. "Someone tapped my shoulder at a festival and told me my performance was incredible. Running the race alongside world-class films feels like competing as a national athlete, but more than that, it is a space to exchange art and culture."
Zo In-sung, left, and Cho Yeo-jeong pose on the red carpet at the London Film Festival, Oct. 11. Reuters-Yonhap
He also shared his thoughts on Korean cinema's presence in global cinema following the success of "Parasite."
"While 'Parasite' achieved extraordinary results, it doesn't mean the barrier to the U.S. movie market has completely vanished for Asian cinema," Zo said. "We have to keep knocking on that door continuously so that future Korean directors have even greater opportunities on the world stage."
In 2026, Zo continues an impressive run of working with top directors as he was featured in Ryoo Seung-wan’s "Humint” in February and Na Hong-jin’s “Hope” in July.
Currently on set for the highly anticipated second season of the Disney+ hit series "Moving," the actor remains grounded about what comes next.
"With 'Possible Love,' I feel we did everything humanly possible," Zo said. "Now, we will just have to see where the journey takes us next."