Park Seo-joon talks marriage plans and meaning of love in candid interview

Park Seo-joon / Courtesy of awesome.ent

Actor Park Seo-joon, who stars as Gyeong-do in the JTBC drama "Surely Tomorrow," made his debut in 2011 and is now nearing his 40s. After sprinting through his career without pause, he has learned to slow down and hopes to become a good person before being a good actor. Park recently opened up about love and his goals in life.

On Thursday, Park reflected on his journey. “I’ve only looked forward while running this race, and I’m grateful and fortunate to have come this far with such positive reviews,” he said.

“Trends shift. Environments change. All at warp speed. No one knows what’s next, and I often hear we’re in a constant transition,” he added. “I’m just thankful to still be working amid all this. The fact that I can keep acting makes me feel even more responsible.”

Park’s career has been a relentless sprint.

“One day, I compared my filmography with actors my age and realized I had done an unusually large number of projects. I felt I really hadn’t taken a break,” he said. While he gratefully seized opportunities as they came, burnout was inevitable.

“I realized I’m only human, and vulnerable, too. I always worked as if today were my last, but there were moments when I asked myself, ‘Am I just clocking in?’” Park confessed. “I felt like I knew too much, and while I wanted to do something raw and unfiltered, I wondered if I was becoming stagnant. That’s when burnout hit.”

He admitted that period was tough. “I decided I needed to rest boldly. My body was tired, so I sometimes sought comfort in drinking,” he said. “The lines Gyeong-do says to Ji-woo felt like they were spoken to me. I deeply understood the line, ‘I tried running, I tried walking, I tried everything and it didn’t work, so I drank.’”

That led to a sense of lethargy where he felt unable to do anything.

“Time solved it,” Park said. “I realized the mind becomes healthy only when the body is healthy. I went on a long trip, ran regularly and built a routine through exercise. After a while, I got better. I think everyone goes through such moments. Because that version of me existed, the current version of me exists.”

Park Seo-joon / Courtesy of awesome.ent

The character Gyeong-do came to him at the end of that struggle.

“Portraying him was agonizing and lonely, but my spirit was in a good place. I could focus entirely on this role, and I felt that energy would show in the work,” he said. “So, Gyeong-do is a character I’m grateful for.”

His difficult period lasted from two years ago until last year. Now, he’s more flexible.

“My approach to life has changed a bit. I’ve become comfortable distancing myself from overstimulation, and I use social media much less than before,” he explained. “With so much sensationalism in the media, I started feeling that constantly consuming it wasn’t good. That made me think about what living well means, and I remembered the time before my debut when I carved out time for self-development.”

These days, Park makes time for himself.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I’m taking vocal lessons. I try to do at least one thing for myself each day,” he said. “I often go for a run at night. Sweating makes me feel refreshed and my energy rises. I have more peace of mind, so I’m having quite a bit of fun these days.”

What will Park Seo-joon look like in his 40s? When asked about his personal wishes as a person rather than an actor, he laughed.

“I definitely want to get married in my 40s. If I don’t do it then, I think I’ll end up living alone,” he said.

“I once thought living alone would be fine, but hearing what people around me said changed my mind. Someone who’s married told me, ‘You’re only living Part 1 of your life. Marriage opens Part 2, and having a child opens Part 3.’ They said the hardships are different, but the happiness you feel is a huge happiness completely different from Part 1. I became curious about that, and I think marriage is something I must experience at least once.”

He also expressed a desire to grow as a person.

“Putting my professional life aside, I keep thinking I need to move forward as a good human being. I’ve tried donating and made an effort to take good care of the people around me, and in doing so, I think I’m getting to know myself,” Park said. “Trying to do good deeds to have a positive influence might ultimately be my own selfish desire. Nevertheless, I live these days thinking that if it’s a good deed, it has meaning.”

Park’s definition of love was also clear.

“I hope this drama gives viewers a chance to rethink the meaning of love in their own lives,” he said. “Whether it’s family, friends or a partner, I think the most important thing is being there for them. Love is letting them know you’re always by their side and becoming someone with whom they can share all emotions.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.