Veteran stage actor slams Son Suk-ku over likening stage acting to 'fake acting'

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Entertainment & Arts

Wed, November 29, 2023 | 00:23

Theater & Others

Veteran stage actor slams Son Suk-ku over likening stage acting to 'fake acting'

Posted : 2023-07-16 15:30

Updated : 2023-07-17 14:32

Actor Nam Myeong-ryeol / Yonhap

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Veteran actor Nam Myeong-ryeol criticized actor Son Suk-ku for making controversial comments about stage directors instructing actors to do "fake acting" onstage.

At the press conference for the play "Army on the Tree" last month, Son talked about why he transitioned from theater to film and television. "Army on the Tree" marks Son's return to theater after he last starred in the 2014 play "Love is Burning."

Until recently, he has appeared in hit drama series such as "My Liberation Notes" (2022), Disney+ series "Big Bet" (2022-2023) as well as action thriller "The Roundup" (2022). He is set to reprise his role in the second season of the popular Netflix series "D.P.," which drops on July 28.

"I remember one time, a play script said 'whisper love (to a co-actor).' I said, 'I don't understand how to do this unless somebody gives me a microphone to amplify my voice. If the audience cannot hear my whisper, it's fake acting. So I decided to move from theater to film and television," Son said during a press conference for the play held at LG Art Center, on June 27.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Nam shared a link to the article about Son's remark and wrote, "Hahaha, I just laugh. What arrogance! Seriously, you should think about making your whisper audible to the audience. There are a few actors who can project their voices to an entire theater with 350 seats even if they are whispering. We all act accordingly and portray fictional characters, so it's absurd to define what real acting is."

Actor Son Suk-ku / Courtesy of MP&Company

Nam's statement immediately garnered attention online, and Son's fans who were offended by his remarks criticized the veteran stage actor on social media. One wrote: "You post bad opinions about Son because you personally dislike him."

Nam replied to one comment saying: "Some criticize it's an old man's complaint who cannot adapt to changes. However, I'm talking about the essence of acting, which existed in Shakespeare's time and will exist in the future."

The 64-year-old actor eventually blocked the comment section on his Instagram, saying "Everyone has a right to their opinion, but this I just heated debates without conclusion. So I'm going to block comments on my Instagram post for a while. I ask for your understanding."

Nam has spent nearly 40 years in the industry and is currently performing a play called "Last Session" and starring in the MBC series "Numbers."

yeons.kwak@koreatimes.co.kr