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| ▲ This image of Korean actor Song Seung-heon is provided by Studio And New. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Nov. 15 (Yonhap) -- From the romantic drama Autumn in My Heart (2000) to the grand-scale revenge story East of Eden (2008), the thriller Black (2017), and the crime series Player (2018, 2024), actor Song Seung-heon has primarily portrayed heroic and virtuous characters. His tall frame and sculpted features have naturally suited these roles.
However, Song made a bold move with Kim Dae-woo's film Obsessed (2014), playing a military officer in a forbidden affair with his subordinate’s wife—a character opposite his typical clean-cut image.
Now, in Kim’s latest film, Hidden Face, releasing on the 20th, Song transforms once more, this time as a conductor named Sung-jin, who starts an affair with his junior Miju (played by Park Ji-hyun) after his fiancée Soo-yeon (Jo Yeo-jeong) mysteriously vanishes.
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| ▲ This image of Korean actor Song Seung-heon is provided by Studio And New. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Reflecting on the role during an interview on the 15th in Seoul, Song shared, “I kept telling the director, ‘Sung-jin is really not a great guy.’ He’s someone you wouldn’t want to meet in real life—sneaky, pretending to be something he’s not. But he’s also refreshingly real, a man with honest desires. I thought it’d be interesting to portray him.”
Song explained that since Obsessed, he’s approached roles with a more open mind. “Exploring characters outside the lines is incredibly fun, and it makes me want to try even more new things,” he laughed.
While Hidden Face may seem at first glance like an erotic drama, it actually unveils the complex pasts of its three main characters, building suspense as their secrets unfold. The storyline takes a daring twist as Soo-yeon, hiding in a secret room, spies on Sung-jin and Miju’s intimate encounter.
“Those expecting a simple ‘voyeuristic melodrama’ will be taken aback by the plot twists,” Song noted. “That’s part of what drew me to the role.”
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| ▲ This image of Korean actor Song Seung-heon is provided by Studio And New. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Having established trust with director Kim through Obsessed, Song felt confident taking on the challenging role in Hidden Face. “I told the director a while ago that I’d be open to any role he offered because I trust his vision,” Song said. “He doesn’t include explicit scenes just for the sake of it—there’s always a reason, a natural flow in the story that leads to those moments.”
Though the director tried to ease the pressure by saying, “It’s fine if you’re not in perfect shape,” Song went through an extreme diet, surviving on water and nuts for three weeks, combined with intense exercise, to achieve a chiseled physique.
The filming itself went smoothly, as Kim directed every move with precision, like choreographing an action sequence. “The director’s directions are incredibly clear,” Song remarked. “Some directors leave it to the actors to figure out, which can be tough, but Kim leaves no room for confusion. He and the assistant director even demonstrated the scenes for us, which was...well, the hardest part to watch,” he laughed.
Debuting in 1996 with the sitcom Three Guys and Three Girls, Song became one of the first wave of Hallyu stars, gaining fame across Japan, China, and Southeast Asia through Autumn in My Heart.
Reflecting on the global success of Korean content today, he noted, “We’re in an era where Korean entertainment is celebrated worldwide, something unimaginable before. With this comes a sense of responsibility.”
Song’s recent appearances on variety shows like You Quiz on the Block and Radio Star reflect this responsibility.
“It’s no longer an option for us to avoid these shows, as promoting our work is part of our job as actors. Plus, as I get older, I feel less apprehensive and anxious about doing these shows,” he admitted.
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