"Some people gave me strange looks. While doing my hair, someone jokingly said, 'Don't look at me.' Even on set, there were reactions like that, which I took as a sign that they appreciated my performance. However, at a restaurant, someone grilling meat didn't offer me an extra piece, which was a bit disappointing."
Actor Doh Kyung-soo has convincingly portrayed his first villain role, to the point where people around him questioned his character. He took on the challenge of playing a villain in the Disney+ original series 'The Manipulated,' which recently released its final episode. The series is an action drama about a young man, Tae-jung (played by Ji Chang-wook), who is wrongfully imprisoned and plans his revenge. Doh Kyung-soo plays the role of Yohan, who manipulates crime scenes to cover up the crimes of VIPs and doesn't hesitate to commit murder. He shared, "I've received the most feedback saying 'I enjoyed it' and 'I liked seeing a new side of you' for this project. It motivates me to work even harder in the future."
"It's not that I didn't want to play such roles; I just hadn't encountered them. I've always wanted to try. Rather than feeling burdened or worried, I thought it would be fun. Expressing something new is a refreshing experience, so I enjoyed filming 'The Manipulated.' I'm not usually one to express emotions or raise my voice, but through this character, I got to shout and push my emotions to the limit. Experiencing things vicariously through a character was fun."
As it was his first attempt at playing a villain, there were some regrets. To emphasize the character's ruthlessness, he sported a short, tough-looking hairstyle that took four hours to create, but he felt it wasn't highlighted enough in the drama. He also reflected on other aspects he wished he had done differently.
"I wonder if I should have expressed emotions more actively. When the dialogue was long, it might have been better with some variation in tone, but I feel I delivered it too flatly overall. In brutal scenes, I think simpler expressions might have been more effective."
In this drama, Doh Kyung-soo teamed up with his close friend, actor Lee Kwang-soo, as a villainous duo. He said, "It was the first time I saw Kwang-soo hyung act properly on set. Since we're close, I've seen his everyday side a lot, but watching him immerse himself in acting made me realize he's not the hyung I knew. I knew he was a good actor, but his focus was unbelievably strong. I learned a lot." Lee Kwang-soo's character, Do-kyung, is one of Yohan's VIP clients, the son of a powerful congressman who commits various crimes, relying on his father's influence. His annoying personality and authoritative attitude get on Yohan's nerves.
"He was really annoying. The viewers should feel that way, but even on set, he was annoying. Haha. It showed how well he embodied the character. At first, I thought acting with someone close might make it hard to look them in the eye or feel awkward, but surprisingly, it helped me focus. I think it's because hyung acted so well."
Doh Kyung-soo is also close friends with Kim Woo-bin. Regarding his friends' reactions to his villain role, Doh Kyung-soo said, "I received a lot of compliments. They said I didn't come across as a typical villain and that I portrayed a challenging character well, which made me happy."
Doh Kyung-soo has been showing great chemistry with his friends on the variety show 'Green Bean, Red Bean spin-off : Joy Pops Laugh Pops,' receiving positive reviews. However, a dilemma has arisen for Doh Kyung-soo The Melon Music Awards (MMA), which he will attend with EXO on December 20, coincides with Kim Woo-bin and Shin Min-a's wedding. As a result, he won't be able to attend the wedding. Doh Kyung-soo expressed, "If I think about what's first, of course, EXO comes first. It's heartbreaking, but I should make it up to Woo-bin hyung. He understands that there's no other choice."
When asked if he should prepare some monetary compensation for missing the wedding, he said, "I'm also wondering what I should do." He was originally supposed to sing at the wedding, saying, "I had planned to sing 'Popcorn' as a congratulatory song. I knew about the wedding early on and was planning to sing it."
"I recently met Shin Min-a sunbae at a Disney+ event and greeted her, and I've known Woo-bin hyung for a long time. It's a blessing when someone you've known for a long time gets married. I didn't witness their relationship closely, but I could feel the sweetness from the side. They seem like they'll be happy. Even after dating for a long time, you can still feel that 'pink' vibe. Woo-bin hyung still gives flower gifts. When I asked him what it was for, he said it was for Pepero Day. It's not even Shin Min-a sunbae's birthday, but he still celebrates it. He even bought Pepero at a convenience store himself. I thought, 'He really pays attention to those things.' I realized, 'Those two will inevitably be 'pink' forever.'"
Having debuted with EXO in 2012, Doh Kyung-soo has been in the entertainment industry for 13 years and is now 32 years old. When asked about his thoughts on marriage, he replied, "I have no thoughts about it yet." Doh Kyung-soo wants to continue both acting and singing. EXO is set to make a comeback in the first half of next year.
"I meet with the members often these days. We have a fan meeting this week and an awards ceremony next week. I think the last time we performed as a group was in 2018. Some members were absent, and we promoted a new song called 'Cream Soda,' but we haven't performed older songs like 'Growl,' 'Call Me Baby,' or 'Monster' as a group in a while. It feels like we're starting again as a group. We're practicing happily. It's not easy. I felt more energetic in my 20s, but now my stamina is lacking. My focus has improved, but my energy depletes quickly. Still, I'm working hard. Haha."
Kim Ji-won, TENASIA Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr