Son Seok-gu "I never thought of myself as a star"

"10 million movies? The most realistic hope when making a movie is to hope to break even. The sky's the limit when it comes to making 10 million movies. Even the smartest people can't do that. Creating cultural content that moves hearts is difficult."

Popular actor Son Seok-gu visited theaters for the first time in two years with 'Comment Unit'. 'Crime City 2' (2022) has surpassed 10 million viewers and is being given the title of '10 million actors'. Son Seok-gu, who is about to release his first film, said this.

On the 22nd, Son Seok-gu met with Ten Asia at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. Son Seok-gu, who appeared in comfortable attire such as wearing a hoodie and a hat, showed a relaxed appearance, saying, "I'm not nervous about the release. I feel like, 'Good luck today too!'"

'Comment Unit' tells the story of what happens when an anonymous informant comes forward, accusing reporter Im Sang-jin (Son Seok-gu) of manipulating online public opinion, who was suspended after writing an article about a large company. Son Seok-gu plays Lim Sang-jin, a reporter who seeks reinstatement after being suspended for writing an article exposing the tyranny of large corporations.

Why did Son Seok-gu choose the ‘Comment Unit’? He said, "I think one of my biggest tasks is to search for new movies and dramas that haven't existed before. The director is a year older, but he is innovative and persistent. I did it because it was a new script and a new director."

He also shared about the new things he felt in ‘Comment Unit’. Son Seok-gu said, “If there are scripts that say, ‘This is how a commercial film should be,’ there are also scripts that say, ‘This is how a commercial film can be.’ I looked for the latter. I like films that have the framework of a commercial film but have that balance.” did.

He continued, "I think 'Comment Unit' was full of such things. It has cinematic elements and at the same time reflects a very realistic social situation. I thought that if it was told well, it could be viewed as 'my story' in an age where the online world is familiar. It was fun. “It’s a movie that not only delivers, but also has other functions,” he explained.

Son Seok-gu's character's occupation is a reporter. Son Seok-gu said he met the original writer, Jang Kang-myeong, who was a journalist. He said, "I was prejudiced because the only opportunity I had to meet reporters was through the media. I wondered if their enthusiasm for scoops was really true. There were some parts that were true and some parts that were not. Even if it was true, I thought it was natural to that person and there was nothing special about it. “He said.

When asked, "What was your prejudice against reporters?" Son Seok-gu said, "It wasn't that there was a huge prejudice. When an actor makes a movie, aren't they waiting for 10 million viewers? I had a vague idea that the reporter would hope that the article would have a social impact. “He answered.

Like the name of the movie, the subject matter of the work is comments. On this day, Son Seok-gu was asked if he looked for comments and replied, “I look at them all.” He said, "These days, it has become so common that if you don't look at SNS, you are treated as a weirdo. I see it too. When a comment is produced and comes to my eyes, it seems to depend on the person's ability to interpret it," he said. "The comments that were not true pierced my heart." “At the time, I was angry when I saw it,” he said.

Son Seok-gu is walking the path of not only an actor but also a producer. Last February, he established Stanum, a one-man agency and production company. Regarding the reason for setting up a one-person agency, he said, "I wanted to create my own system. There are many things to do as an actor other than acting. I thought efficient and transparent communication between actors and companies was important. Each agency has its own system. “I wanted to organize everything in general,” he explained.

He said he received help from Ma Dong-seok in establishing a one-man agency. Son Seok-gu said, "When I saw Ma Dong-seok on set for 'Crime City 2,' I didn't feel like he was just an actor. I felt that this person was the producer and general manager of 'Crime City.' I learned a lot while watching. (Ma Dong-seok) 'Me and him.' “The material is similar. Try acting, directing, and producing. That’s the way to go these days. I asked for a lot of advice and received help. A lot of things related to production were concreted through watching my brother,” he said.

Son Seok-gu, who appeared in the 'Crime City' series, also said something about 'Crime City 4', which will be released in April. Son Seok-gu joked, "I heard that the ratings were at an all-time high. I'm not worried about 'Crime City'," and said, "The comment section should do well."

The modifier ‘popular actor’ is attached to Son Seok-gu. Do you feel any pressure about this? He said, "I think it may be subconsciously. I brought out what was inside of me as it is, and if it gets a bad evaluation, I think it's a natural progression. I don't want to lie and add because I feel pressured. If I do that, I'll have more to remember, so that's even more of a burden." “I don’t think of myself as a star, and I don’t really recognize it. I try to fulfill my responsibility as an actor,” he said.

Ten Asia Reporter Kim Seo-yoon seogugu@tenasia.co.kr