Teo Yoo "It may seem like a megalomania, but my role model is Tom Cruise."

“I think the ‘sweet taste’ has arrived this time.”

Teo Yoo, who introduced the romantic comedy genre with the Netflix series 'Love Battle' released on the 10th, said, "There has been a lot of strong Korean content for a while, but hasn't Korea been good at romantic comedies for a long time? I thought viewers would definitely like it." Showed affection. 'Love Battle' is a romantic comedy about a woman who pathologically hates losing to a man and a man who is pathologically suspicious of women, and are healed through a war-like love. Teo Yoo played the role of top actor Nam Kang-ho. Nam Kang-ho, known as a romance craftsman, has a pathological dislike for women due to a childhood trauma. Tae-oh Yoo, who is starring in a romantic comedy for the first time, expressed his feelings, saying, “I am happy and relieved to have to overcome a big mountain.”

“What’s cool is that the response is positive to a certain extent, and what’s disappointing is because I feel sorry about my acting. As I’m a Korean, the homework I always have to accomplish is to speak Korean as if it were my native language. That’s a challenge and I need to make an effort to break that. Whether it’s dramas or noirs, I think genres such as action immerse viewers through emotional scenes and give persuasiveness to characters by incorporating a series of processes. However, I think romantic comedy with comedy contains more results. Comedic actors and comedians That's why I think they're great. I think comedy is the most difficult genre. I acted while thinking about what the other actor would do and how I should react."

Teo Yoo said he created the character by watching Hyun Bin's romantic comedy acting. He said, "The writer told me to look for Hyun Bin's work. I had a sense of what he wanted. I had already seen a lot of the works he appeared in, but this time, I also looked up 'Secret Garden', which I had seen before. At the department store, I looked down with my hands in my pockets. “I tried to bring in points such as the way the lines are spoken while watching,” he said. He continued, "This work is a genre I haven't tried before, and because I was born in Europe and came to Korea, I have a lot of concerns about typicality and generality. That's why I need a role model. With a role model, I can set a direction and add to that to find and create something of my own. “He explained.

Teo Yoo is said to have also referenced the Crayon Shin-chan character. He explained the reason, "At first glance, this character's pathological dislike and suspicion of women may seem bizarre. I had to make it look a little cute." He continued, "I imagined that the character of Crayon Shin-chan, who suffered from trauma, became an adult and became a star. Then, I thought it would be seen as cute rather than grotesque. I also thought about Shin Dong-yup. Someone thought that even if he played such a character, people would be able to accept it more comfortably. “How should I act so that people would accept me cutely and comfortably? That’s why I tried to possess Crayon Shin-chan.”

Teo Yoo said that because it was an OTT work, he was at a loss as to where to check viewers' reactions. When asked about his wife Nikki's reaction, he replied:

“Nikki is like a sharp sword. She is the scariest critic. She clearly tells me what I did well and what I did poorly. Things like how I can make my Korean pronunciation more realistic and how I can naturally express psychological changes. Nikki "You've seen how hard I've worked. That's how much I know about my shortcomings. I've worked hard until now, and I'll continue to work hard."

Teo Yoo, who was born in Germany and lived in Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom, confessed, "I tend to avoid characters whose native language is not Korean." He also emphasized, “The image of my character that Korean people see and the image of my character that foreign people see may be different,” and “I think I need to make them feel the same way. My task is to convince both people.” When asked if he kept that in mind when working on foreign works, Teo Yoo answered, “Of course.” He said, "Son Heung-min plays in Europe, but he is a Korean player. When I act abroad, I am a player representing Korea. As a Korean actor, I think and prepare about what to do, from my on-set attitude to the way I act."

Teo Yoo said that this is the first time in 5-6 years since the movie 'Leto' (2019) that he has presented a work without deciding on his next work. He laughed and said, “It seems like actors are anxious even if they take on a project and anxious even if they don’t.” As 'Leto' was submitted to the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival, Teo Yoo began to make his name known in Korea as well. Now, several years later, how would Teo Yoo evaluate himself in terms of how well he has established himself in Korea?

“I think the concept of settling down varies from person to person. I don’t think I have reached my goal yet. If I say this now, it might sound like megalomania, but… Haha. My role models are Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. Just be yourself. I'm doing enough acting, developing content, and co-producing with partners. As the platforms and stages on which I can showcase my work become more diverse, new doors, windows, and paths open, and my greed and goals grow in my heart. This is something I've dreamed of for a long time. “I think this could become a reality.”

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr