Kang Yoo-seok “Dressed up for ‘The Law’”

“When I went home for the holidays, my relatives greeted me and asked, ‘Is Jang Tae-chun here?’ Haha. My uncle and aunts were very worried about me, so I was proud to see that they liked me. My father brags a lot to people around him and gives things to people around him. “He told me to sign it and leave, so I think I ended up doing 100. My mother is proud too.”

Kang Yoo-seok, who met viewers as prosecutor Jang Tae-chun in the recently concluded SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'The Law', expressed his pride at the reaction of his family. 'Law' is a work depicting the revenge story of those who fight against the cartel of 'Law' and 'Jhen'. Jang Tae-chun is a prosecutor in the criminal department and Eun-yong's nephew. Kang Yoo-seok said, "Tae-chun's job is a prosecutor, so he wore a suit to the audition. At the time, I didn't have a suit, so I borrowed a big suit and wore it. The director noticed right away and asked, 'Are the clothes yours?' He said, “They looked at me favorably, saying I was like Taechun.”

"When people think of prosecutors, they have an image of them. Especially when they are villains, they think of them as authoritative and rigid. Taechun didn't feel that way. He felt like the youngest at work. So the director took a good look at me wearing a large suit. I think it seems. To be honest, I felt uncomfortable wearing suits at first, and I also became a bit stiff when acting. As I wore them, I got used to them. While working on this drama, I wore quite a few suits. I bought 5 suits and sponsored them to wear 5 suits. “If you count the things the stylist borrowed and wore, there are over 20 suits. My older sister got married last October, and my mother asked me to get her suit tailored, and I said, ‘I already got it tailored for filming.’ Haha.”

In the play, Jang Tae-chun, along with his uncle, the 'money seller' Eun-yong (played by Lee Sun-gyun), and prosecutor-turned-law officer Park Jun-kyung (played by Moon Chae-won), take revenge on a group of people who commit corruption using the law and money. Jang Tae-chun, who had a strong desire to succeed, sometimes chose a different path from them.

Regarding his feelings about working with Lee Sun-kyun, Kang Yoo-seok said, "He is an actor I have seen in dramas and movies since I was young, and he is also a senior at school and a senior I respect. I was nervous to meet him for the first time through a work." He continued, “I first met him at the script reading site, and he seemed easy-going.” He said, "I thought he would be indifferent, but he took care of me like a tsundere and gave me advice on acting. On some days, he said, 'Did you like it?' and 'Did you pick it up on Oda?' “He praised me with the same feeling, and my heart fluttered several times,” he said with a laugh. Regarding Moon Chae-won, she said, "She looked after me like she was her cute youngest sister. When she saw me, she said, 'Are you hungry?' and went to the car and brought me snacks." He then expressed his gratitude, saying, “On days when we had scenes together, he praised me ‘Woojjujju’, so I filmed with senior Chaewon like a sister or younger brother.”

This is Kang Yoo-seok's first lead role in a terrestrial TV drama. He confessed, “It was an honor to work with proven seniors, but at the same time, I felt pressure because I thought I had to do well.” He continued, "The seniors took care of me, treated me cutely because I was the youngest, and joked with me during break times to help me relax. As we were filming while coordinating our lines with each other, the pressure disappeared at some point." He also received criticism from viewers that he was the only character in 'Lawyer' who broke the immersion.

"The seniors are very good at acting and their immersion and sense of depth are much deeper than mine. I think being among those seniors made me see my shortcomings more. When I hear things like that, I feel like I need to work harder and how can I make up for it in my next work? “I think advice makes me grow.”

Kang Yoo-seok, born in 1994, took on the lead role in a terrestrial drama six years after his debut. He hoped, "I think the current speed is appropriate. I don't want to go backwards at this speed, but I want to move forward slowly, one step at a time. I want to become an actor who won't stop until I stop being an actor before I die."

When asked if there was anything he wanted to do as the coronavirus pandemic came to an end, he answered this way. "I want to go on a trip. I'm talking about it with my friends. Haha. I like warm resorts, and if I have time, I'd also like to go to Europe. When I was young, my dream was, 'Wouldn't it be nice to see this small planet before I die?' Now, it's all over. “I don’t think I can do that, and I think I should go to all the famous places. If you broaden your knowledge, your horizons will also broaden. I want to spend time seeing and visiting many places.”

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