The hero wants to be the bad guy

Though most TV viewers have only come to know him as the dashing army captain Yoo Shi-jin in the hit South Korean series “Descendants of the Sun”, Song Joong-ki has steadily built up a diverse filmography since his debut in 2008.

When it comes to his acting career, the 30-year-old Song isn’t shy about his ambitions. “There are so many characters I want to play – I’m greedy about acting!”

Song has primarily been in the spotlight for his pretty-boy image, pale complexion and elite educational background, having majored in business administration at the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University. However, his past works hint at an actor who’s willing to take on substantial challenges. 

In his first film, “A Frozen Flower”, he starred as a military commander’s bodyguard, a role that initially had no lines. Song was injured falling off a horse during the shoot but continued filming despite the pain. Director Yoo Ha, impressed by his tenacity, decided to give him a short scene with dialogue. 

In “A Werewolf Boy” (2012), Song played a half-wolf creature, a man raised among wolves who becomes devoted to a girl who cares for him and teaches him the ways of humans. Song received positive reviews for his skilful blend of wolfish habits, innocent boyhood and the unconditional devotion animals show towards humans. 

The versatile actor also made his mark in television through his roles in the dramas “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” (2010), as cocky playboy Goo Yong-ha, and in “Deep Rooted Tree” (2011), as a young prince. 

Jo Sung-hee, who directed “A Werewolf Boy”, says Song was as fastidious in his acting process as he was gregarious with the filming crew. “He prepares a lot and practises his scenes extensively. He trains very hard. He’s also very talkative and energetic on the set.”

For his next project, Song has chosen the film “Battleship Island”, set during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Song is to play Park Moo-young, an independence fighter who sneaks onto a Japanese island to rescue captured countryman. The role is a dream come true for him, Song says.

“I really wanted to do a period piece set in the Japanese occupation era. With this film I’ve cleared one long-term goal.”

After that, Song wants to steer away from the “chivalrous boyfriend” role that’s earned him massive popularity. “I want to play a character who’s cold,” he says. “I think there are sides of me that are like that. I’m a fan of [US actor] Edward Norton, and if you see his early work he plays a lot of those roles. A thriller could be fun, too.”

On his approach to acting, Song says he likes to “go by the book” – he prioritises the script over anything else. “I read the script very carefully and I try to imagine from the writer’s point of view why a certain line of dialogue was placed in a certain scene.”

At the same time, he says it’s inevitable that his own personality comes through in the characters he plays. “I’m not a fan of gushing emotions. I think that probably shows in all of the characters I play. I try to reinterpret the characters in my style.”

For his role as Yoo in “Descendants”, for example, Song has been lauded for convincingly delivering romantic dialogue that could otherwise have been cringe-inducing, striking just the right balance between the cool and the emotional.

His time in the military was a significant turning point in his life, Song says. “I was told I would never get another chance to rub shoulders with ordinary soldiers and live a normal life. I felt I’d be able to learn a lot not only as an actor, but also as a young man.”

By meeting people who had come together for South Korea’s mandatory military service, Song realised he shouldn’t complain about his own hardships. 

“There were people from all different backgrounds. I thought to myself, ‘Things that I consider stressful aren’t anything to some people.’ I felt so many things in the military. I think that shows in my acting now.”

Having achieved superstardom – at least for the moment in Korea’s ever-churning celebrity scene – Song says he feels burdened with responsibility.

“I have to work hard at my job so that my company employees can take home their pay,” he says. “And I’ve gained overseas fans who are supporting me. I think I absolutely shouldn’t disappoint them.”

The best way to live up to the expectations, Song says, is to focus on his craft. “I’m an actor, so the best thing I can do is to show myself through a good project.”

Asked if he wants to abandon his pretty-boy image, as most “serious” actors try to do, Song replies unexpectedly with a resolute “no”.

“Realistically, looks offer an advantage to an actor,” he says. “I’m going to work hard to maintain my skin. I’m going to prevent ageing as much as possible. And I will keep trying to become a better person on the inside as much as I spruce up the outside.”

 

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