Zo In Sung Reveals He Feels Burdened Doing Melodramas With Co-Stars Much Younger, Gains Immense Praise For His Take
Actor Zo In Sung, the lead of the film “Humint,” says he is no longer an actor who places melodrama at the center of his work. Once known for reaching the peak of romance through dramas like “What Happened in Bali” and “That Winter, The Wind Blows,” he now says what truly interests him is “people.”
In a recent interview, Zo In Sung shared, “If it’s a film by director Ryoo Seung Wan, I’ll do it no matter what. But these days, I don’t prefer melodrama. Love is important, but beyond that, I want to portray ‘what kind of person someone is.’”
He explained that his criteria for choosing projects have changed, saying, “Rather than focusing on one element, I want to portray a whole person. I find myself focusing more on what kind of person I want to create.”
Regarding his recent romantic pairing with Han Hyo Joo in the Disney+ series “Moving,” he remarked, “That’s pretty much all the melodrama I’ve done lately. When I was younger, I did a lot of romance. Now, I’m more focused on portraying people. Sometimes I even feel like I’ve exceeded my limit with melodrama. It’s too easy to repeat yourself, and you can fall into self-indulgence.”
However, he does not completely dismiss romance. Zo In Sung said, “It’s hard to discuss a drama without melodrama. Even a work like ‘My Mister’—is it romance or human affection? It depends on the viewer. In the end, what’s important is portraying people.” He added that he chose “Humint” because he felt it was a story that dealt with people at its core.
He also spoke candidly about his age. “I’m now in my mid-40s. Some people might feel uncomfortable seeing me in a romance with an actress 12 years younger,” he said with humor. “It’s not that such projects are bad, but a big age gap can feel burdensome. I’ve never turned down such an offer—it just hasn’t come in.”
Zo In Sung continued, “I see young actors becoming stars through melodramas. I can’t step back into that space. That’s their role. They have to move the hearts of female audiences and those who love romance.” He clarified, “It’s not that I’ve done it all and don’t want to anymore, or that it’s become boring. My goal now is to portray timely social themes and the diverse facets of human beings.”
Looking back at his tearful performance in “What Happened in Bali,” he laughed, saying, “I wonder why I cried that much. Looking back, it wasn’t a scene that required that many tears.” Still, he added, “If I do romance again, it will be something suited to my age. Pure, youthful love is beautiful, but there’s also adult romance. There just aren’t many scripts like that. Saying ‘middle-aged’ about myself makes me a little sad. Romance for men at this age requires a seasoned writer.”
His role as Manager Jo in “Humint” best reflects his current desire to portray a person rather than center a story around romance. The film was released on the 11th and has drawn over a million movie goers.
Zo In Sung’s comment went viral among Kdrama fans with many praising his attitude and opinion on the current state of the Kdrama scene.
What do you think of Zo In Sung’s comments?
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