Yoo Ah In Says He Prefers Playing Characters in Poorer Roles

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Actor Yoo Ah In said that rather than playing the king, as he did in the SBS drama, “Jang Ok Jung, Living by Love,” he would prefer to continue playing roles representative of the lower class.

On October 5, at the Korea New Network (KNN) Plaza in Busan, Yoo Ah In as well as other cast and crew from the movie “Tough as Iron” met with fans who came to the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

Here he said, “While I have played the king before in TV dramas, I have often played more ordinary roles in movies.”  In the 2011 film “Punch,” Yoo Ah In plays a high-school student from a poor household, and in the new “Tough as Iron” film, he plays a son who must do whatever it takes to scrape together money for his mother’s illness.

“Rather than high, upper-class roles in the top 1%, I’d rather take on roles that represent the lower 1%.  I’d rather represent that which is closer to reality.”  When asked if he wants to act in a melodrama, he said that there is a melodramatic feel with actress Jung Yoo Mi in "Tough as Iron."  He also commented that he would be on the lookout for a melodrama, which really pleased everyone at the KNN plaza. 

Yoo Ah In added that if he does do a melodrama, the intensity of it will be “as high as any else,” making his female fans very happy.

Throughout the day at the KNN plaza, one could really feel the level of Yoo Ah In’s popularity, with all of the attendees hanging onto his every word.

His fellow cast members added some comments about Yoo Ah In.  Kim Hae Sook, who plays his mother in the upcoming movie, said, “You can’t measure his charm and character in points or numbers,” and Kim Sung Oh, the antagonist of the film, commented, “Rather than romantic, Yoo Ah In is better classified as the ‘bad guy,' very masculine.”

“Tough as Iron” portrays the story of Kang Chul (Yoo Ah In), who gets thrown into dangerous situations while trying to come up with money for his mother’s medical bills.  About the role, Yoo Ah In said, “I tried to faithfully portray the ‘Busan man,’ synonymous with ‘charismatic man.’  I brought out all of the ‘Busan man’ that I had in me,” really engaging all of his Busan fans.’

“Tough as Iron” was released on October 2.

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