'I'll Go to Work Tomorrow Too!' Seo In-guk, the 'Rom-Com Master' Continues... "Naturally Even in His 40s" [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

After completing "I'll Go to Work Tomorrow Too!", actor Seo In-guk shared heartfelt reflections on wrapping up the project, his chemistry with co-star Park Ji-hyun, and his future acting plans in an honest conversation.

Recently, Seo In-guk shared various insights during a wrap-up interview for the tvN Monday-Tuesday drama "I'll Go to Work Tomorrow Too!" (written by Kim Kyung-min, directed by Jo Eun-sol), held at a café in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

"I'll Go to Work Tomorrow Too!" is an office romance where Cha Ji-yoon (played by Park Ji-hyun), a seven-year corporate employee suffering from daily monotony, and her sharp-tongued boss Kang Si-woo (played by Seo In-guk) become each other's irreplaceable bests, reigniting excitement in both work and love.

Seo In-guk said, "Throughout last year's filming, I was greatly cared for and loved by the staff," adding, "I'm proud that we wrapped up pleasantly with Park Ji-hyun."

In the drama, Seo In-guk played Kang Si-woo, a team leader at Saem Electronics' DA Business Division who prioritizes principles and efficiency. Seo openly discussed the differences between his character and himself. He stated, "Seo In-guk and Kang Si-woo are opposites; they differ greatly in expressiveness." He added, "Kang Si-woo has parts that make it hard to empathize quickly, which was frustrating at times."

Regarding similarities, he said, "There isn't a single one. I can't live like Kang Si-woo." He explained, "Kang Si-woo sets routines the moment he wakes up and lives within those routines. That's not me." He further noted, "Even when it came to love, the timing was different. Kang Si-woo is cautious but once started, stops at nothing," he elaborated.

He also opened up about his struggles while building the character. Seo said, "There were many parts of Kang Si-woo I couldn't understand. While I respect a life driven by work, it was also hard to comprehend. Even his home is structured around work. This made me wonder what kind of fun someone living such a life might find."

Despite numerous doubts while portraying Kang Si-woo, Seo In-guk completed his unique version of the character through his signature delicate character interpretation and acting depth.

Seo In-guk also expressed gratitude toward his co-star Park Ji-hyun. Regarding her, he said, "She's a very interesting friend. She seemed to have no limits in expressing emotions or similar aspects. While acting together, I watched and learned from her." He added, "Because she was so open-minded, we could boldly generate ideas, and our chemistry worked well."

He also mentioned feeling the charm of rom-coms again while filming an office romance with Park Ji-hyun. Seo said, "My heart felt warm and fuzzy. That's why I've loved rom-coms since I was young." He continued, "In genre films, we cheer for protagonists overcoming hardships, but in rom-coms, we watch with the wish that 'these two should be happy.'"

This drama combined "rom-com" elements with an office setting. Seo remarked, "I thought the office aspects were quite sexy. Doesn't someone look sexy when fully immersed in work? The greatest advantage of a rom-com office drama is that people are sexy when sacrificing for love and also when focused on their jobs. Since they work the same job in the same office, their cautious yet thrilling interactions make viewers feel dizzy, sexy, cute, and loving."

Following his previous works "Monthly Boyfriend" and recently concluded "I'll Go to Work Tomorrow Too!", Seo In-guk will appear consecutively in office dramas with his next project, "The Company That Sees Fate." Regarding this, he said, "It's not intentional to do office dramas back-to-back. It just happened because they were fun."

He also emphasized the differences with his upcoming project "The Company That Sees Fate." Seo explained, "Although 'The Company That Sees Fate' is an office drama, its setting itself is different. It features a character with superpowers." He added, "'Monthly Boyfriend's' Park Kyung-nam and 'I'll Go to Work Tomorrow Too!'s Kang Si-woo were already top-tier characters, but this time, the story starts from a bottom-level intern and climbs up. The way they overcome challenges within it is closer to fantasy."

Now entering his 40s, Seo In-guk also shared insights about his growth as an actor and changes on set this year.

Seo revealed that as his acting career has accumulated, his adaptability on set has improved. He said, "When directors request specific emotional expressions, I can now respond much faster." He added, "In the past, if there was a scene where I suddenly had to switch from being quiet to shouting, it required mental preparation and understanding time. Now, I have the flexibility to do it immediately."

He noted, "Experience and such things seem to come naturally. Having more experience means you can better align with what happens on set and pursue what you want to do." He continued, "In the past, I only thought about emotional lines with co-stars in the script, but now I can even see the overall condition of the current filming set. Thinking back, senior actors probably did the same."

Born in 1987, he turned 40 this year by Korean age reckoning. Seo said, "Yesterday while filming my next project 'The Company That Sees Fate,' Jung Su-jeong suddenly asked me, 'Do you feel like your current age?' When I talk with my friends, they still seem like high school friends, and I feel like I'm in my 20s. Even though I'm 40, it doesn't fully feel real yet. It's similar to how I felt when filming dramas in my early 30s."

He also admitted, "I got hurt a lot during filming, so now I finally understand what older actors say. When I wake up in the morning feeling stiff, the weather feels gloomy too."

Seo In-guk previewed his continued activities as a 'rom-com master' even in his 40s. He said, "I will manage myself as diligently as possible so that I can support the meeting of story and character." He added, "'Reply 1988' and 'High School King: Taekwondo Boy' from my 20s were met at the right age. 'I'll Go to Work Tomorrow Too!' was also a character one couldn't have in their 20s or 30s. It seems I'm naturally meeting rom-com roles suitable for my current age."

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*This content was translated by AI.