“Dive to You” Moon Seung-yu: “Bewildered by my first lead role, a gift-like work” [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

• Interview with actor Moon Seung-yu, who played Seo Ye-rang in the Disney+ and Channel A drama “Dive to You”

Actor Moon Seung-yu shared his thoughts on taking on his first lead role in “Dive to You.”

Moon recently spoke about various aspects of the work during an interview commemorating the finale of the Disney+ and Channel A drama “Dive to You,” held at StarNews headquarters in Seollin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

“Dive to You,” which concluded on the 1st, is a drama depicting top actress Yoon Ha-na (played by Kim Ji-yeon), whose soul was swapped with her twin brother Yoon Ha-ru (played by Jang Se-hyuk) due to an accident, as she travels back in time and struggles to prevent the death of her first love.

In the drama, Moon played Seo Ye-rang, the representative of Yoon Ha-na’s agency, Yerang Entertainment, and also Yoon Ha-ru’s lover. In particular, he heightened viewer immersion by expressing the representative’s resolve, the loneliness of a relationship where one person bears the burden alone, and the solitude felt when being alone, through diverse acting.

When asked about his thoughts on the finale, Moon wittily replied, “I am grateful to the viewers who ran alongside us through the numerous events in the drama. I hope those who have not yet seen it will definitely watch it. You will surely have no regrets. How about trying a ‘jipmeok’ (watching and eating)? You will probably be completely hooked.”

Moon, who had been steadily expanding his acting spectrum by appearing in dramas such as “Dreamy Love,” “Golden Spoon,” “My Heart Beats,” “Flower of Night,” and “Wedding Impossible” since 2018, found a turning point through the MBC drama “The Tyrant’s Chef,” which gained explosive popularity last September. Since then, he has been solidifying his position by consistently participating in major works, including “Space Merim,” “Married Woman Killer,” and “Dive to You.”

Moon, who took on his first lead role with “Dive to You,” revealed his mindset toward the work: “I thought I had to perform a role different from the impactful supporting roles I have shown so far. I focused on blending well into the drama while maintaining good relationships with each character.”

How was the chemistry with co-stars Kim Ji-yeon (Yoon Ha-na), Park Seo-ham (Jung Woo-jae), and Jang Se-hyuk (Yoon Ha-ru)? Moon recalled, “The director told us, ‘You guys need to get close.’ The atmosphere was very different from the start. As the director said, once we got close, we could communicate much more comfortably in terms of acting. It’s not just a casual remark; the actors really had a good relationship.”

He added, “It was the same with the staff, including the director and screenwriter. When the actors offered opinions, they would accept them immediately, so there were many script revisions. We truly appreciated that they listened to all of our doubts and questions, making it a pleasant set.”

Previously, director So Jae-hyun, who directed the series, drew attention by stating at the production press conference, “I decided to cast Moon Seung-yu immediately during the meeting.” Regarding this, Moon revealed, laughing, “They held a meeting with me even though I had finished the audition and the actor was not yet confirmed. I think the director felt that I resembled the image he was looking for in the role of Ye-rang. At that time, I was filming ‘Married Woman Killer,’ so my hair was dyed red. When it was decided that I would be cast in ‘Dive to You,’ I was so bewildered that I actually asked back, ‘Am I really going to appear?’”

In the drama, Ye-rang sometimes misunderstands and suffers silently after seeing her lover Ha-ru, whose soul has been swapped with Ha-na’s, acting unfamiliar or avoiding physical contact. What did Moon feel while appearing in a fantasy work that combines genre elements such as time slips and body swaps?

Moon said, “It has been a long time since I did a fantasy work after ‘Golden Spoon,’ and it was really fun.” He continued, “The script came out in two parts at a time. I remember that when we received the script and read it, we would say, ‘What is this? What is this?’ while reading. The fact that it is not predictable and you never know where it will go is probably the charm of the fantasy genre.”

He added, “The director trusted me much more than I expected.” He explained, “If there was one thing he said, it was about my voice. Since Ye-rang plays the leader role among the members, he advised me to research a more stable voice that reflects professional characteristics. Thinking about it, I think I missed some things because this was my first time playing a character with a profession like an entertainment agency representative. After hearing the director’s words, I took some vocal training classes and put in effort.”

So, how will Moon remember “Dive to You” as a work of significance? He stated, “If previous works were acting activities where I tried to show ‘actor Moon Seung-yu,’ I think ‘Dive to You’ is a work that gave me at least some eyes to see and encompass the entire set.”

He also said, “As a lead actor on set, I feel like I have gained eyes to better see how to take care of the staff and what each of them is responsible for. Previously, I was busy just doing my part, but through this work, I was able to exist on set ‘as an actor.’ If before it was like being a trainee, this time it was a precious experience like engaging in social activities,” revealing special affection for “Dive to You.”

He then expressed gratitude to director So Jae-hyun: “I had a meal with the director a few days ago. He said, ‘There is something I really want to tell (Moon) Seung-yu,’ and added, ‘It would be good if you took on a lead role in your next work, but there is no reason to be disappointed or regretful even if you become a supporting actor. You have learned a lot, and I have the eyes to see it. You will do well someday. I hope you believe in yourself.’ Hearing the director say that gave me great strength.”

Moon also expressed gratitude to the viewers who cried and laughed together with him through diverse events and emotional lines. He said, “I sincerely appreciate your support,” adding, “When I did the finale interview for ‘Golden Spoon,’ I used to say, ‘Thank you for watching a work that will be the first step of great actor Moon Seung-yu.’ This time, I definitely want to say, ‘Thank you for watching a gift-like work that opened the beginning of great-great actor Moon Seung-yu,’” delivering a thank-you message with his unique wit that created a warm atmosphere.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original