'Wild Thing,' Eom Tae-gu's Over-the-Top Challenge: Rap and Dance Auditions Lead to Revealing Photo Shoots.. Full Sprint [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I did every cute act I could possibly do."

Actor Eom Tae-gu shared his thoughts on taking on a role in the film 'Wild Thing' that he has never attempted before.

'Wild Thing' is a comedy film about 'Triangle,' a three-member mixed dance group that once dominated the music industry but disbanded overnight after an unexpected incident, as they seize a chance for a comeback after 20 years through a reckless challenge.

Eom Tae-gu takes on the role of 'Sang-gu,' an overly passionate storm rapper, undergoing a dramatic transformation. 'Sang-gu' dreamed of becoming a true hip-hop warrior, but in reality, he was the youngest and main rapper of 'Triangle,' whose entire contribution was limited to just a line or two. After the group disbanded, he poured out solo albums and photo books to vent his 'storm rapper' dream, but after failing, he now works as an insurance planner.

Eom Tae-gu, who expressed that he had many doubts about joining the project, stated, "Actually, I hesitated a lot. I approached it with the mindset that I had to go all out. I knew intellectually that comedy is a great genre and that making someone laugh is a significant achievement, but this time I truly felt it again."

He continued, "Although I didn't have confidence that I could pull off this role well, I realized that by playing this character, I could approach comedy, dance, and rap in a new way. After much deliberation, I decided to take on the challenge and joined the project."

Regarding the role of 'Sang-gu,' he explained, "I wanted him to appear likable. I thought it would be great if he could be portrayed as pure yet full of passion."

He then expressed his gratitude to the makeup and costume teams. Eom Tae-gu said, "I received a lot of help. The reason I was able to appear cute on stage was because we decided on the wig and outfit after trying them on. I am so grateful to the staff while playing the character of Sang-gu. Rather than me proposing something, the makeup team prepared various wigs. I think we decided based on our mutual opinion that it looked great. When I wore that wig, I felt like I had gained a weapon for a comedy film by having long hair and a perm. I received so much help."

Eom Tae-gu visited the JYP Entertainment building for five months, preparing for everything from the basics of rap, breathing, rap production, to every single gesture under the dedicated guidance of producer KASS.

He recalled, "When I first started rapping, I couldn't hold my head up. Later, as I imitated what the teacher did, I naturally started copying the teacher's gestures, and I remember laughing at myself. At that time, I thought to myself, 'I guess I'm becoming a bit more natural.' What always amazed me was that while I was having fun rapping in the booth with the teacher, everything felt awkward as soon as I stepped out of the door. So the teacher recorded videos for me, but he didn't even show them to the company," sharing a laugh.

Regarding the choreography, he said, "The choreography teacher directed very intentionally. What was impressive was that he seemed to teach each member slightly differently. I thought, 'Why isn't he telling me this?' but he said, 'Sang-gu only needs to do this.'"

He continued, "Actually, I didn't intend to be that cute on stage from the beginning. However, when I tried on the costume and rehearsed on set, the choreography teacher said, 'I think Sang-gu would be cuter if he were a bit cuter.'"

He added, "I tried various things, but since I didn't have many options, I ended up winking a lot. Since this was decided on the day, I couldn't practice my expressions separately. I think I did every cute act I could that day," he laughed.

He also teased about Park Ji-hyun's comment that she felt like she was being "stolen the center," saying, "No matter how much chaos there is, in the end, Ji-hyun is the center."

Eom Tae-gu stated, "Looking back, I think I worried the most on set about whether this was awkward or if it fit the character. However, if it appeared natural, I'm glad, and it's also fascinating that people reacted that way."

He further added, "I think I did it with the mindset that 'if I'm not cute, I'll die.' After deciding with the choreography teacher to be cute, I had to go on stage, and there was a burden of having to show a side no one had ever seen before. I think I winked with that mindset."

He revealed that he was greatly inspired by watching the practice sessions of Triangle members Kang Dong-won and Park Ji-hyun. Eom Tae-gu said, "I watched them constantly falling in the practice room from the side; they were always covered in sweat. My feeling was that it seemed like a rookie actor filming their first movie, taking on their first character and burning with passion. It was a huge inspiration, so I think I went to JYP more often to practice rap."

He said about (Park) Ji-hyun, "From the very beginning when she was learning the choreography, she seemed to dance very well. She was somehow different. When I danced, it looked like gymnastics, but when she danced, it looked like real dancing. Also, she played a lot of pranks on set, which was fun, and I was grateful."

Regarding the most difficult point, Eom Tae-gu said, "I felt a bit embarrassed when taking the photo shoot. I took the test shots alone in front of the door of the shooting location. It was a place where staff came and went, so it was very embarrassing. Only my back is my actual body; the buttocks and front are all CG," he said with a slightly embarrassed smile.

He continued, "Raising the tension was also difficult. Also, perhaps because it was the first time I learned it, the choreography seemed very difficult. Fortunately, I am a rapper, so I didn't have to dance extremely well, which was a relief. Still, I think I tried my best by striving to do more than what was required."

Through 'Wild Thing,' Eom Tae-gu realized once again the difficulties of acting. He said, "Still, I feel a clear sense of accomplishment for having invested time in the rap and choreography I learned diligently and in syncing with other actors, as it seems to have been well captured on screen. It feels similar to the emotions I had when doing 'Pansori Boxer.'"

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*This content was translated by AI.