'Bi-gwang' Ryu Seung-ryong: "Ha Ji-won gave up even her appearance... There is a reason she remains beloved for so long" [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Ryu Seung-ryong highly praised Ha Ji-won, who made her debut with a new look through 'Bi-gwang'.

On the 25th, we met actor Ryu Seung-ryong at a café on Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the film 'Bi-gwang' (directed by Lee Ji-won).

'Bi-gwang' is a heartfelt family saga by director Lee Ji-won, known for 'Miss Back'. The story follows top celebrity couple Jung-goo (played by Ryu Seung-ryong) and Nam-mi (played by Ha Ji-won), whose lives are upended when Jung-goo's daughter Dong-joo (played by Kim Si-a) suddenly appears. Eight years later, they risk everything to save Dong-joo from a shocking incident while uncovering the truth.

Ryu Seung-ryong plays Jung-goo, once a top baseball player who fell into ruin after Dong-joo's arrival, but now goes to any lengths to protect his daughter.

Regarding Ha Ji-won, who shares the screen as his wife in the film, Ryu offered nothing but praise. He said, "Ha Ji-won's new look in the movie was excellent. It seems that drawing out such a transformation is director Lee Ji-won's specialty."

He continued, "It appears she deconstructs the solid image an actor has built over years to reveal their true self. From an actor's perspective, meeting such a director is truly something to be grateful for," he explained.

Ryu also expressed deep admiration for Ha Ji-won's conduct on set. He stated, "I've known her as a senior actress through the media for a long time, but she was truly professional on set. I never saw her complain or show dissatisfaction. I felt the strength of an actor who has remained popular and active for so long."

He also mentioned Ha Ji-won's consistent personality. "I heard she paints and has been drinking lemonade for 10 years straight. It seems she is someone who, once she starts something, continues it steadily," he said, adding, "That aspect was also impressive."

In particular, Ryu highly commended Ha Ji-won for boldly letting go of her appearance in 'Bi-gwang'. He remarked, "With messy hair and unflattering makeup, I imagine most female actors would instinctively want to look beautiful. But she seemed to let all that go."

He added, "We had many conversations, and I felt she is an actress whose future work is even more anticipated. I'm curious about what projects she will take on and what performances she will deliver. She always responded greatly to my comments, which was also appreciated. She's naturally a good laugher, but she laughed even more during filming. Among the actors I've worked with, her reactions were truly excellent," he smiled.

Ryu Seung-ryong revealed that Ha Ji-won's rough acting style also served as a major inspiration for him. He shared, "Ha Ji-won's raw performance felt so alive that it allowed me to focus even more in my own acting."

Regarding the intense scenes where the two characters clash, he explained, "They are a relationship where each knows deeply what the other values most and what must never be touched. It was a scene that portrayed their bond briefly but powerfully."

He also noted that during filming, they were extra cautious to maintain emotional continuity. Ryu said, "There are almost no scenes in the movie where Ha Ji-won and I laugh. When you're focused on emotion, if someone laughs unintentionally, it's like a crystal breaking—hard to piece back together. So we tried our best not to break each other's emotions while filming."

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*This content was translated by AI.