Kim Hyung-mok: "In reality, I am a 52-year-old bachelor... 'Prescribed Love' made me want to get married" [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Kim Hyung-mok shared his personal reflections on the conclusion of "Prescribed Love."

On the morning of the 20th, Kim Hyung-mok met with StarNews at a café on Nonhyeon-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for an interview marking the finale of the KBS 2TV weekend drama "Prescribed Love" (script by Park Ji-sook, directed by Han Jun-seo, hereinafter referred to as "Love Prescription").

"Prescribed Love" is a family makeup drama about two families entangled in misfortunes for 30 years who resolve their misunderstandings, heal each other's wounds, and ultimately are reborn as one family.

Kim Hyung-mok portrayed the warm-hearted Yang Ji-ba-ra Han (Rep.) Yang Dong-ik (Director), showing unwavering love toward his second wife, Cha Se-ri (played by So Yi-hyun). After his biological daughter Choi Min-seo (played by Park Ri-won) returned to the United States following their difficult reunion, Yang Dong-ik felt empty and worked hard to fill the void in Cha Se-ri's heart by entrusting her care to his son Yang Hyun-bin (played by Park Ki-woong).

Kim Hyung-mok began his acting career with the 1999 musical "Cats," building a solid foundation of acting skills across both stage and screen. He has showcased a wide range of performances spanning good and evil in dramas such as "Undercover Miss Hong," "The Tyrant's Chef," "Vincenzo," "Hot Blooded Priest," films including "COLONY" and "There's No Way Out," and the musical "Suga."

-What are your thoughts on the conclusion of "Love Prescription"?

▶I could even make a three-line poem with "Love Prescription"; it was a drama I loved so much. It remains a great work that I still want to watch periodically. The director, writer, and senior and junior colleagues were especially wonderful. Later on, the situations in the drama felt like they belonged to a real family. These days, there isn't much talk about families, but we were grateful that our story was led by love until the very end. I also wanted to do a weekend drama. When I first attended the cast dinner, the characters immediately sat down as if they were already part of the group.

-Was this your first time working on a long-running drama?

▶It was also my first time filming on a large set. It even felt like a play. Filming on a set, especially, had that continuous flow like a stage performance.

-Yang Dong-ik was a materialistic acupuncturist with feelings of inferiority and a desire for recognition stemming from emotional deprivation.

▶Personally, I enjoy playing wounded characters, and this time I got to take on such a role. First, I reflected deeply on myself. Although I've often played bold characters, I realized that since I am actually a sensitive person, I could portray various types of roles. Yang Dong-ik shared many similarities with me, so I projected much of myself into the character. It emerged from a combination of imagination, observation, and my own experiences. From the very first cast dinner, actor Kim Seung-soo told me, "You are already Yang Dong-ik." Later on, I grew to become a more fair-minded character. When Yang Dong-ik gets hurt, his explosive yet endlessly warm, affectionate, and mischievous side reminded me of myself.

-What is your MBTI type?

▶It varies between ENTJ and ISFP. Others often say I'm an "E," but I am actually quite an "I" while also being intuitive, valuing experience, and logical. When traveling or acting, I tend to be a "J," but I adapt according to the situation.

-Did you feel any increase in popularity after working on a weekend drama?

▶When performing in theater, I felt a sense of satisfaction that people didn't recognize me in daily life. Player Park Ji-sung once said something similar; becoming famous through this profession turned out to be ultimately good. The reason I entered the media world was because I wanted to feel the joy of acting with wonderful people. Viewers often say, "The real person is even better," and they offer many services and treat me warmly, so I am truly grateful.

-Did you check online reactions?

▶This time, for the first time, I added greetings at the beginning and end of my Naver Talk posts. While I usually post about artistic content on Instagram, I tried commenting as Yang Dong-ik. Since I acted in a leading role this time, I wanted to take more responsibility and do even better. That's why I also worked hard on shorts during the promotional period. (laughs)

-In reality, you are unmarried, but through this drama, you indirectly experienced marriage.

▶Through this experience of marriage, family, love, and children, I found myself wanting to get married immediately if there were a woman like Cha Se-ri. My attitude toward marriage and love has become more positive. For a long time, I have received many offers for dating programs, but I haven't participated yet. (laughs) I am not a proponent of remaining single.

-Did you feel any burden in portraying a character with a very large son?

▶It felt different from when I played Colonel Georg von Trapp in "The Sound of Music" before. I sought advice from many people around me and observed extensively. Fortunately, I received good evaluations.

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*This content was translated by AI.