The star of the 10th-million-viewer hit "Parasite: The Grave," now in a twist-filled "Affair Now"... Kim Jae-cheol says "being pathetic is not a problem" [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Kim Jae-cheol shared his thoughts on attempting a dramatic transformation in the series "Affair Now."

On the afternoon of the 10th, Kim Jae-cheol held an interview with StarNews at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. He delivered a compelling performance as Joo Bo-seong in the OTT Coupang Play series "Affair Now Is Not a Problem" (hereinafter "Affair Now").

"Affair Now," which premiered on July 31 and concluded its eight-episode run on September 4, is a runaway chain-reaction black comedy. It follows popular influencers Park Kyung-hee (played by Kim Hye-soo) and Im Jae-hong (played by Kim Ji-hoon), who have built their happy family on deception, and the neighboring doctor couple Ahn Soo-jeong (played by Jo Yeo-jung) and Joo Bo-seong, whose lives become entangled in an unbearable secret that makes even infidelity seem trivial.

Notably, Kim Jae-cheol drew attention for revealing a different side from his charismatic roles in the 10th-million-viewer film "Parasite: The Grave" (2024) and the recently released Disney+ series "The Killer's Shopping Mall 2." He exuded an unprecedented "charm of being pathetic," taking responsibility for the gripping twists and turns.

Kim Jae-cheol stated, "I read the script without knowing exactly what genre or role 'Affair Now' would be. Having played many capable, heavy, and cold characters in the past, I assumed this would be similar, but the script was different. At first, Bo-seong seemed like a wealthy dermatologist, which felt familiar. But as the story progressed, his behavior became increasingly strange. Rather than thinking, 'Can I do this?', I found myself wondering, 'Why did they give me such a role?' and felt an overwhelming desire to take on this challenge. Because it was so different from roles I had played before, I found it incredibly attractive." He expressed high satisfaction with the project.

He added, "I also felt that Bo-seong was, in a way, human. Compared to his environmental comfort, he is weak, fearful, and even appears insignificant. While he might seem like a pathetic and unlikable character, opportunities to portray such roles are rare, so I wanted to show him properly at least once. I also had a strong desire to take on comedy projects or lighter characters."

Was there any concern about being "ruined" by the role? Kim Jae-cheol responded, "As an actor, what I felt was that the more unlikable or pathetic the character, the more authentically one must act. The more he breaks down, the more endearing he becomes, and that is how viewers will dislike him less. Of course, as the story progressed, I wondered, 'Is it okay for him to be this bad? Is it okay for him to be this cowardly?' But I believed that appearing less pathetic was a trap, so I worked hard to break down in a truly pathetic way. The director and writer also praised the performance, which allowed me to break down even more freely." He expressed his intense passion for the role.

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*This content was translated by AI.