Triple threat Kim Jae-wook
by girlfriday
Inch by inch, Kim Jae-wook has been stealing the show in SBS’s Bad Guy, with his deeply layered portrayal of a wounded feral animal, otherwise known as Hong Tae-sung. In a recent interview with 10 Asia, Kim discusses Tae-sung, acting, and his music.
Good acting AND an indie band? Are you trying to make me spontaneously combust from second-lead love?
The 27-year old actor became famous for his turn as Waffle Sun-ki in 2007’s Coffee Prince, having only done a few small roles prior. Although known initially as a model-turned-flower-pretty-boy-actor, he quickly garnered further acclaim for his role as an openly gay man in the film Antique Bakery.
He’s exactly as frank and direct as you’d expect. About being in the spotlight: “In the end people only see what they want to see. The second I realized that, it didn’t bother me anymore. Everyone has that part of them that wants to be acknowledged by a person. It’s enough to go forward with that one thing.”
In Bad Guy, Kim plays second-lead Hong Tae-sung, a lonely illegitimate heir to millions, whose lack of love and affection has led him to a lifetime of destructive behavior. He lashes out like an animal, blind to the effects of his actions on everyone around him, because his own pain is all he can see. Javabeans and I have both noted in our recaps that the character is really the better-written bad guy between the two leads, but it’s no detraction from the actor, who plays it to the hilt.
For the role of Tae-sung, Bad Guy director Lee Hyung-min sought an actor with an aristocratic air, and yet a frighteningly edgy charisma. It’s a hard line to walk, but Kim manages it with a crackling vulnerability to top it off.
Kim says about Tae-sung: “Everyone lives with loneliness. The kinds of loneliness and the actions we take to break out of that pain are varied as well. From Hong Tae-sung’s background and surroundings, you can’t say he’s an adult…he’s too much like a child. His weak-minded disposition, harming himself—these things are true, but I want to put the focus somewhere a little deeper, and I hope that it gets conveyed well.”
He gives careful consideration to his role, while at the same time worrying that these sorts of news bites will influence the audience’s perception of the character. That desire for the work to stand on its own, without pandering to what’s expected of him, can be summed up as the Kim Jae-wook-esque attitude. He is currently focused on the drama, which despite production setbacks, has just now hit its stride narratively. Here’s hoping it continues that way. His next activity? He wants to pursue his music.
He’s known for his acting and modeling, but Kim actually graduated university as a music major, and formed a band with his classmates called I Am the Walrus. “My parents and my older brother like music so since I was young I naturally grew up in an environment where I heard lots of different kinds of music. Eventually I became spellbound by the rock genre. Much like how students now follow idol bands and learn all their dances, I think I naturally wanted to sing and perform music I heard. Truthfully it’s been nine years since my classmates and I first said we would do music together, but we were all lazy about it until we formed Walrus. Last year we stood on stage for the first time in five years, and we went crazy. Originally we were going to work on the single for March, but Bad Guy happened so we had to push it back.”
The only available clips of the band were fancams, since the band is still so indie, natch.
I don’t think he’s going to be the next big thing, musically. But I’m also pretty sure he doesn’t care. He’s got that elusive thing that you can’t manufacture or fake—that “I don’t care” attitude that makes cool people cool, because they don’t try to be overly so, coupled with an earnest sincerity for his craft.
Really, no need to make him so perfect, Universe. It’s overkill.
Via 10 Asia
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Tags: Bad Guy, Coffee Prince, Kim Jae-wook
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51 Natalia
July 15, 2010 at 11:13 PM
Can this man be closer to perfection? I love the aura I get from him. I loved him for his looks in Coffee Prince, then I fell in love with his believable acting performance in Antique Bakery. I almost actually thought he may have been a little fruity. I saw the trailer for Bad Guy and I saw KJW was in it and I had to watch. He never stops blowing me away especially when he is acting like a broken child. He seems like a very interesting person to be around. I sincerely hope that he will come back to acting because I would love to explore other roles as well.
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52 Rizzy
July 16, 2010 at 4:11 AM
I am in love with him ;) Period.
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53 snail
July 16, 2010 at 5:26 AM
Crap, now I really have to watch Bad Guy haha... Universe is being generous to us haha... *swooned*...
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54 aardvarksmile
July 16, 2010 at 6:25 AM
I've had a soft spot for Kim Jae Wook since I first saw him in this tiny little role in DalJa's Spring, but no matter what, I have to say it: to me this dude simply cannot sing :). In my country we have a saying "what he can't sing, he'll make up with his looks". This is the first time I mean it in a positive way ;)
What makes me adore him (beside of his cheekbones, of course) is this aura of originality and independence. To me it's the epitome of being cool.
I was really surprised to see him ACT in Bad Guy and can hardly think of anyone else being able to play the role of HTS so well. I hope to see him really develop as an actor.
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55 epyc
July 16, 2010 at 7:50 AM
Scene stealer indeed! Didn't expect he can be that good although his performance in Antique Bakery is a big notch up from Coffee Prince. Keep up the good work, KJW!
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56 Emma
July 16, 2010 at 12:00 PM
A pretty face indeed, but he does not deserve the praise heaped on him here (as for a viewer's libidinal investment, ad libitum non disputandum est), for he's just an average, mediocre actor. There was a scene in BG where his character was required to confront his step-mother with a glass mask and an emotional plea, and he was so embarrassingly bad I had to fast-forward to the end of it. In his school of acting, subtlety is confused with lazy lack of concern (and that further mistaken for 'cool' -not that I prise 'cool', all the great actors, past and present, have been definitely uncool), and intensity is channeled through amateur melodramatics. In his current drama, he swans around with that manufactured look of pouty-nonchalance that, nowadays, passes for representation of emotional disengagement (he should go and study Takuya Kimura's work on the subject) and which is nothing but the refuge of the unimaginative actor. As for the moments where we need to see his character's 'tortured soul', he acts through them as if he's suffering from migraine attacks, or constipation, or both. No depth, no awareness of the level of sophistication internally required by and in acting, no effort to go beyond the available repertoire of TV-drama thespian routines.
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57 blue_rose
July 16, 2010 at 1:30 PM
"For the role of Tae-sung, Bad Guy director Lee Hyung-min sought an actor with an aristocratic air, and yet a frighteningly edgy charisma".
Yes, he played Tae-sung to perfection indeed. he is also so very delicately beautiful it is amazing. I watched him for the 1st time as the Waffle Man in Coffee Prince, he was ok in that drama. Antique Bakery really show off his talent. Now Bad Guy really sealed the deal for me, he is one fantastic actor.
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58 calling
July 16, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Hi KJW fans who is impressed with his acting in Bad Guy and not just a pretty face, please go to his soompi thread to share your thoughts about his acting. His thread there does need more love because it’s not moving at all.
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=152398&st=0
In an earlier interview the reporter said the scene where Hong Tae Sung cried at the spot of Sun-Young's death, was quite impressive. And it has been called ‘the world’s ugliest crying scene’. I’m confused about this comment is it a negative or positive one?
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59 jb
July 16, 2010 at 8:50 PM
Wow...a lotta love for KJW :) Yes, like most, I was drawn to him since Coffee Prince and what really stick for me is his resemblance to a Jap actor/singer Naohito Fujiki whom I love to bits. So I totally understand the comparison with Japanese stars or the Johnny boy connection :) They have the same aloof quality about them...Check out Naohito's image :)
http://photobucket.com/images/Fujiki%20Naohito/
Girlfriday, I LOVE your writing. Thanks to javabeans for such a gem ;)Dramabeans rocks!
That said, I wonder where is Samsooki nowadays? Busy with fatherhood...I miss his writing...
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60 giddygirl108
July 17, 2010 at 9:25 PM
Wow...I was already in love after "Coffee Prince". Now I'm really heels over head.
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61 dramafan88
July 18, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Kim Jae Wook is so hot - he sizzles!
Im loving him in Bad Guy as Hong Tae Sung. Incredible!
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62 teevee
July 20, 2010 at 2:38 PM
guh. his persona, on and off screen, just melts my brain!
didn't he do a music video for Eternal Morning some years ago?
you did wonderfully, Universe. :) dramabean, too.
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63 DelphineDelmar
August 4, 2010 at 6:40 AM
When I first saw him I wasn't that impressed....but ever since I couldn't stop liking him.It's cooler to stay indie as a musician,just because from his work as an actor and a model I can assume that he wouldn't just ''go with the flow''.It's not just his looks(but seriously...why so amazing?! :D )He impressed me more with his acting,other than that he has this..inexplainable charisma on screen.Of course,with a celebrity you see what that person shows,you couldn't judge his personality-he could be anyone off screen -but from this article I guess that as a person he is maybe more interesting.I mean,an actor is an actor,you can think he's amazing but in reality that could be wrong.I'm glad that this is my only ''fandom'' guy. :D
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64 lala
December 8, 2010 at 8:01 PM
Fan of him! Handsome boy!
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65 Tuyet
December 28, 2011 at 1:46 PM
He is hot... u guys think antique bakery is better or bad guy is better?
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66 Tuyet
December 28, 2011 at 1:48 PM
He is hot... Which is better antique bakery is better or bad guy is better?
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67 Marilyn Queen
April 5, 2014 at 11:32 PM
"frighteningly edgy charisma" and "elusive...something": that sums his qualities up pretty well. I like how deep his eyes look, yet he flashes an ironic smile now and then.
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