[Sportschosun reporter Ahn So-yoon] Actor Kim Ji-seok opened up about his honest thoughts on his "brainy guy" image.
Kim Ji-seok met with Sportschosun at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, on the 23rd and said, "I think I got my brainy-guy image thanks to 'Problematic Men.' I also think I benefited a lot from the cast members with science backgrounds."
The Netflix film "Husbands," released on the 19th, is a comedy action movie about an unpredictable rescue mission in which a former husband and a current husband team up by chance to save a wife who has been kidnapped by a criminal organization. It was directed by Park Gyu-tae, who helmed "6/45." Kim Ji-seok plays Ma Do-jun, an intelligent criminal who expands his influence by using a cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) program.
Kim Ji-seok returned to the big screen for the first time in 14 years since the 2012 film "Two Moons." He said, "As with every project, I went into filming with a certain amount of pressure and tension. It had been a long time since I worked on a film, and there were so many great actors on set. Jin Seon-kyu and Gong Myung also worked together on 'Extreme Job' and achieved great results. I had many scenes with the two of them, and they were incredibly close. They were so comfortable and friendly with each other that their age gap seemed irrelevant, and I wanted to become close with them quickly too. But rather than immediately saying, 'Let's be friends,' I tried to observe their acting naturally. I stayed by their side all the time, thinking about how I could blend in smoothly."
Jin Seon-kyu and Gong Myung were said to have admired Kim Ji-seok's sharp and polished demeanor on set. Kim Ji-seok said, "I think they probably felt the same way about me. They were very considerate of me as the newcomer, and I think they were careful around me at first. The reason so many people see me as smart probably comes from 'Problematic Men.' I'm actually from the humanities, but I think I benefited a lot from the other cast members with science backgrounds. Among them, only Jun Hyun-moo and I are really more on the humanities side, so I'm just grateful that I got to work with them."
When asked whether he feels any pressure about his "brainy guy" image, Kim Ji-seok replied, "If I feel like I'm going to become close with someone, I insist that I'm not the 'brainy guy' type." He added, "On the other hand, I think one of my strengths is that I listen closely to other people's stories and am a good listener, so I do take pride in having a strong sense of humanity."
Ahn So-yoon reporter antahn22@sportschosun.com
