[Sportschosun Ahn So-yoon] Actor Jin Seon-kyu, 49, has returned to the genre he is most confident in through Netflix's film 'The Exes.'
Released on the 19th, Netflix's film 'The Exes' is a comedy-action story about an unpredictable rescue mission by a divorced husband and a current husband who join forces by chance to save a wife kidnapped by a criminal organization. It was directed by Park Gyu-tae, who helmed '6/45.' Jin Seon-kyu plays Chungsik, the ace of the narcotics unit and City’s ex-husband.
Jin Seon-kyu reunited with Gong Myung for the first time in seven years since 'Extreme Job' in 2019. After the release of the film, he met with Sportschosun and said, "We kept meeting often over the past seven years, so we actually became closer and grew even deeper as friends. Gong Myung is one of the few actors I am especially close to, so I felt like everything would fall into place acting-wise in this project too."
In addition to Gong Myung, he also worked with Lee Ha-nee on the Netflix series 'Aema' and with Ryu Seung-ryong in the film 'Amazon Bullseye.' Jin Seon-kyu said, "Except for Lee Do-hyun, I have worked with everyone at least once. I would like to do a genre project with Do-hyun someday."
Asked whether he felt pressure from the huge box-office success of 'Extreme Job,' which drew 16.26 million viewers, Jin Seon-kyu replied, "Since 'The Exes' is a comedy, comparisons are unavoidable. But I did not feel pressured. Rather than trying to make something better than 'Extreme Job,' I wanted to express the character that fits this story well."
The film 'A Man Who Lives with the King,' released in February this year, surpassed 16.9 million admissions and overtook 'Extreme Job' to become the second-highest-grossing Korean film of all time. On that, Jin Seon-kyu said candidly, "To be honest, when the 'Extreme Job' team gets together, we do not really talk about that. Still, among comedies, we are still No. 1, aren't we? It stings a little that we dropped from second to third, but I am glad to still be in the top three. If we fall to fourth, I think I would feel a bit disappointed then."
As for his wife Park Bo-kyung's reaction after watching 'The Exes,' he said, "My wife came to the theater for our premiere and watched the movie. Seeing how many action scenes there were, she sympathized and said, 'So that's why you were in pain when you got home.'"
Park Bo-kyung also drew strong attention from global viewers through the Netflix series 'Lady Dua,' released in February this year. Jin Seon-kyu said, "I am happy that my wife is doing well, and I hope she stays even busier. I would not mind taking care of the kids myself. Since I also do stage acting, I want to put in the time and effort."
When asked what kind of husband he is at home, he answered, "I am a yes-man. If my wife wants to do something, I always say yes. That goes not only for my wife, but also for my children." He added, "Whether it is good news or bad news, I tend to answer positively. That has been the way we have been as a couple from the beginning."
He also explained how they help each other as actors, saying, "We read scripts together. Even when I do not tell my wife about a role separately, she sometimes guesses which role I was offered. Also, because we are raising children, we cannot just go somewhere alone and rehearse lines. When the kids are at school, we practice each other's dialogue for the opposite roles."
Jin Seon-kyu made a strong impression as a scene-stealer in the 2017 film 'The Roundup' and won Best Supporting Actor at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards. He said, "In a past interview, I said that rather than rowing when the tide is in, I wanted to look at the map first, and I still feel that way. Acting is not something I do alone, so I need to widen the space in my boat enough to bring my colleagues on board too. After 'The Roundup,' I took on lead roles, supporting roles, and even special appearances without distinction, so I ended up with a lot of projects. I want to keep building that experience, and when I feel ready myself, I want to row forward with full force."
Finally, he named younger actors he would like to work with in future projects. Jin Seon-kyu said, "My wife once worked with Lee Do-hyun on 'The Good Bad Mother,' and she praised him a lot for his attitude toward the work. Park Ji-hoon also received a lot of love recently for 'A Man Who Lives with the King,' and I felt he had great eyes from 'Weak Hero Class 1.' Yu Hae-jin also said that acting with this friend naturally draws you in. Now that I am in the position of a senior, I found myself wanting to act with younger actors. Acting has trends and currents too. Rather than insisting on my own pattern and flow, I want to become a better actor by working with different generations."
Ahn So-yoon, Sportschosun
