[Sportschosun Reporter Ahn So-yoon] Actor Kim Ji-seok, 45, returned to film after a long break with 'The Exes,' marking a successful comeback in both work and love.
Netflix's film 'The Exes,' released on June 19, is a comedy action movie about an unpredictable rescue mission by an ex-husband and a current husband who join forces to save a wife kidnapped by a criminal organization. The film 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 advanced artificial intelligence (AI) programs.
Kim Ji-seok appeared in a film for the first time in 14 years, since 'Two Moons' in 2012. In a recent interview with Sportschosun, 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 last did a film, and there were so many great actors on set. Jin Seon-kyu and Gong Myung had worked together on 'Extreme Job' and achieved great results. I had many scenes with them, and they were very close. They were so comfortable with each other that their age gap seemed meaningless, and I wanted to become close quickly too. But instead of immediately saying, 'Let's be friends,' I tried to observe their acting naturally. I stayed close to them, wondering how I could blend in smoothly." Gong Myung and Jin Seon-kyu reportedly admired Kim Ji-seok's sharp and precise manner 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. I think many people see me as smart because of 'Problematic Men.' In fact, I studied the humanities, but I benefited a lot from the other cast members who studied science and engineering. Jun Hyun-moo and I were the only ones from the humanities, so I was just grateful to be there with them."
When asked whether he feels burdened by his image as a brainy man, Kim Ji-seok replied, "If I feel like I'm getting close to 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 can confidently say that my sense of humanity is very strong."
Kim Ji-seok also spoke about the changed styling of his character before and after marriage. "The costume and makeup teams did such a great job, and I dressed up so much that I wondered if it was okay to go this far. It was the first time I wore earrings while acting, and the first time I wore more than four rings. I liked being able to match necklaces and clothes in colorful ways and dress differently each time. It felt like putting on a helmet and armor before going to war, so I enjoyed filming. Before marriage, and before meeting Hye-ran, he was just a low-level thug and drug user. After meeting Hye-ran, I tried to portray him as someone who had built a big business. He is a man from the shadows, but I wanted to express him with bright, vivid colors rather than a dark mood. I also benefited a great deal from Lee Da-hee. She acted with such style and presence that every two-shot was visually enjoyable. Lee Da-hee has fair skin, and I have darker skin, so I wondered if the contrast would be too much, but surprisingly, it looked good."
He also explained why he bulked up by 5 kilograms for the project. "I felt a strong sense of duty and pressure about the action scenes, and I was determined to do well," he said. "To do that, I thought I needed to build up my body first. I designed Ma Do-jun as a power-action character, and I wanted to show a brutally powerful side whenever he fought."
He added that he worked steadily to build his physique. Kim Ji-seok said, "Now that I can say this, I trained really hard to bulk up. I was actually cast very early. I heard that Myung and Seon-kyu were offered roles around the same time, but I was told much earlier. Since the role was a villain and required action scenes, I had a long period of building my body and attending action school. Since I had bulked up, I wanted to wear a sleeveless top under my jacket and take it off later, but unfortunately there was no scene to show that off. I paid a lot of attention to my abs and shoulder line, so that was a bit disappointing." He continued, "Some people gain weight as they get older, while others lose it, and I'm the latter. I've been trying to maintain the bulk as much as possible, but I've already lost 2 kilograms. I'm currently managing my diet and taking better care of myself than I did in my 20s and 30s."
Meanwhile, Kim Ji-seok has been publicly dating actress Lee Ju-myoung, who is 12 years younger than him, since 2024. Comparing his own life to his character's, he said, "I still have moments of immaturity, but in the past I used to insist on my own position and try to make others understand me. As I get older, I find myself adjusting more to the other person and enjoying the happiness that comes from that. In that sense, the way Ma Do-jun and Hye-ran date feels closer to me now."
When asked whether public dating has been difficult, Kim Ji-seok said, "There are definitely pros and cons. Professionally, I have become more careful than before, and I also worry about causing harm to each other. But as a man and a woman, I feel more at ease than I used to. Whether we're going out to eat or just walking around somewhere, I definitely feel more comfortable mentally. In fact, even after the article came out and I mentioned it several times on variety shows, there are still many people who don't know about it. I'm actually relieved about that." He added with a laugh, "I think it's fine if they keep not knowing. Sometimes both she and I worry about being labeled as someone else's person. I hope we are judged and shine only as actors."
He also talked about Lee Ju-myoung's reaction to 'The Exes.' "Her evaluation of me was harsher than I expected," he said with a laugh. "Of course, I think that's something I should understand and accept humbly. She acts as the monitor who knows me best, just as well as I know myself. There was a scene that only I thought was disappointing, and she caught it perfectly. She also supported me a lot. She didn't just cheer me on with words; she bought me beef and encouraged me that way. A delicious meal of meat gave me more strength than ten words of encouragement like 'You can do it.'"
Reporter Ahn So-yoon antahn22@sportschosun.com
