Most of us remember him as the carefree heir to a fortune, who finds himself head over heels in love with a woman he has had a one-night stand with in My Secret Romance. But Sung Hoon has to his credit several roles—from playing the antagonist in Faith and the MMA fighter in Oh My Venus to the divorce lawyer caught in a loveless marriage in Love (Ft. Marriage and Divorce), Sung Hoon now finds himself in a contract marriage in his latest drama Perfect Marriage Revenge.
Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, it follows the story of Han Yi-joo (Jung Yoo-min) entering into a contract marriage with a man named Seo Do-guk (Sung Hoon) the heir to a vast fortune, in a bid to settle scores with her husband and family.
So we got together with Sung Hoon to talk about his latest drama, his process, his love for DJing, and why he loves Indian curries. Read on…
HELLO!: Congratulations on Perfect Marriage Revenge! You play a man who enters into a contract marriage to help Jung Yoo-min’s character seek revenge on her husband. What drew you to this drama?
Sung Hoon: “This story is about Seo Do-guk who gets to know Yi-joo, the character played by Jung Yoo-min. She suffers from several complexes and unfulfilled desires, and seems unaware of the reality of things around her. He tries to help her get back on the right path. And as the story unfolds, various reasons and circumstances of each character are well integrated within the story, providing an enjoyable experience and narrative for the viewers.”
H!: Your character Seo Do-guk has an irresistible charm, who goes along with Yi-joo’s plan but also retains his individuality. Are you anything like him? And how did you try to understand him?
SH: “See Do-guk’s character is quite different from Yi-joo’s, but he is willing to adjust everything for her. Even the things he doesn’t understand, he strives to understand from her perspective and eventually comes to love her.”
H!: You’ve played a lot of characters in your career. Has your process changed as an actor and what has been your biggest challenge and learning?
SH: “While taking on various roles, I always make an effort to understand and express the occupational traits that the character possesses. Every piece of work is a huge challenge for me. I always strive to do my best under any given circumstances. For me, learning means working together with colleagues, both seniors and juniors, as well as fellow actors, actresses, and the production staff—I learn from each of them. I’m always eager to find out my shortcomings by observing those people around me to improve myself and learn from them.”
H!: Which has been your most challenging role so far, and is there a genre you enjoy, since you have done it all? And is there a dream role?
SH: “Every role I’ve taken on so far has been a challenge for me. More than a dream role, I would like to embrace roles that allow me to show new aspects of myself that I haven’t shown till now.”
H!: What is the first thing that attracts you to a project? Is it the story, your character or the director?
SH: “I don’t want to pinpoint and proceed with just one reason to choose a project; I believe embracing everything you mentioned is the best answer. If I had to set an order among them, I would start by reading the story, wouldn’t I? After all, the beginning of any project starts with the story itself.”
H!: You are a multi-talented artist. You are also a DJ and vocalist, along with being an actor. How do you strike a balance?
SH: “Rather than striking a balance, I would say that acting and work are my priorities. DJing started as a hobby, and I like listening to music, so I do it whenever I have time.”
H!: How would you describe Sung Hoon the actor in one word?
SH: “Pure youth.”
H!: Your dramas are very popular in India, any plans to visit? Are you familiar with Indian food or movies?
SH: “If you invite me anytime, I will come running. I know some of the movies, and I like curry.”
H!: When you’re not acting or making music, how do you like to spend time?
SH: “These days, I love going skydiving or fishing.”
Perfect Marriage Revenge is available on Viki.
