K-pop idol Hangyeom from the boy band Omega X adds another feather to his illustrious hat. A singer, dancer and songwriter, he is now all set to make waves with his acting chops in the Korean BL dramaJazz For Two.
An adaptation of the webtoon of the same name, Jazz For Two is the coming-of-age story of four students at the Wooyeon Arts School and tells an evocative tale of friendship, love, life and everything in between. Hangyeom plays Seo Do-yoon, a drum player who is infatuated with a fellow student but is unable to express himself.
In an exclusive conversation with HELLO! India, the K-pop idol-turned-actor spoke about his acting debut, his MBTI personality and his desire to compose songs for Bollywood…
H!: Congratulations, Hangyeom! For someone who wears so many hats that of a singer, dancer, and songwriter, you are now an actor. what was it like making your acting debut? Was there any initial nervousness at your end?
Hangyeom: “Thank you so much for the congratulations! (Laughs) I’m really thrilled to make my acting debut, and it still feels surreal that people can see me acting on streaming platforms that I watch often. When the role was confirmed and I faced the camera for the first shoot, my biggest concern was not to be awkward while acting.”
H!: Did you always want to try your hand at acting? what was it about this show Jazz for Two, that made you say yes? Have you read the webtoon before?
Hangyeom: “When my desire for acting grew, I came across . Participating in the project fueled my passion even more, and naturally, I looked into the original webtoon as well to deepen my understanding of the character Seo Do-yoon through the original webtoon.”
H!: Your character is a high school student who is an optimistic, and playful person who is extroverted and intuitive. He is also a musician. Could you relate to him at any level or are you both very different?
Hangyeom: “Do-yoon’s vibe around friends felt very similar, and I thought there were similarities in the way he kindly approached Yoon Se-heon, who transferred to Wooyeon Arts School. One completely different aspect is that Do-yoon is good at playing the drums, but Hangyeom can’t play the drums. (Laughs)”
H!: Your character’s MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) is personality ‘ENFB’ (Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling & Perceiving). If we’re to ask you your MBTI, what would it be?
Hangyeom: “It has changed a few times, but recently, my result came out as INTJ( Introversion, Intuition, Thinking and Judgment)”
H!: What was the reaction of your bandmates when they saw you acting on screen?
Hangyeom: “I got compliments that my acting was natural. I believe that’s because it resembles me in real life. (Laughs)”
H!: Your band Omega X has also contributed to the soundtrack for the show, as well as for director Song Soo-rim‘s A Shoulder to Cry On. Is it comparatively easy to make music for a drama or is it tough?
Hangyeom: “While I can’t confidently say that either is easy, I found it somewhat comfortable to grasp the theme or subject of a song when composing and writing lyrics for the soundtrack, considering the storyline of the drama or movie. However, ironically, having a set framework also posed some challenges as it limited me to thinking within certain boundaries. All works are equally interesting though!”
H!: What was it like to work with director Song Soo-rim and about this genre of stories?
Hangyeom: I received a lot of help from Director Song Soo-rim’s direct and passionate words. I especially cherished the advice she gave during script readings, as it was easy to understand and relate to. Also, I felt even better while monitoring because of the beautiful scenes completed with her direction!”
H!: Would we see you in more drama? What kind of dramas do you like? Any actors you want to work with?
Hangyeom: “If given the opportunity, of course! I’m eager to try not only dramas but also movies. I’d love to try acting in romantic comedies or fantasy genres. Especially, I’m a fan of actors Kim Soo-hyun and Cho Jung-seok, so I’d love to have the chance to film with them. (Laughs)”
H!: Is acting easier or making music? Describe yourself in one word as an actor and as a musician.
Hangyeom: “I’d say, nothing is easy. I feel that music comes a bit easier to me as I’ve been doing music for longer, but I approach both pursuits with a challenging spirit at every moment. As an actor, Hangyeom can be described as ‘passion,’ and as a musician, Hangyeom can be described as ‘life’.”
H!: With K-Pop and K-dramas being famous worldwide and since you are part of both now, what do you think makes Korean content so special?
Hangyeom: “It’s still a bit surprising to me, too! Personally, I think many people enjoy Korean content because it reflects the ‘passion’ that Koreans have very well, as I witnessed that everyone works hard both on set and throughout the preparation process for it. (Laughs) Not only the artists but also many staff members involved are putting in efforts for better results and content that more people can enjoy. Thus, I ask everyone to please continue showing lots of love in the future!”
H!: India loves K-Pop and K-Dramas are you familiar with Indian movies? Would you like to act or make music for a Bollywood film?
Hangyeom: “I really enjoyed watching the movie 3 Idiots! If given the opportunity, I’d love to appear in Bollywood productions too, of course! I’m particularly fond of scenes filled with dance and song in Indian films, so someday, I’d like to produce soundtracks and even make appearances in them.”
H!: How do you like to spend your free time?
Hangyeom. “I tend to work on music projects that feel like my ‘life’ as described earlier, or study English. These days, I’m also putting a lot of effort into exercising!”
