Actor says he ultimately wants to be a playwright

Actor Son Suk-ku (AceMaker Movieworks) 

Just weeks after appearing as a relentless detective in the Netflix original “A Killer Paradox,” actor Son Suk-ku met with reporters for the promotion of his new film “Troll Factory.”

“I haven’t rested a single day since the start of the year except for the public holiday in January,” Son told reporters in an interview in Seoul on Friday.

“I’m constantly tired. I wake up, go to work, back home and sleep. I have also opened my own agency and it needs to have some kind of a system so I needed to work on that as well,” he said.

For the actor, it has been a joy to shoot so many different dramas, whether playing a leading role or making a cameo. But now he says his view has changed a bit.

“Now I try to avoid multitasking. Before, I shot ‘A Killer Paradox,’ ‘D.P.’ and ‘Big Bet’ at the same time. I enjoyed doing several projects at the same time because I could compare the characters as I shot. But that is now physically demanding for me, as well as for my manager,” Son said.

Son, who turned 41 last month, is a late bloomer. He debuted through the short film “Nan Jian Wan Zi” in 2012, but it was only after “My Liberation Notes,” a 2022 drama series in which he played a mysterious stranger, Mr. Gu, that his acting career really took off.

Son noted that his latest character -- a journalist named Yim Sang-jin -- is very similar to himself.

In “Troll Factory,” Son portrays a passionate yet unlucky investigative reporter. He breaks news on the wrongdoings of the country’s biggest conglomerate, Manjin Group, but is sent home for six months following a suspension at work, after figuring out that Manjin had manipulated public opinion to bury Yim’s report.

A scene from “Troll Factory,” starring Son Suk-ku (AceMaker Movieworks) 

“I am, just like Yim, easily swayed by others. But I choose to be swayed by others. That way I can broaden my perspective and experiences. If you don't try this and that in life, you become narrow-minded,” Son explained.

The actor's involvement across genres -- drama, film, stage play and even indie film production -- will help him become a good playwright in the future, according to Son.

“Acting is the best job you can have if you want to become a playwright. You can learn the A-to-Z on set because you have access to almost every (part of the process), from pre-production to direction. My dream (to become a playwright) is getting bigger and bigger, day by day,” Son said.

His latest interests lie in writing is the lives of older people.

“I’m interested in writing about the second chapter of life, some kind of a life event that seniors are challenged to face. It’s not like you want to have passion, but you are in a state where you cannot live without passion. I think that would make an interesting story,” he said.

While Son doesn’t plan to become a playwright immediately, he wants to try out other kinds of characters.

“For my next challenge, I want to play a musician,” he said. “It’s like a riddle for everyone in the entertainment and culture industry. Audiences want to see different aspects of you in the next project, but without being able to notice that the actor has actually ‘changed’.”

“Troll Factory” opened in local theaters Wednesday.