In a recent interview with Star News at its headquarters in Seoul’s Jongno District, actor Lee Seung-gyu looked back on his time with Song Young-kyu and expressed his lingering disbelief over the veteran actor’s passing.
Released on June 5, Teach You a Lesson follows the activities of the Teacher Rights Protection Bureau, an organization established to defend educational institutions and teachers against increasingly severe misconduct by students, teachers, and parents. The series has continued to gain momentum internationally, reaching No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Non-English TV Series chart.
In Episode 1, Lee Seung-gyu portrayed Ryu Jun-hyung, a notorious school violence perpetrator and the son of influential politician Ryu Gwang-pil, played by Song Young-kyu. The two actors convincingly depicted a father-son relationship built on power, privilege, and abuse.
Recalling their first meeting on set, Lee Seung-gyu spoke fondly of Song Young-kyu’s friendly personality and generosity. “We had a really enjoyable time filming together. I first met him while we were getting our makeup done. He greeted me warmly and started asking where I lived and how old I was. When he found out I was around the same age as his daughter, he immediately made conversation with me.”
Lee Seung-gyu continued: “Even after filming ended, he told me, ‘Seung-gyu, your facial expressions were really good. Thanks to you, the scene turned out well.’ Hearing that from a senior actor made me incredibly proud.”
Song Young-kyu’s role in Teach You a Lesson became one of his final screen appearances. Lee Seung-gyu revealed that he learned of the actor’s death through a television news broadcast while he was in Gangwon Province. “I was in Gangwon-do when I heard the news on TV while passing by somewhere. I couldn’t believe it. Since we had worked together and shared conversations, I felt heartbroken and devastated. I remember going to pay my respects that very night.” The actor admitted that the loss deeply affected him because of the personal connection they had formed during filming.
Lee Seung-gyu also discussed a deleted scene that further explored the complicated relationship between his character and Ryu Gwang-pil. According to the actor, a sequence showing Ryu Jun-hyung being beaten with a golf club by his father was filmed but ultimately removed during editing. “I thought the deleted golf-club scene helped explain Ryu Jun-hyung’s backstory and emotional deficiencies,” Lee Seung-gyu explained.
He added that he approached the role from the perspective that Jun-hyung grew up under an authoritarian father and a mother who never challenged that authority. “Because he was raised in that environment, I believed he naturally adopted the same authoritarian behavior at school.”
Although his screen time was limited, Song Young-kyu’s portrayal of politician Ryu Gwang-pil left a strong impression on viewers and became part of what is now remembered as one of his final performances.
Lee Seung-gyu’s reflections have resonated with fans, offering a glimpse into the kindness Song Young-kyu showed behind the scenes and the impact he left on younger actors who had the opportunity to work alongside him.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스
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