In 2015, Ryu Jun-yeol made his official acting debut with the movie “Socialphobia” and gained recognition through the 2015 drama “Reply 1988”, establishing his name in the entertainment industry.
Since then, he has steadily risen to become a versatile actor.
Now a trusted and popular actor, Ryu Jun-yeol is gearing up for the release of the second part of the movie “Alienoid”. The actor, who plays a key role in the film, recently confessed that he felt comforted through the recent movie and shared insights during an interview.
After a year and a half since the release of “Alienoid” Part 1, Ryu Jun-yeol is returning with the 2nd part. In an interview conducted at a cafe in Seoul’s Jongno-gu on January 4, Ryu Jun-yeol mentioned, “After the preview, as I left the screening venue, I saw the director’s back, and from that, I could strongly feel his persistence and tenacity.”
He further praised director Choi Dong-hoon, stating, “After watching the completed film, I felt relieved and thought, ‘I want to show it to the audience quickly.’ I think Director Choi Dong-hoon is truly remarkable.”
“Alienoid” Part 2, set to be released on January 10, is the sequel to Part 1, which was released in July 2022. Part 1 garnered high expectations due to the trust in director Choi Dong-hoon, who was behind known for successful films like “Assassination” and “The Thieves”, as well as the likability of the cast, including Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Woo-bin, Yeom Jung-ah, Jo Woo-jin, and Kim Ui-sung. However, despite the film’s production cost exceeding 30 billion won, it fell short of industry expectations by attracting only 1.5 million viewers, causing a shock to the industry.
Regarding the downturn in box office performance, the industry did not disregard Director Choi Dong-hoon, but instead considered his previous successes. Despite the pandemic, his track record was exceptional, with films like “Assassination” and “The Thieves” surpassing 10 million viewers, and other works achieving impressive box office results.
Facing the pressure in terms of box office success, Director Choi Dong-hoon took responsibility for the failure of Part 1 and, despite the challenges, spent a year and a half watching 150 movies to bring Part 2 to the world.
“At the press conference, the director said that he takes full responsibility for the failure of Part 1, and he demonstrated that on set. Watching the film, I could confirm once again the director’s passion and dedication. His love and passion for the work are tremendous,” Ryu Jun-yeol recalled.
In Part 2, Ryu Jun-yeol portrays a respectable martial arts master. Over the 387 days of shooting Parts 1 and 2, Ryu Jun-yeol has grown as an actor. Having contemplated whether talent or effort is more critical, he found solace through his character, who awkwardly performs martial arts initially but eventually gains real skills.
“While doing the role, I sometimes felt that talent is everything, leading to frustration. At other times, I felt that effort is more important. I have always been confused between the two. Portraying my character made me think more about talent and effort than ever before. I still haven’t found a clear answer, but recently, I have come to the realization that both should be appropriately balanced”, Ryu Jun-yeol shared.
Expressing his thoughts on the New Year, Ryu Jun-yeol said, “Rather than embarking on new endeavors, I want to spend the new year well, taking care of the good things I have”, adding, “Doing new things is good, but in the process of trying something new, I shouldn’t let go of the good things I have. This year, whether it’s people, abilities, or thoughts, I want to take good care of what I have.”
In the past year, Ryu Jun-yeol achieved personal milestones, winning four trophies at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards for his role in the movie “The Night Owl” and completing the 2023 Chicago Marathon (42.195km). He also held an exhibition featuring over 40 photographic works.
Reflecting on these activities, Ryu Jun-yeol said, “Engaging in activities outside of work gave me a lot of time to think alone. While organizing my thoughts, I felt a sense of relief. I think those times will be nourishment for my future activities.”
After achieving new successes through diverse activities last year, Ryu Jun-yeol expressed his desire to focus on preserving his strengths this year. He concluded, “I want to spend the new year taking good care of the things I have, whether they are people, abilities, or thoughts.”
Source: Daum
