Son Suk Ku, who has been on an unstoppable streak across films and streaming series — from D.P. (2021), My Liberation Notes (2022), The Roundup (2022), and D.P. 2 (2023), to Troll Factory, Big Bet, A Killer Paradox (2024), Heavenly Ever After (2025), and Nine Puzzles — has announced that he’ll be stepping back to recharge.
In an interview with Sports Seoul, Son shared, “I’m still involved in a few ongoing projects, but once those are done, I’m planning to take a good, long break.” He added, “I used to have a clear goal of taking on as many roles as possible. It was exciting to keep learning, but now I feel it’s time to be more thoughtful about the path I want to take as an actor.”
He went on to say, “I just don’t think I can keep up this pace anymore. Doing multiple projects requires a huge amount of time and energy. I think this is the right moment to explore different styles of acting and embrace some change.”
For instance, he plays detectives in both A Killer Paradox and Nine Puzzles but with completely different approaches. The former is a rough, driven detective tracking a serial killer, while the latter plays a sharp, thoughtful cop who supports a profiler.
“The differences aren’t something I create — they’re something I discover,” Son explained. “Han Saem is a character who exists somewhere between reality and fantasy. I tried to strike the right balance without overdoing or underplaying it. I prepared very thoroughly for a long time.”
“When people around me asked, ‘What are you working on these days?’ I always said, ‘Just Nine Puzzles’,” he said. “It’s important not to stand out too much in a well-crafted mystery. The acting should support the story. Director Yoon Jong Bin has such a clear vision and a deep understanding of how the work will connect with the audience. All I had to do was trust him and follow his lead.”
Son also shared that he’s never been particularly focused on being the “lead star.” He believes in the power of the ensemble.
“If you look at films and dramas from the early 2000s, a lot of them centered around a single male lead,” he said. “But I’ve never really been what the industry calls a ‘No.1 actor.’ Troll Factory might be the closest I’ve come to a solo lead, but I was drawn to it because of the ensemble — actors like Kim Sung Cheol, Hong Kyung, and Kim Dong Hwi. I feel like I’m at my best when I’m part of that kind of collaborative storytelling.”
He also expressed deep admiration for Kim Hye Ja, his co-star in Heavenly Ever After. “I visit her whenever I start a new project,” Son said. “She reminds me to approach acting with the same sincerity she does. For her, there’s no separation between acting and life. She feels like a great mentor to me — someone I’ll carry with me throughout the rest of my career.”
In closing, Son Suk Ku offered heartfelt thanks to fans who continue to support him. “Whether they enjoy my work or not, I consider anyone who takes the time to watch one of my projects my number one fan,” he said. “I’m also working on a screenplay right now. I have dreams — challenges I’ve never tried before.” He added that he already has plans in place for how he’ll spend his upcoming break.
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