Even for a superstar like Park Seo Joon, playing a 20-year-old college student was a daunting challenge.
On the afternoon of January 15th, Park sat down for an interview in Gangnam to discuss the conclusion of his JTBC drama Surely Tomorrow. The intense romance, which followed the reunion of ex-lovers Lee Gyeong Do (played by Park Seo Joon) and Seo Ji Woo (Won Ji An) under scandalous circumstances, wrapped up its run on January 11th.
Returning to Romance
This project marked Park’s return to the romance genre after a seven-year hiatus. Known as a “Melodrama King,” he explained why this specific story drew him back. “Romance encompasses so many stories, but I was particularly captivated by this narrative,” he said. “I believed it was a good story to tell at my current age.”
He revealed that a specific scene hooked him during the script reading. “There’s a moment when Gyeong Do and Ji Woo, at age 20, are fiercely arguing over pork cutlet,” Park recalled. “It felt like a moment any man might have experienced in his twenties. I found it interesting, thinking, ‘How does a female writer understand male emotions so well?'”
Aging Backwards
A unique challenge of the role was portraying the character across three different timelines: ages 20, 28, and 38. Park insisted on playing all three versions himself.
“I felt this project wouldn’t be meaningful unless I played him from the age of twenty,” he explained. “If the actor’s face constantly changes with the timeline, it makes it harder for viewers to connect. So, I proposed this idea to the director.”
While confident in understanding the mindset of those ages, Park admitted he was worried about the visuals. “I did worry about whether I could effectively portray a 20-year-old externally,” he laughed. “I received acupressure massages and various treatments to prepare well.”
When asked about a line in the drama that jokes about his character looking old for his age, Park playfully responded, “It might be a coincidence, but that line was already in the script. With the casting turning out this way, I thought it could serve as a humorous point. I think it’s actually better that the line was there.”
Park emphasized the emotional thread connecting the timelines. “I focused on consistency,” he said. “The core idea was ‘no matter what, Gyeong Do loves Ji Woo.’ I concentrated on that unwavering emotion while trying to convey a different atmosphere for each age period.”
>> Park Seo Joon’s Return to Romance With ‘Surely Tomorrow’ Hits Snag With Single-Digit Ratings Debut
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