Fresh off the successful finale of the KBS2 historical romance To My Beloved Thief, breakout star Moon Sang Min sat down to talk about the drama’s ending and how he’s grown as an actor.
The 16-episode drama wrapped on February 22nd with a peak rating of 7.6%. The show revolves around a legendary Joseon thief and the Grand Prince who chased after her, with a body-swap romance at its heart.
When asked about his own romantic interests, the 25-year-old actor revealed that he’s naturally drawn to people who are very different from him. “I’m attracted to opposites,” Moon shared. “I admire people who are good at things I struggle with or have skills in areas I’ve never considered. It’s because I’m curious. I always have a lot of questions, and I end up becoming interested in someone who’s different from me.”
He also mentioned that competence is a major “green flag” for him, whether it’s someone in his field or in a completely different one. He’s attracted to people who are passionate and skilled at what they do.
Throughout his career, Moon has often worked with more established, older actresses. He played Kim Hye Soo’s son in Under the Queen’s Umbrella and has starred in romantic roles opposite Jeon Jong Seo in Wedding Impossible, Shin Hyun Been in Cinderella at 2 AM, and Nam Ji Hyun in To My Beloved Thief.
Despite being successful as a romantic lead, Moon confessed he sometimes feels insecure about being labeled as the “younger brother.”
“I often wonder if people see me as a man or just a cute younger brother,” he said. “When I work with older actresses, they’re always so comfortable around me. But when you like someone, shouldn’t there be a bit of nervousness? I worry that because we get along so well, I might break the romantic tension.”
He even noted that in his role as Kim Hye Soo’s son, he had to keep some emotional distance to make their intense scenes feel real. Now, when doing rom-coms, he often overthinks the “tension” during key moments, like proposal or kiss scenes. “I worry that because we’re so comfortable off-camera, the spark won’t be there during the scene. It’s probably a silly worry, but it’s something I think about.”
In To My Beloved Thief, Moon’s character, Lee Yeol, delivers heart-fluttering lines, and according to Moon, that’s close to his real-life personality.
“I’m pretty affectionate in real life, too,” he laughed. “I’m the youngest in my family, so I’ve always been an affectionate son. For the drama, I tried to keep the lines simple. I was worried that if I tried to be ‘cool,’ it would seem fake. I’m just glad the viewers liked it.”
As Moon Sang Min continues to rise in the industry, his blend of self-reflection and natural charm is what keeps him a top leading man.
>> Nam Ji Hyun and Moon Sang Min Show Off Chemistry at Table Read for ‘To My Beloved Thief’
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