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On January 15, Park Seo Joon shared his experience playing Lee Gyeong Do in Surely Tomorrow and also opened up about his past burnout and more.
Surely Tomorrow follows Lee Gyeong Do (Park Seo Joon) and Seo Ji Woo (Won Ji An), who have been lovers twice — first when they were twenty, then at twenty-eight. Years later, they reunite as a reporter who broke a celebrity affair scandal and the wife of the man involved in that very scandal.
Park played Lee Gyeong Do, the deputy editor of the entertainment desk at Dongwoon Ilbo. In the K-drama, Park portrayed the character when he was 20, 28, and 38. It is reported that the production team initially planned to cast younger actors to play the two main characters in their twenties. However, Park Seo Joon suggested that he would portray all stages of the character's life himself.
"Since the story jumps between different time periods, I wondered if viewers could really empathize if the face suddenly changed, so I proposed the idea to the director. I was a bit worried about whether I could look a 20-year-old externally, but having lived through my twenties to my thirties, I felt confident in my acting."
During the interview, the actor also spoke candidly about the responsibility of being a lead actor, "As a lead actor, acting is a given, but one also has to bring a vibe on set. Everyone is looking at me all day long. If I show even a slightly bad side, it affects the mood. I think that's part of why lead actors like me are paid more — to take on that role. The leading actor must always carry a sense of responsibility."
Below is an excerpt of the interview with Park Seo Joon:
The drama concludes with bringing the two characters with the death of their sunbae.
It weighed on my mind as well. At the end of Episode 1, there was the line, "Let's meet at the funeral," and I remember thinking, "Is that really how all of this is going to connect?" From the viewer's perspective, it's something that comes suddenly, but death doesn't arrive with advance notice. In the drama, the death of a close acquaintance may be sudden and difficult, but through that, it conveys a message that we should cherish the time we have with the people who matter to us even more, and that we must not miss the moment now. When I think about it again, it feels like a situation that carries meaning.
Since the story spans time from the character's twenties to the late thirties, it must have been difficult to express that, and a and pressure too.
The outward appearance was what felt burdensome. It was a period of life I had actually lived through, so I could understand. I also have friends from that time. When we meet, we always stay up all night. I also think a lot about that time. There wasn't much pressure in terms of emotional expression, but when it came to outward appearance, I had many concerns because of the age difference between my co-star and me. I kept thinking about what it means to look natural and ordinary, and while it may be my nuance, I also changed my manner of speech. I realized that the way I spoke at twenty sounded younger, so I tried to express that.
What kind of student was the 20-year-old Park Seo Joon?
I was similar to Gyeong Do. I'm much more social now, but back then, I was quite shy around people. After entering college, I found meeting many people fascinating.
Since you actually experienced college life at the same age as in the drama, it seems you played a role in verifying what was accurate or inaccurate on set.
We talked about things like the kinds of cars and mobile phones from that time. Back then, I used a SKY phone. The MP3 player — an iRiver with 512MB — was actually the same model I used myself (laughs).
How did you prepare for the role of a reporter?
The director is a former journalist. I was told that when reporters, when in the office, don't attach "nim" [honorific suffix] to names… Also, the set was really good. I think the feeling a space gives is important, and in that sense, it helped me a lot.
Since the drama was set against the backdrop of the entertainment desk, the issue of fake news was also portrayed.
I think everyone in this line of work has experienced that to some extent. And with the rise of social media, it seems to have gotten worse. When I was a rookie, doing interviews was tough, but there was a sense of romance to it. Back then, there was a sense of humanity. But now, everything is manufactured and consumed, so there are things to feel sad about. As I've grown older and gained experience, I realize that there's a reason behind it, and I've also come to understand certain aspects. I think it was meaningful to address that aspect in the drama.
How did you become more social despite being introverted?
Basically, it doesn't change (laughs). It's really about making an effort. When I was doing the show Dabang Sisters, even they [the hosts] said they are introverted. Seeing them work so hard, I thought, "I should do my best too." It's just about putting in the effort.
The project also drew on your personal experiences of burnout.
There was a time when I experienced burnout. I struggled for about a year. Gyeong Do's lines to Ji Woo actually hit me as if he were speaking to me. Time resolves everything. The hardest part is feeling lethargic. Rather than trying too hard to solve it, I kept my body busy. I kept moving, and if that didn’t work, I went to exercise or sought out work for myself. By doing that, I felt myself returning.
These days, I feel really good. In this profession, it's hard to maintain routines, so I was never interested in them. But having a routine even during breaks gives a sense of stability. Just getting up in the morning, making the bed, letting in fresh air, and having something to eat already helps me keep my mind calm.
This year marks your 15th anniversary since your debut.
I've really worked on projects nonstop. It wasn't that I aimed for them, but I kept getting really good projects. Then, before this project, I took about a year off. I felt like I had nothing that was truly mine, so I needed time to replenish myself. After that period, I came across Gyeong Do. It's a project I filmed passionately, so it feels meaningful.
What are your future plans?
I think I'll keep working hard. I feel like I have the energy to keep going for several years, so I'm working steadily. I've always been diligent, even before my debut. In December, I slowed down a bit. I had split my time for self-development, but with all the work, I haven't had time for that. I'm trying to establish a routine. I start my day by drinking olive oil (laughs). After breakfast, I exercise, study languages, do self-care, go running. I try to keep myself busy like that, and I think it brings good energy.
I've often heard that a man really starts at 40. So I've been running to take care of my body while waiting to turn 40, and it definitely feels good. I think I'll be able to take on noir projects that I couldn't do before because I might have looked too young. The range of choices will change, and the kinds of challenges I can take on will be different. I want to continue doing projects that suit my age in a natural flow.
