Park Seo Joon needs no introduction among K-drama fans in India. The actor, who made his Hollywood debut in The Marvels(2023), he would be keen to explore a possible Bollywood collaboration — and even has an idea about the kind of role he’d like to play.
“Yes, of course. I always find it really fun to work with an overseas production. But I think if the opportunity allows, maybe a character that’s a diplomat to India from Korea, maybe living in India. I think that would be fun,” he tells HT City in an exclusive conversation over Zoom.
The actor leads Prime Video’s upcoming romantic comedy Surely Tomorrow. He plays Lee Gyeong Do, a journalist investigating the affair scandal of a powerful man. Things take an unexpected turn when he reunites with his first love, played by Won Ji An — who happens to be the wife of the man under investigation. What follows are a series of misadventures and the rekindling of a long-forgotten romance.
Back in the rom-com space after a series of intense, action-oriented stories like Gyeongseong Creature and Concrete Utopia, the actor says he was looking for something more grounded and closer to daily life. “I found the character of Gyeong Do very relatable. If you’re a man, I’m sure many of you can relate to him because a lot of his story is something that most men experience at least once in their life. I had fun portraying the emotional aspects of this character.”
Making his debut as a leading man in the noona romance (younger man–older woman) Witch’s Love in 2014, he went on to deliver breakout performances in She Was Pretty(2015) and the ensemble historical drama Hwarang(2016). He gained further recognition with the slice-of-life romantic drama Fight for My Way(2017), followed by the global success of the 2018 rom-com What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim. From a brief appearance in Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite(2019) to his portrayal of a defiant, idealistic young man in the 2020 mega hit Itaewon Class, Park Seo Joon’s filmography reflects both range and emotional depth.
He reveals that there is no fixed method to his craft, yet acting continues to be a source of liberation for him. “I feel the most free when I am acting. In real life, I think I tend to be more cautious, and I’m more reserved and suppress a lot. However, when I am acting out a scene and performing, I feel like everything becomes legal. So that’s a moment when I like to lose control and be completely free.”
One of the most sought-after South Korean stars today, Park Seo Joon admits that his growing popularity has made him more thoughtful about his creative choices. “Well, I’ve never thought of myself as someone who is globally recognized or is a household name. I think that I always just try to focus on doing what’s in front of me,” he says with quiet introspection.
He adds, “I’ve realized there are people who are influenced by the choices I make. I used to dream of becoming a good actor, but now I want to be a good person. That affects the way I act and the way I live. . I am very grateful for all the interest, love, and support — both for the work I do and for me as a person. But it can get scary. So the mindset I try to keep is, ‘let’s just do what I’ve always done.’ I tell myself, ‘let’s try to make the right choices,’ and that’s the approach I carry when I’m choosing characters and stories.” Surely Tomorrow premieres on Prime Video in December.
