Actor Park Bo-gum (32) shared his thoughts on the reaction to his character being an unrealistic male lead.
The Netflix series 'The Great Deception' tells the story of a rebellious girl, Ae-soon, born in Jeju, and the clumsy and foolish Gwan-sik, depicting their adventurous lives through the four seasons. It vividly portrays their pure teenage years, their unpredictable youth, and their tumultuous middle-aged years as they face the challenges life throws at them, despite having grown up together in Jeju but being completely different in every way.
'The Great Deception' topped the Netflix 'Korea TOP10 Series' ranking just one day after its release. It is a collaboration between writer Im Sang-chun of 'When the Camellia Blooms' and director Kim Won-seok of 'Misaeng'. Park Bo-gum plays young Gwan-sik, while Park Hae-joon plays adult Gwan-sik. IU portrays young Ae-soon, and Moon So-ri plays adult Ae-soon.
In an interview held on the 24th, when asked about his feelings upon the release, Park Bo-gum said, "I was happy that people liked Gwan-sik and thought he was a wonderful character. As everyone can see, 'The Great Deception' is a work that conveys comfort, so I feel grateful and happy."
He continued, regarding his relatively small role, "I knew what I was getting into, and I am thankful that everyone loves and misses Gwan-sik. After reading the script, I thought it was something I really wanted to do, and I believe it is meaningful to leave it in my filmography. I think everyone who appears is a protagonist. I hope it becomes a work that can bloom beautiful flowers in many people's hearts until the end."
Park Bo-gum cited writer Im Sang-chun as the reason for participating in 'The Great Deception'.
He said, "I liked the writer's writing and the portrayal of adults protecting the weak. If you watch the opening until the end, you can see that the visuals convey the entire story of this drama. The scenes where hands come together to embrace and cover each other, and the adults and villagers caring for Gwan-sik and Ae-soon, all conveyed that when I read the script. I have always been a fan of the writer, so I had a strong desire to participate in this work."
Regarding the character Gwan-sik, he explained, "Gwan-sik is a friend whose actions come before his words. He is quiet but diligent, doing his best in the tasks given to him. That setting blended well, so I didn't have much difficulty understanding and expressing it. The director wanted Gwan-sik to be a sporty friend who swims, so I tried to visually express that by gaining weight."
He added, "I thought Gwan-sik was a really cool character, but I didn't think he was unrealistic. I believe he is someone we could meet at least once in our lives. While he may seem passive, Gwan-sik has always expressed himself, giving flowers and quietly taking care of others. I thought it would be nice to have a friend like that. Furthermore, I hoped he could be a reliable companion or friend."
When asked about the sync rate with his character, he said, "I think it's 70%. The love for family and the desire to take good care of one's people, the heart to express love for someone wholeheartedly, even if it may not be expressed actively or verbally, I tend to try to speak more."
Park Bo-gum mentioned that he played another pure love male lead, Yang Gwan-sik, in 'The Great Deception' following his role as Choi Taek in the drama 'Reply 1988'.
He said, "Both works are meaningful to me. The love that Choi Taek and Yang Gwan-sik have for one person is the greatest. While Choi Taek is a boy who wants to protect, Gwan-sik is a reliable character you can lean on. I am grateful and happy for the opportunity to portray both characters."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
