Singer Kim Hyun Joong made his acting debut in 2009 in "Boys Over Flowers" but has since appeared in just two more dramas, including KBS's "Inspiring Generation," which ended its 24 episode run on April 3.
As a result, not many people consider him a serious actor and he is only remembered for the nice-guy role he played in "Boys Over Flowers."
Desperate to proving his potential as an actor, Kim revealed a more masculine side in his latest role. As he wanted to play a manly character, he accepted the role to show what he was capable of. Then he became "immersed in the role," he said.
He played the role of a young gangster in the 1930s in glamorous Shanghai. The character was essentially a tragic one -- a man who grew up without his parents and who lost his only sister because he had no money to treat her after she got sick.
After learning about the truth behind his father's death, however, the character finds a new reason to live. He is determined to take revenge on those behind his father's death, but in the process ends up losing the woman he loves. Despite this tragedy in his private life, he inspires trust and friendship from those who follow him.
Kim said he put everything into the role as he had virtually decided to quit acting if he failed to deliver a good performance. This ultimately became an obsession, and one that frequently invaded his dreams. Fortunately, he learned a lot from playing the role and found how well he could do in the action genre, he said.
"I think acting well means playing the right role according to your age," said Kim. "I'm looking at several scripts right now, but I don't want to make a decision yet. As I have given all I had into my latest project, I want to take a while to rest and start again when I'm fully recharged and full of passion."
