top of page

Cover Story of Yim Siwan in National Health Insurance Magazine 2023.11 Vol. 301



(English translation by @jeaniepakjp using Google Translate with minor edits.)


Trustworthy (actor you can trust)

Yim Siwan


Yim Siwan, an actor who naturally transitioned from a singer to an actor, earned the title of “an actor you can trust” because he has faithfully cultivated his filmography. Yim Siwan, who debuted as a member of Children of Empire in 2010, made a clear mark on the public as an actor through his role as young Heo Yeom in the 2012 MBC Wednesday-Thursday miniseries The Moon Embracing the Sun. I met him, who has made a solid journey as an actor since then.



Subsequent works were also successful. He performed passionately as different characters in various works such as Misaeng in 2014, The King in Love in 2017, Strangers from Hell in 2019, and Run On in 2020. Actor Yim Siwan's presence on the screen was also solid. The Attorney in 2013, A Melody to Remember in 2016, One Line and The Merciless in 2017, and last year’s Emergency Declaration and the Netflix original Unlocked. Like a tireless marathoner, I clung to one performance. He has completed a meaningful challenge as an actor. This time, Yim Siwan stood in front of the screen as a real marathoner. In the movie 1947 Boston, released in September, he played the role of Suh Yun-bok, a real-life marathon hero.


First Release After 4 Years, No Worries


It took a long time for 1947 Boston to be released to the public. In addition to Ha Jung-woo and Yim Siwan, many talented actors such as Kim Sang-ho appeared in this work, and Park Eun-bin, who rose to global stardom with Extraordinary Attorney Woo Young-woo, also added to its strength. However, for various reasons, this work had to wait quite a long time before it was released.


In response to the comment “I must have been sad that it was released after 4 years” Siwan said, “I thought it would come out someday.” “I thought it wasn't my area,” he said, “but such a long wait is unusual. As a result, I keenly felt that (the work) was unfinished until it met the public. Whether it’s a good review or not, I thought it would only be given vitality if we got reviews from the audience. I learned this through this work. I feel good just by being given vitality,” he said, showing his mature side.


Was it because of a lot of affection and waiting? Even though Yim Siwan is currently filming Squid Game 2, he took the time to actively promote the movie. He ran directly to the theater and greeted the audience who had come to see the movie, and worked closely with other actors until the end to promote the movie.


As such, he expressed disappointment over the depressed atmosphere of the theater business. “It’s very disappointing. The behavior of consuming movies itself has changed a lot. I am very disappointed because it feels good to see both dramas and movies gaining vitality. I hope many people will be interested in the movie. Instead of than just making demands, I always have a sense of responsibility on how to make this movie fun from my perspective,” he said.


Actor Yim Siwan's Healthy Hobby


The role of a marathoner was truly a challenge. Was it a sense of responsibility for depicting a real person?


Yim Siwan, who is also active as a member of the running crew, said that although he played an athlete in the drama Run On and is confident in his physical strength and running ability as a member of an idol group, this role of a marathoner would have been difficult to play without his special affection and effort. If you look at the timing, it was 1947 Boston that introduced me to running. I started out as work, but fell in love with marathon and have been running as part of a running crew ever since. I didn't have any hobbies because I was focusing on my acting career, but I now have a healthy hobby.


“It took a total of 9 months, including 3 months of preparation and 6 months of filming. Although I couldn't find many interviews, if you look at interviews with actors who had long preparation periods among other well-made foreign works, they prepared for a year. Diet management is also one. Most people said ‘I did it for more than a year’. Compared to that, I prepared briefly. What I was able to develop into a hobby was running (because it suits me well). It’s clear and good to just go towards a simple and clear goal without having to think about anything.”


He also gave his own meaning to the role of Suh Yun-bok. Suh Yun-bok enjoyed running, but was unable to run due to family circumstances. Then he met Son Ki-chung, became a marathoner, and participated in the Boston competition. He was the first marathoner to run with the Korean national flag.


“Just like the real-life teacher Suh Yun-bok ran with the Taegeuk symbol, I also played with the mindset that I was a national representative even though it was an acting performance. I was grateful to hear that (the bereaved family members) loved it so much. I was even more aware that I should not put pressure on these people.”


Body fat percentage 6%! What do you want to eat most after dieting?

“Quattro Cheese Burger!”


Yim Siwan’s challenge as a marathon runner was a hot topic in itself. Not only did he practice every day like an athlete, but he also took vitamins and other health supplements. In particular, what became a hot topic was that his body fat percentage was lowered to 6% for the role. A total of 9 months, including 3 months of preparation period and 6 months of filming. Yim Siwan completely became Suh Yun-bok.


“What I spent the most time on while preparing for my appearance were, of course, dieting and exercise. From preparation to completion, I always ate chicken breast and salad. I also exercised every day between cuts to make my muscles look toned. I looked up various information about Suh Yun-bok and found that he had good physique. I thought I should follow this. I should follow his appearance, not the percentage of body fat. While I was building my body like that, I measured my body fat percentage and it came out to be 6%. It was amazing to think that there are times in my life when I have 6% body fat.”


The result was sweet, but the process was painful. Siwan usually likes delicious food. He especially likes carbohydrates. One of the difficulties for him was to endure the food truck while filming the movie. In particular, the food truck at this site was famous for being delicious, so enduring it was a pain in itself. He also held back on his favorite snacks. As filming approached to the end, water was cut off and all the moisture dried up. When I asked Yim Siwan what the first food he ate after filming ended, he answered “hamburger” without hesitation.


“I ate a Quattro cheeseburger (laughs). I asked them to prepare the greasiest one for me. We even turned off the water near the end of filming. I tried it because I heard that my muscles would more prominent as there was a scene where my upper body was exposed. But I was really dizzy and confused. I couldn't talk and I had no strength. I thought I won’t be able to do it again, so I immediately drank an electrolyte drink. I felt the moisture being delivered to my fingertips. Afterwards, I took a bite of the hamburger right away. When I ate it, it felt like the oil spread to the tips of my nails. I still can’t forget the feeling of that time.”


Attitude Towards “Squid Game 2”


The strength of actor Yim Siwan is that he is an actor who faithfully immerses himself in any role he takes on. He doesn't define himself with just one image, and knows how to make everything from melodrama, action, and genre to his own. Also, being an idol is considered a big advantage. A film official gave thumbs up to Yim Siwan, saying, “Few actors can develop the title of idol singer into a strength. He is an actor who knows how to melt his whole body and soul into acting.” Naturally, expectations are also high for actor Yim Siwan, who was cast in the Netflix original Squid Game 2. “I don’t know how much I can talk about it, but there are a lot of people I like, people I respect, seniors, and colleagues, so I’m very happy to be filming with them.


I had no worries about appearing. I watched Season 1 the day it came out. “I’ve seen it all. I became convinced while watching Squid Game 1 that I really like this genre. When I heard that there was an offer for season 2, I didn't think for a second and said, ‘I’ll do it.’”


I’ve become used to Yim Siwan as the lead actor, but I always have concerns when choosing a project. As difficult as it is to define a good work, the standards are always changing. I wonder whether it is a good project to work with a famous director and senior, or whether a project with a high probability of success is a good project. The process of selecting a work is still an invisible homework. Then a starting point emerged. “Do you see intense thought, analysis, and digging?” This has become the standard by which actor Yim Siwan chooses his works these days.


“Until now, I’ve focused on challenges. As a result, I think I’m gradually developing my own standards. As I gradually build up my career, I’m thinking about what type of work is more fun to do and what kind of identity I should have as actor Yim Siwan. Based on these experiences, I’m thinking about what kind of identity I should have as an actor. There will be standards for acting. I think we are in the process right now.”

“I was introduced to running through 1947 Boston. It started as acting, but I fell in love with the charm of marathon and have been running as part of a running crew ever since. I had no special hobbies because I was concentrating on my acting career, but now I have developed a healthy hobby.”








Comments

bottom of page