Namgoong Min: The introspective actor with a gift for comedy

108 April 17, 2017April 24, 2017

Namgoong Min: The introspective actor with a gift for comedy

by tipsymocha

It’s been two weeks since KBS’s Chief Kim ended its unexpectedly successful run, and its stars have been busy doing the rounds on the media circuit since. I love an underdog story, and Chief Kim was not only a story about underdogs, but also an underdog itself in the primetime miniseries competition. Going up against a highly anticipated drama like Saimdang, Light’s Diary, expectations for Chief Kim weren’t high; however, it managed to lead in the primetime ratings for most of its run, making it a runaway hit for the producers and its stars.

In Chief Kim, Namgoong Min played the titular Kim Sung-ryong, a small-time crook accountant working for gangsters, who gets hired by a large conglomerate to embezzle a large sum of money. As those who tuned in know, through a series of fateful accidents, Kim Sung-ryong becomes an unlikely, initially reluctant hero who stands up for the little employees against the corrupt higher-ups, and saves the company along the way.

Namgoong Min’s debut was 18 years ago, and yet, it wasn’t until his villainous turn in 2015’s Girl Who Sees Smells that he managed to raise his profile as an actor. Asked about his unfortunately long period outside of the limelight, Namgoong Min was straightforward: “If I had had better luck, I might have become a bigger star earlier on, but I believe that the main reason it took so long for me to find success was because of myself. I had to find what I lacked, and what I couldn’t do, before blaming something like luck for my failures. I busied myself with acting, and doing more research into what acting was. I also believe that I was able to present myself as an improved actor because of my past efforts.”

For an actor who has been in the business for nearly two decades, Namgoong Min has a surprisingly short filmography, and when asked about it, he pointed to himself as the reason behind the dearth of roles he’s played. He blamed his own stubbornness about only taking characters he liked as an obstacle to his career, saying, “Because I was only responding to offers with characters I wanted to play, I was actually blocking the flow of opportunities coming my way. When I received offers to play the second lead in certain dramas, I should have better developed the characters, and through that, improved my own acting skills. That way, I would have improved step by step as an actor. Instead, I made a big mistake by being stubborn about only playing characters that I wanted to play, and rejecting opportunities. As an actor, you should never be so proud that you give up those kinds of opportunities.”

He came to this realization when he was forced to take a hiatus because of his own choices: “I once took a two-year hiatus from acting after I was in Can You Hear My Heart? (in 2011) on MBC, because I was being too picky with the offers I was receiving, whether it was because of the genre or the character. That was when I started changing my views on taking projects. I decided that I shouldn’t just look for characters I wanted to play, but really take a deeper look into the characters that were offered to me and become them. After that, I started to take on a lot of projects, regardless of the genre or character type.”

That newfound determination certainly paid off when he revived his career with a string of successful, varied performances in Girl Who Sees Smells, Remember–Son’s War, Beautiful Gong Shim, and Chief Kim. But to Namgoong Min, his focus seems to remain on his self-improvement as an actor, and when asked about his thoughts on Chief Kim, he answered, “I will always treasure Chief Kim, because it made me reflect on myself. This drama was a chance for me to think about acting as my craft, which I enjoyed. I liked it more that I could see my limitations and faults, without having someone else point it out for me. There was a real danger that I could become content with my own abilities, and when I was filming Chief Kim, the more compliments I received, the more I realized what I lacked. Now, I’m as full of passion for acting as when I first started out as an actor.”

Although Chief Kim ended up being a success, at the outset, expectations must have been low when going up against a drama with a lot of early hype like Saimdang, Light’s Diary. Namgoong Min acknowledged that some did feel that pressure, saying that even certain crew members revealed at the wrap party that they had been really worried at the beginning. However, he clarified that that was the exception, and not the norm, saying that, “Whenever I go into a project, I always believe it will do well. I’m just glad that Chief Kim was well received by viewers, which was a project that made me reflect back on myself and grow as an actor.”

He added that, “In general, people who make dramas try not to think about beating the competition. The moment we become too aware of other shows, it becomes difficult to really bring to life the project we are working on. In our case, Saimdang, Light’s Diary was an entirely different genre anyway, and I think our success stems from not being too conscious of it, and having fun filming on our own set.”

I can certainly imagine that the cast and crew of Chief Kim had a lot of fun on set, especially with the notorious ad libbing in the scenes. It was to an extent that people wondered whether Chief Kim even had a proper script, and Nam Sang-mi (who played Ha-kyung) revealed in her own interviews that she ruined a lot of takes and generally had a really hard time not bursting into laughter at Namgoong Min and Junho’s (who played Yul) constant ad libbing. Namgoong Min clarified, though, that, “There were certainly scenes where the ad libs made up more than half of the lines, but there were also others where the ad libs were only sprinkled in to accentuate the existing dialogue. I think that ad libbing was used to great effect in this drama, because it served to enhance the script, that was of course well-written already.”

Asked which ad lib was the most memorable for him, Namgoong Min said that although there were too many to count, “If I had to pick the most memorable ad lib, I would say that my kiss with Junho left the deepest impression.” The bromance game between Sung-ryong and Yul was certainly strong in Chief Kim, and both Namgoong Min and Junho said in separate interviews that they were hoping for a best couple award at the year-end KBS ceremony. I will third that motion, thank you.

Although Namgoong Min brought the comedy in Chief Kim in what seemed like an effortless way, in reality it was anything but effortless for him. He even said (to my horror) that, “I might take a break from comedy for a while, because I’ve found making people laugh is really difficult.” Nam Sang-mi also said that Namgoong Min went through a hard time portraying such a constantly comic role because his own personality runs more towards being gentle and introspective.

I was surprised to hear that Namgoong Min ran into difficulties because of the comedy, especially because prior to Chief Kim, he was a similarly quirky, comic character in Beautiful Gong Shim. Asked about his two consecutive comedic roles, Namgoong Min replied, “Rather than think about differentiating Kim Sung-ryong from Ahn Dan-tae (in Beautiful Gong Shim), I wanted to get to know Sung-ryong better as a character.”

As expected from Namgoong Min, whose approach to his roles seems to center around the details, he said, “As soon as I got the role, I started to build Sung-ryong’s persona, from his look to the way he speaks. I colored my hair with a shade I found was most unsuited for me, and cut my hair short to show all of the wrinkles on my forehead. I also raised my voice register, because my natural tone is much lower. I even went to thrift stores to buy clothes for the character myself, and that’s where I found Sung-ryong’s signature yellow jacket. The only problem was that many of the clothes I bought were suede and slightly moldy, so my dry cleaning bill came out to a lot.”

I’m just really happy that Namgoong Min’s many efforts paid off, and he’s pretty much been flooded with CF and follow-up drama offers. When asked when we can expect to see him next on the small screen, he replied, “Since last year, I’ve acted as five or so different characters, so I’m pretty exhausted. Also, since last December, in between Chief Kim shoots and CFs, I haven’t been able sleep for more than 3 hours a night. Because my screen time in Chief Kim was proportionately quite large, I didn’t really have much time to rest. I practically lived with the script in my hand, and on days where I had lots of dialogue, no matter how much I ate, I would lose 1.5 kilograms.”

However, it seems that Namgoong Min isn’t going to rest on his laurels for long. He’s naturally a forward thinker, and said, “Doing Chief Kim made me really reflect on my acting and choices, so I don’t know what my next project will be, but I do know that I will show an improved side to me.”

And, finally, when asked if he thinks his career is now in its prime, he laughed and replied, “I don’t think that’s the case at all. I still have much more to show.”

Via Ilgan Sports 1, Ilgan Sports 2, Ilgan Sports 3, Ilgan Sports 4, Sports Seoul, 10 Asia, Newsen, Yonhap News

108

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1 yrlvv

April 17, 2017 at 6:08 AM

Ive seen the photos they are giving out coffee. They were in talk for vacation but it seems it doesnt happen as I dont see any update picture of the casts.

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⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐

April 17, 2017 at 6:21 AM

There was a vacation unfortulately the main casts like Nam Goongmin and Junho were unable to follow. They wabt to Philiphines if I am not mistaken.

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2 Itenoria

April 17, 2017 at 6:17 AM

Just when you think he can't get any more perfect he shows that he's also considerate, kind, focused, driven, wise, a man of self improvement with the ability to be flexible in his dealings and in his career. What a man!!!!!

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Manu

April 21, 2017 at 10:25 AM

So true. . ! He sounded so down to earth. . And I must say i am totally smitten by his choice of words in the above interview. . ?. . It's like i suddenly realized a whole package of a man with excellent acting skills, manners, determined and even considerate whom i have been watching from a couple of years but never recognized his worth!!!

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3 ObsessedMuch

April 17, 2017 at 6:18 AM

He sounds like such a mature, intelligent fellow! Thanks for translating his interview @tipsymocha :)
..
He certainly has become better than what he was like in his earlier shows. 18 years is such a long time! Hope his next show is a light- hearted romance or atleast something with a little bit of romance.
...
P.S. That first photo of his in red sweater is so adorable!

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meowingme

April 17, 2017 at 7:48 AM

And he's holding a lollipop *squee*

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4 Buhdoop

April 17, 2017 at 6:22 AM

Great inspiration for those actors who are still struggling behind the scenes.

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5 blnmom

April 17, 2017 at 6:23 AM

Yes! Thank you, tipsymocha! I've always liked Namgoong Min and am glad that he's hit it big now. It seems like it took him just long enough to not get a big head because of it, which is nice.

I had no idea that actors could color their own hair and buy their own clothes for roles. ?

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Grapes

April 17, 2017 at 6:49 AM

I knew this recently from Park Bo Young she bought her own clothes to match with Bong Soon character because she has something in mind for her character style l, she refused the offers from expensive brands and went on her own to buy her outfits from an ordinary market.

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Sunflowerdiva

April 17, 2017 at 9:13 AM

It seems the production companies really trust the lead actors with what they have in mind for their characters. I just hope NGM and PBY were reimbursed for the clothing and dry cleaning the bought themselves, ha!

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yrlvv

April 17, 2017 at 9:48 AM

I have always been wondering that as well. The budget for clothes must be huge for the whole cast. First I thought maybe they do have clothes storage after dramas but I hardly ever see recycle clothes between dramas. Korea dramas always have good clothes, suitable for the characters.

I know DBS clothes was cute but somehow I still want she dresses better, more fun.

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furori

April 17, 2017 at 10:51 AM

Hmm... This happened eons ago and in a different country so I have no idea how the system is nowadays and more so in Kdramas. Having said that, I had some minor acting experience when I was a kid. I remember that we got call slips with instructions on which kinds of clothes to bring. On the day of the shoot, the wardrobe staff helped us choose which specific clothes to wear for each scene. Some colors wouldn't be appropriate, etc. so we had to bring lots that there's plenty to choose from.

So unless it's a period piece, actors are actually free to bring clothes for their characters to wear - some from their personal closet, while some do have clothing sponsorships.

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bongbong

April 17, 2017 at 10:15 AM

Not to mention the clothing was bought from a refugee market, which makes it even more commendable!

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Sam

April 20, 2017 at 12:01 AM

I don't think serious actors do wear sponsored clothing that don't fit with their roles. I am even surprised why they're making a big deal PBY refusal a sponsored clothing because they way I am seeing it, she wore mostly sponsored stylish clothing in the drama. If ever she did refuse to wear one, maybe in just few scenes or just be one scene.

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Juliesean

April 17, 2017 at 6:07 PM

It's unlike Hollywood where Stylists prepares the clothings, some sponsored some made some bought, upon confirmation on the styling of the character by the director and the actor. I noticed in Korea, the actors do everything themselves, even getting their own clothes. Like GHJ, all her clothes in the drama came from her, that is why she's always setting trends.

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6 ⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐

April 17, 2017 at 6:25 AM

He definitely did a lot of homework for his role, glad that it is worth it. Actually making ppl laugh is very hard to do, than making ppl cry. I read some other actors said so too. With a wrong approach, it will look stupid. Hopefully we will get to see the whole casts reunite in KBS Award at the end of the year and bring home many awards.

Hopefully there will be season 2 for this amazing drama.

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wilson

April 17, 2017 at 9:07 AM

"dying is easy. comedy is hard." one of my favorite quotes about acting.

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wildfly

April 20, 2017 at 11:34 AM

Was it Kean?

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7 Jrr 🌈

April 17, 2017 at 6:33 AM

i noticed and liked nam goong min since 'can you hear my heart'. i love the bromance of him and kim jae won in the drama. bittersweet. bromance is one of my weakness ??

i was quite sad when he went to hiatus after that drama coz i was waiting for his new projects aww.. so i was so delighted when i saw him back at 'my secret hotel' and 'girl who sees smells' ? he was so good as the serial killer in 'girl who sees smells'. though i didnt watch chief kim coz it wasnt my type of genre, i have seen some scenes here and there, and he looked as natural as always.

looking forward to his future works~

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8 zwiterelle

April 17, 2017 at 6:39 AM

I admire how truthful he is in regards to his strengths and weaknesses. I would certainly look forward to his next show! Fighting!

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9 Alessar

April 17, 2017 at 6:40 AM

I've been following him for a while now. Due to a misunderstanding on my part I started watching the truly awful Unemployed Romance thinking that Sung Hoon was the male lead. Well, the male lead doesn't actually show up until about episode 5 and when I got this guy instead of Sung Hoon I was a little peeved. But he seemed like a good actor and I was kind of invested in the show by then so I stuck it out. Then he popped up on My Secret Hotel and I Need Romance 3 and turned in solid performances though both characters were kind of dull and reserved EXCEPT he had a hilarious scene with Yihan Jin on MSH where they were trying to 1-up each other (the infamous scene where he comes out of the shower in a towel and is so ripped Jin is intimidated).

Soooo .... my theory is that lead to him snagging the Girl Who Sees Smells role. If you recall the killer worked out like Christian Bale in American Psycho and he kind of sold dangerous sexy very well as the murder chef. From there he was able to spring to another villain role (without taking his shirt off) and then jumped to wacky comedy just to keep from getting typecast and the rest is history.

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wilson

April 17, 2017 at 9:10 AM

I JUST realized that this is the same actor from My Secret Hotel He was the only reason I watched that show for as long as I did (gave up around ep 12) Will definitely have to watch Chief Kim now.

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10 mintkiri

April 17, 2017 at 6:44 AM

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Sunflowerdiva

April 17, 2017 at 9:16 AM

I know, he really had some interesting and eloquent responses. I'm so glad he's seeing major success now. He's really talented and can do a broad range of genres.

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11 Poia

April 17, 2017 at 6:47 AM

I don't like him, never did since "can you hear my heart"
I always find him to cold with same few expression, in fact is acting in "my secret hotel" and "girl who sees smells" was almost the same. I was really surprised when he start comedy role, I admit he improve a lot, but still He's not one of my favorite actor. Beside I like his old drama where he wasn't so good in acting but I didn't like his recent drama where actually he was good.
?!? Maybe is just destiny, I will still keep an eye on him!

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⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐

April 17, 2017 at 7:49 AM

We all have our own actors that most ppl love but we cannot do the same. I heard about the same thing on Ji Sung, Park Hae Jin, Yoo Ah In and few others too. These actors including Nam worked hard to reach their level now and the recognitions are well deserved. I never really thought these actors will make this big honestly from several years ago.

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wildfly

April 17, 2017 at 9:32 AM

@Poia Really? He actually managed to scare me in The Girl Who Sees Smells and i usually just laugh like a hyena even at the critical parts of horror movies while others are freaking out.

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fab

April 17, 2017 at 2:42 PM

Word. I laughed through the last horror movie I've watched. But Namgoong Min really scared me in The Girl Who Sees Smells and Remember.

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meliyasha

April 18, 2017 at 1:21 AM

He was scary in Remember. I always think of him as a charming guy from I Need Romance 3 and WGM but he was so different in Remember. I even tried to watch more eps because of his character but I finally dropped it because melodrama is not my cup of tea.

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nomad

April 18, 2017 at 7:18 PM

He used to be one of those actors I found really, really boring (in my dictionary, worse than bad acting). BUT, that all changed after seeing him act in Girl Who Sees Smells. I've enjoyed watching him since, and actually always looking forward for his next project. Go, Namgoong Min!!

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12 dukseonnoona

April 17, 2017 at 6:49 AM

Namgoong Min is really a gem of an actor. ?

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13 mango

April 17, 2017 at 6:51 AM

I like that he wants to take a break from doing the same type of drama. It lets him time to prepare for another genre. Thanks for the translation !

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chahaya

April 17, 2017 at 8:01 PM

Yup. I already can guess he will not pick another comedy drama after this. When he finished Remember Son War,he mentioned in interview that he will not pick another villain character even though people like his performance in Girl Who Sees Smells and Remember. Since he already done two comedy drama, I guess he will pick another two dramas with different character.

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14 pickledplumtree

April 17, 2017 at 6:58 AM

Love this!

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15 canxi

April 17, 2017 at 7:00 AM

Namgoong Min's rise is so great to see. He's always been pretty awesome and now it's nice, as a fan, to go from "when will anyone cast Namgoong Min?" to "I wonder what/when Namgoong Min's next drama will be?"

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16 azzo

April 17, 2017 at 7:06 AM

He was perfect as Chied Kim!

I really like him, no one does quirky better than him. I loved what he said about being proud and giving up on opportunities.

Thank you tipsymocha for bringing us the interview.

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17 telzey

April 17, 2017 at 7:21 AM

Thank you so much for translating the interview. Those of us who do not know Korean never get to see these kinds of things. I enjoyed Chief Kim very much, and it was really fun to hear what he had to say. Especially about developing his character and buying his own clothes.

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18 purpleowl

April 17, 2017 at 7:29 AM

I'm only on episode 2 of Chief Kim. But I hope Min oppa will be in another drama soon.

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19 olutommi

April 17, 2017 at 7:29 AM

Sounds so down-to-earth. He has bin a great actor all the way. ??

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20 Ally

April 17, 2017 at 7:36 AM

What great advice, not just in acting, but also in all careers. Not being picky in the opportunities one is given and taking more menial work to build your resume shows tenacity and humbleness of which future employers take note. Seldom is the perfect job found right out of school or training. I love my job now, but it came after 6 years of less pay, with less independence, but with gobs of experience that prepared me for the role I have now.

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Nessie

April 17, 2017 at 6:45 PM

So true Ally, I think alot of people come out expecting to get their dream job straight away, especially new graduates and myself included. However alot of effort and time is needed before you find the job which satisfies you emotionally and mentally.

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21 mindy

April 17, 2017 at 7:38 AM

Oooh, I loved this. Thanks, tipsymocha! The only shows of his I have actually seen are Can You Hear My Heart and Girl Who Sees Smells, but this made me really respect him as an actor. He seems to be exceptionally hardworking and thinks deeply about how he wants to portray his characters. I love it when I hear about actors picking out the clothes that they think suit their character! Stylists are great (and can make some actors look sooooo fiiiiine all the time) but it really shows the commitment an actor has to a role when they go searching for those things themselves.

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22 UmbrellaMan

April 17, 2017 at 7:40 AM

What a great interview. I didn't realize that the two improvised so much dialogue. I would love to see behind the scenes footage!

"All the wrinkles on your forehead"???? I beg to differ. Sir, if only I can look as youthful as you when I hit that age (which isn't too far away! ?)

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23 whatis

April 17, 2017 at 7:47 AM

friggin' love this dude. Loved this drama. If there was a season 2, I'd watch the heck out of it!

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24 Lena S.

April 17, 2017 at 7:50 AM

He's so humble, i didn't know he was working for so long and i'm happy that Chief Kim got good ratings and praise from the public.
I love the the kiss scene between him and Junho and it's funny to know it was ad lib lol imagine the crew reactions?

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rentenmann

April 17, 2017 at 2:48 PM

I now want many BTSs of the ad-libbing and outtakes. I think I need to look into this further...

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Jig

April 18, 2017 at 8:03 PM

I was curious so I youtubed it. I found some bts of Chief Kim. They have a few different videos, but Junho "feeling up" Nam is hilarious in this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oULB5Hj66XE

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25 meowingme

April 17, 2017 at 8:01 AM

Am LOLling on moldy clothes and laundry cost, hats off for the dedication for his character!
Always have Goblin + Grim Reaper in my heart as best couple, but Chief Kim + Yul actually has adlib plus kisses, ah so torn ><

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26 michykdrama

April 17, 2017 at 8:05 AM

I've loved him from Beautiful Gong Shim and watched I Need Romance 3 only for him, but now I love him even more. Thank you for the translation of the interview!

He seems so mature with such a good head on his shoulders, humble and hardworking. Plus I know he also delved into directing, although I don't know what happened to the movie he directed. (Does anyone know??) But that made me respect him even more because clearly his passion is in his craft and he is trying his best to improve and not rest on his laurels.

Hwaiting Nam Goong Min! I am a fan! ❤

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2019 at 7:16 PM

@michykdrama,
Late to the party, but I recently watched the short film LIGHT MY FIRE. Namkoong Min wrote the script and directed this 18-minute haiku of a mystery thriller. Very good, with a dandy twist that made me watch it a second time after reading the YT comments. Great cast. Well acted. I like the music, too.

It's disconcerting to see Lee Dong-hwi in this flick after his turn in PEGASUS MARKET.

Enjoy!

CAST:

Lee Dong-hwi - Jaehyeok
Oh Jung se - Chungmo
Jung In-ki - Detective Squad Chief
Jin A-reum - Han Hye-soo
Seo In-kweon as Delivery man
Hwang Young-hee as Chicken Landlord
Yang Jun-ho - Eunjong
Kim Kang-hyun - Jongdal
Park Jin-joo - Policewoman
Park Hyo-ju - Girlfriend
Myung Si-kyung - Anchorwoman
Lee Dong-jin - Anchorman

https://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Light_My_Fire.php#casting

http://www.dramabeans.com/2015/06/namgoong-min-makes-directorial-debut-with-short-film/

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michykdrama

January 1, 2020 at 4:48 AM

Wow you found the movie he directed!!!! Yaas! Thanks!!! Real life has been busy but I’m still stalking here silently. Haha. Thanks it’s the perfect length For what I need now!

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PakalanaPikake

January 1, 2020 at 9:11 PM

Belated Gung Hay Fat Choy, @michykdrama! Wishing you, Mr. MichyK, and Ryan a happy and healthy new year. <3

I'm so glad to help you find Namgoong Min's first movie. Enjoy! I can't get over how many great character actors are in it, including some not listed in the credits (e.g., Yang Joo Ho, who played the brother of the female lead in SOUL MATE).

BTW, I totally enjoyed NM's DOCTOR PRISONER with Kim Byung-chul. What a pair of adversaries! Currently-airing STOVE LEAGUE is another good one, especially if you like baseball. But you don't need to be a fan of the sport to appreciate this story with lots of heart. ;-)

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27 musicnmelody

April 17, 2017 at 8:05 AM

ive like him since i saw him in becoming a billionaire. his character was such an asshole but still charismatic and i just cant seem to hate his character. the drama had stellar casts, lee bo young, ji hyun woo, lee si young and namgoong min but the plot was kinda meh, but i still loved it. and lee si young and namgoon min's character were like a dysfunctional couple but still funny and i just cant hate them lol

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28 berenice

April 17, 2017 at 8:06 AM

Gahhh, Girl Who Sees Smells was one of the dramas that brought me back into dramaland, and I'm so thankful that Namgoong Min was in it. I watched his follow up dramas because of him (Remember, Gongshim, Chief Kim) and they're some of my favourites. I love the unexpected way he portrays his characters, and his ability to show multiple dimensions. I can't wait to see him develop more as an actor and I'm looking forwaed to his further projects! (I don't mind him not being in comedies anymore, if that means he can expand his repertoire!) Wooo Namgoong Min fighting!!

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29 annnsow

April 17, 2017 at 8:29 AM

I think I've discovered him in one of the "I Need Romance" serie and I've always liked him since then.
I am very happy that he's successful now, it's interesting to know how an actor's career can have its up and down.

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Juliesean

April 17, 2017 at 6:13 PM

Anyone watched him in WGM? Although it's partially scripted his character is on full display. He's a quirky guy in real life too. He has a thing for girls who peels apples... lol

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30 abalyn

April 17, 2017 at 8:41 AM

Thanks for the interview! Please do more! It's so hard to find actor interviews in English besides ridiculous tidbits on Soompi.

I first noticed Namgoong Min in Girl Who Sees Smells. He was definitely my favorite character. I love hearing his reflections.

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31 giocare 🌻💛

April 17, 2017 at 8:41 AM

It's mind boggling that this is the same guy from My Secret Hotel. He has evolved so much as a actor since then and i hope he plays more villainous characters in addition to his comedic roles

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32 wildfly

April 17, 2017 at 8:52 AM

If he was picky choosing his projects it may explain why such a gem, who can actually act in versatile roles wasn't recognised earlier. Reminds me a bit of Ji Sung, who until his success in KMHM was also sidelined.

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Sunflowerdiva

April 17, 2017 at 9:21 AM

And now NGM and JS are hugely successful right now. It makes me so happy that they're getting recognition for their extremely hard and dedicated work. It took them longer but they got there, and I'm so happy talented gems like them are in the spotlight.

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carolies541

April 17, 2017 at 9:31 AM

But Ji Sung was considered successful even before KMHM. He was in the old-school drama Save Your Last Dance for me, a rating monster 40%+ and then before KMHM, he did another drama with HJE - Secret, rating for this one is even better than KMHM and even its rival of the same time slot - The Heirs could not beat out its rating even until the end of its run.

He's just not that well-known internationally before KMHM but he have always been pretty successful. NGM on the other hand, had lots of 2nd lead roles in the past and only considered hitting it BIG now. Sure, he raised his actor profile through villain roles but Chief Kim is another level of success and I'm super happy for him.

I like both JS and NGM (oh and I love JS's wife LBY too, ha!)

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33 quirkstine

April 17, 2017 at 9:00 AM

"...and cut my hair short to show all of the wrinkles on my forehead."

WHAT WRINKLES? *squints at photos* He looks like he's in his early 30s at most, not his actual age of 39.

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Sunflowerdiva

April 17, 2017 at 9:22 AM

I know, it boggles my mind that he's almost 40. He does not look his age!

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RLD

April 17, 2017 at 9:12 PM

My inner voice as I read the part about forehead wrinkles was "WHAT WRINKLES"? There were some very natural creases when he made certain expressions, but, I never considered them wrinkles, just legitimate parts of his face.
He's such an intelligent person, and obviously thinks down to, or up to, levels that the average person, let alone actors, do not do. It sounds like he did let that give him a sense of crippling elitism; which, thankfully, he overcame. That was probably a result of good old- fashion maturity and low down common sense.

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34 redfox

April 17, 2017 at 9:12 AM

he is right, being funny is very difficult. You have to have a lot of knowledge and be up-to-date about every situation to reference what people might find funny today - and not tomorrow. or yesterday. and it is easy to experience a burn-out. people turn up in the morning, expecting you to drop pearls right off the bat regardless of your condition. humor is not something effortless nor is it sub-par compared to serious acting. why do they hold comedy at lower regard? the brain needs to be alert all the time never to miss a beat, always catch on every little phrase and reference. it is like you never let your brain sleep.

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35 pipette

April 17, 2017 at 9:23 AM

Wow, he's been around for a long time! I'm glad that he's finally getting his due respect now. I've only seen him in Chief Kim but I think he did a great job. He was very good being eccentric and funny, but being unexpectedly tender and emotional whenever necessary.

I know he's not happy about the fact that he was so selective but I still think it worked for him. He choose characters he liked and if reviews are anything to go by, he seems to have played some really unique characters, running the gamut from psychopathic villains to eccentric oddballs. Those are the kind of roles that stick with people long after you are gone.

Lolol, I dont blame Nam Sang-mi for wanting to burst into laughter. Namgoong Min and Junho's scenes were a hoot to watch. If the ad-lib thing is true, then so many more kudos to them. Clearly, they played off each other really well and I too hope they win an award!

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36 Midnight

April 17, 2017 at 9:25 AM

Have loved him and his acting since Birth of the Rich ??

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37 mimyoko

April 17, 2017 at 9:26 AM

This makes me want to watch Chief Kim now. I have a really soft spot for actors + actresses that put in a lot of effort despite their hardships and flaws. I'm glad Nam is getting more projects because in GWSS he really embodied a role that felt so real for me. I hope for more content from him in the future and that he takes of himself because acting is not easy. I'm happy for him. ?

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mimyoko

April 17, 2017 at 9:37 AM

takes care of.* I really wish DB had an edit button.

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rentenmann

April 17, 2017 at 2:43 PM

You won't be disappointed; watch it! The whole cast is excellent, and that bromance is hilarious! It's like Cheif Kim found all the buttons to push on every villain and never stopped pushing them!

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38 KSKalways

April 17, 2017 at 9:41 AM

that was such a nice interview, thanks for sharing !
he sounds very humble and hardworking ! Cheers to many more successful projects!

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39 junny

April 17, 2017 at 9:46 AM

Haven't seen Namgoong Min in many dramas, but did enjoy what I saw of him in Chief Kim. Thought the hair colour suited him, heh.

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40 purebristles

April 17, 2017 at 9:54 AM

I really enjoyed Chief Kim, Beautiful Gong Shim, and I Need Romance 3. I haven't watched anything that he's been in that has him playing serial killers, so for me NGM's like Korea's Jim Carrey - Chief Kim had over-the-top script humour, physical humour, and NGM has the rubber face expressions to match what the role needed. Looking forward to more ripped photoshoots!

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41 Nahldia9

April 17, 2017 at 9:59 AM

He's so versatile as an actor, he's very talented.

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42 korfan

April 17, 2017 at 10:33 AM

How interesting to read Namgoong Min's perspective and personal reflections about his acting and his career. He caught my attention when I saw him for the first time in Can You Hear My Heart . At that time, however, it certainly never crossed my mind that he could take on a role like the one he delighted us with in Chief Kim . It has certainly been great to see him develop as an actor and to see his career reenergized. Way to go!

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43 jillian

April 17, 2017 at 10:45 AM

I noticed him in Girl who see Smells and liked him as an actor despite being the villain. And I adored Namgoong Min in Chief Kim. He was absolutely hilarious and have such a great comedic timing. I ship him with Junho. Their bromance is great.

I wish more success for him since he seems to be a level-headed and wonderful actor. I cant wait to see what project he will do next.

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44 spazmo

April 17, 2017 at 11:06 AM

i first noticed Nam Goong Min as the crying boyfriend in Unemployed Romance... that was him, right? small part, he was a sad, whiny character...

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spazmo

April 17, 2017 at 11:07 AM

forgot to mention -- i thought his eyes were verrrry pretty... ; )

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45 gem28

April 17, 2017 at 11:23 AM

Aww, he sounds even more perfect if that is even possible. At any rate, I am glad he found his footing, I am glad that he actually admits to trying harder to get better. Also, would love to see him act again with HJE, they're both sort of great at weird comedy, it'd be great to see how they mesh together.

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46 blueribbon

April 17, 2017 at 11:31 AM

Thank You tipsymocha this was an enjoyable and interesting article. Namgoong is an incredible actor, I was so surprised on how he went from believable psycho to a quirky lawyer in beautiful Gong Shim. I remember when people were complaining about his hair in the previews for Chief Kim and now to read that it was actually him who choose that color because he felt it fit the character is really interesting. Also the fact that he went to get a jacket and clothes from a thrift shop shows the dedication he has to the roles he plays. It's really admirable.

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Cocoa, The Fake Poet of February

April 17, 2017 at 6:19 PM

Hehe, I was one of the ones complaining about his hair... Reading this interview now, makes me admire him, and eager to actually watch Chief Kim and see the character he built.

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47 hyanggi

April 17, 2017 at 11:43 AM

Good old NGM ! I do think that his personality is much like his character in Can You Hear My Heart. And that's why although he's constantly comical, there'a always an air of maturity and introvert-ness that he exudes. Which is totally not a bad thing. I love thoughtful and sensitive guys.

And also i've been questioning his hair since Chief Kim started, but now that I know it was intentional, I admit it's very clever in order to develop a new character, more wacky and different from his usual.

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48 kingsqueen

April 17, 2017 at 2:11 PM

I haven't watched Chief Kim yet, but I loved him in BGS (even though the show itself didn't end up being that great). I think he's incredibly well-suited to the comedic roles and hate to hear he doesn't enjoy them as much. I haven't seen him play his infamous villain roles yet, though, so he may be even better in those. Either way, he's adorably cute!

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49 rentenmann

April 17, 2017 at 2:38 PM

I remember first seeing him in "Can You Hear My Heart" and loving him in that role. I'm glad that he's able to get better roles. Looking forward to more works from him after a well-deserved rest.

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50 junichyung

April 17, 2017 at 3:10 PM

I admire Namgoong Min's versatility in acting. He managed to create distinctions among the characters he have portrayed. From being villains up to adorable yet very funny characters, he pulled them off very well.

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