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| Actor Yoo Ah-in in a scene from the film "Seoul Vibe" / Courtesy of Netflix |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Yoo Ah-in has established himself as an icon for youth culture, first by appearing in the coming-of-age TV series "Sharp" (2003-2006). Then, he starred as a rebellious teen in "Punch" (2011), an ill-fated crown prince in "The Throne" (2015) and a poor farm boy in "Burning" (2018), among many others.
However, the actor said that at the age of 36, he is no longer a representative of the youth and doesn't see himself as one. "As much as I try to maintain a young mindset, I would love to see younger actors take up the stage and become the new icons for the youth," Yoo said during an interview with The Korea Times held via Zoom, Monday.
In the new Netflix film "Seoul Vibe," Yoo plays skillful driver Dong-wook, who is the de-facto leader of a group of young drivers and mechanics called the Sangye-dong Supreme Team.
Set in 1988, during the Seoul Olympics, the film revolves around Dong-wook and his team who are hired to infiltrate a money laundering scheme of Chairwoman Kang (Moon So-ri), a woman who wields enormous influence over the incumbent president. They go undercover to investigate a slush fund case in return for a visa to the U.S. if the operation succeeds.
Yoo said he was most concerned about whether the viewers would enjoy the unique humor and entertainment factor in the film.
"I was worried about how the film would turn out because it was creatively and technically challenging. The film has its pros and cons but I'm relieved it mixes comedy, action and adventure elements in a deeply entertaining package," he said.
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| Actor Yoo Ah-in / Courtesy of Netflix |
On portraying a character who admires western culture, Yoo explained he, too, had a similar feeling when he was a teenager and in his 20s.
"When I was younger, there was a part of me that thought western culture is cooler than our own culture. Now, I understand that there is no such thing as a superior or inferior culture. I try to focus more on finding the beauty itself within each culture," he said.
Unlike previous projects, where Yoo always remained at a distance from other cast members, this time, he closely interacted with his co-stars as the film is heavily focused on the main characters' friendship.
"Normally, I would sit about 100 meters away from other cast members. This time, however, I sat right next to my co-stars and we spent a lot of time together. We not only talked about the film but really got to know each other by hanging out frequently," he said.
Yoo said he was deeply impressed by how actor Lee Kyoo-hyung interacts with the cast and crew.
"In Korean society, the age division creates this invisible wall, establishing a hierarchy between speakers. However, Lee went beyond that and got along with everyone well including Ong Seong-woo, who is 12 years younger than him," he said.
Marking his 20th anniversary in the industry, he talked about his growing sense of responsibility as an actor.
"In the past, I wanted to experiment with roles and take up challenges. Now, I'm more careful with my next steps because I feel a greater sense of responsibility. I feel like Yoo Ah-in is made up of many people's efforts, so I try to be careful about how I portray myself," he said.
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