Kim Mu-yeol on his acting philosophy: 'Characters aren't just good or evil'

Actor Kim Mu-yeol has opened up about the acting philosophy he has built over his 20-year career since his debut and his sense of responsibility toward his fans. Rather than confining himself to a specific acting method, his attitude of attempting every possible approach depending on the work and the character reflects the extensive experience he has accumulated while moving between the stage and the screen.

On the 25th, the men's lifestyle magazine Esquire released a digital cover and pictorial featuring Kim Mu-yeol in collaboration with the Italian sportswear brand Stone Island.

In the pictorial, Kim showcased a wide range of images, from masculine strength to a relaxed and soft atmosphere. Much like the clothing, which pursues both functionality and aesthetics, Kim is an actor who does not stick to a single image but creates a different face for every project. He remarked, "Since I personally prefer functional yet sensible clothing like Stone Island, I was able to finish the shoot very comfortably."

In the interview, Kim described his acting style by saying, "I try everything I can." This means that rather than adhering to a specific method or a consistent approach, he selects the necessary method based on the character's personality, the genre of the work, and the narrative requirements.

He also spent considerable time contemplating how to portray Na Hwa-jin in the recent Netflix series 'Teach You a Lesson.' This was because, rather than simply implementing the original character, the important issue was what kind of justification to give to the character's act of exercising violence.

Kim revealed, "I agonized for a long time because if I fail to persuade the audience of Na Hwa-jin's motives and his intention to carry on the will of Teacher Choi Ga-yoon, he could easily become someone who wields violence under the guise of education."

This shows that instead of simplifying characters into a binary of good and evil, Kim explores the internal logic and ethical context that drives a character's actions. For an actor, the goal is not to explain the character, but to go through a process of convincing the audience why that person had no choice but to act that way.

He cited 'responsibility' as the driving force that allows him to maintain the density of his acting while continuously working on various projects. He stated, "I always try not to forget the fact that this work can affect someone's life," while adding, "But when I am acting, I try not to be bound by anything."

He continued, "To not forget, yet to forget everything—I feel like I am finally starting to achieve that little by little." It is a paradoxical principle: being conscious of the social and emotional impact of a work, while letting go of external evaluations and pressures during the actual moment of acting.

Kim also mentioned the fans who supported him during his days performing on theater and musical stages. Having held his first fan-meeting since his debut, he stated that he prepared for the event while thinking of the joy of meeting new fans as well as the fans who have watched him since 20 years ago.

Having promised his fans while performing on stage that he would definitely hold a fan-meeting one day, he said, "Only now does a part of my heart feel light." The fact that he remembers and keeps a promise from the past even after a long time signifies that the relationship between an actor and their fans goes beyond a simple relationship of consumption and popularity.

When asked if he has plans to sing at the fan-meeting, he replied with his characteristic humor, "If I did something like that, we would probably both feel awkward."

Kim, who began his full-fledged acting career through the musical 'Jjangtta' in 2002, has since expanded his field of activity from plays and musicals to films and dramas. The background of his expanding acting spectrum through various genres and characters, such as in 'War of the Arrows,' 'Eungyo,' 'The Roundup,' 'Voice,' and 'Juvenile Justice,' lies in his attitude of not settling for a single method.

A period of 20 years is not just a career for an actor, but a period during which their own acting language is formed. For Kim, that language begins by rejecting fixed methodologies. To try anything to understand a character, yet to let go of all calculations in front of the camera. What he called "not forgetting, yet forgetting everything" can be read as a paradoxical principle that has enabled his long-term career as an actor.

Kim's pictorial and the full interview can be found on the official Esquire website, and related content such as fashion films and 'Filmo Pick' interviews will be released through official SNS and YouTube channels.