Koo Kyo-hwan, Already Registered Marriage: "The Size of Responsibility is the Same"

As actor Koo Kyo-hwan belatedly revealed that he is a legally married couple with director Yi Okseop, having completed their marriage registration four years ago, his convictions regarding "responsibility" are drawing attention once again. While Koo Kyo-hwan, who has strictly kept his private life undisclosed for a long time, spoke about his attitude toward works and creation before his marital status, interest is also focusing on his unique path.

On the 4th, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kang Ki-young, and Shin Seung-ho, who appeared in the movie 'Reawaken Man: The Red', appeared on the YouTube channel 'Fairy Jae-hyung'. The three shared various stories, from discussions about the work to thoughts on acting and life, in a natural atmosphere reminiscent of three brothers. Recalling his time appearing on the same program in the past, Koo Kyo-hwan showed his characteristic relaxed way of speaking, jokingly saying, "Thanks to you scanning through my chronology and exaggerating it, I have become quite successful."

Koo Kyo-hwan subsequently revealed his honest philosophy regarding his appearances and acting activities. Mentioning 'Mozamus'a', he said, "I lived so happily while acting in that," expressing that the moment he read the script, "I felt like I was completely caught." He showed a strong attachment to the work in that the character he played was accepted not just as a specific individual's story, but as a reflection of each viewer.

The continuous collaboration with director Yeon Sang-ho is also an important part of explaining Koo Kyo-hwan's acting world. He said that he is working on his fourth project with director Yeon Sang-ho and that a special relationship of trust has been formed on set. Starting with 'Peninsula', the work between the two has developed in a way where the actor and director do not excessively intrude into each other's domains while trying to understand each other's intentions. This shows that Koo Kyo-hwan is not merely an actor who carries out given roles, but an actor who creates characters and works together within the relationship with the creator.

Koo Kyo-hwan, who has more than five works to be released by next year, emphasized the same responsibility for each work rather than the burden of prolific output. He stated that in the case of commercial films, many people share responsibility in their respective positions, but he also wants to show as much as possible with the same energy as now for any work, saying, "I think the size of responsibility is all the same." This is interpreted as meaning that an actor's attitude should not change depending on the scale or box office potential of the work.

In particular, Koo Kyo-hwan also cautioned against making works "smooth" by being overly conscious of feedback from the public and the industry. He pointed out that to remain active for a long time, one must not fully integrate into the ways others desire but must maintain one's own, noting that overly polished results can ultimately remain merely "well-made." His remarks, suggesting that the charm of a work that leaves a strong impression at once, even if it seems somewhat rough or disorderly, can actually be remembered longer, offer a glimpse into his attitude as a creator trying to find his own balance between originality and perfection.

Amidst this, the fact that Koo Kyo-hwan already registered his marriage with director Yi Okseop in 2022 is also receiving renewed interest. The two have maintained a connection since 2013, and after starting a public relationship in 2020, they became a legal couple about two years later. However, they did not announce the marriage registration to the public and only revealed it after about four years. It turns out they did not even disclose the fact that the two, who have been making movies and sharing life together for a long time, had entered into a formal institutional relationship called marriage.

After the marriage registration was revealed, diverging reactions emerged. Some raised issues regarding the fact that he appeared to the public as being unmarried, but conversely, there were many opinions that since marital status pertains to one's private life, there is no obligation to necessarily disclose it. Ultimately, the reason this disclosure is drawing attention is that it coincides with Koo Kyo-hwan's attitude of having long separated his life and creative domain.

In particular, Koo Kyo-hwan has shown an attitude of viewing his responsibility as an actor and his personal life with equal weight. While keeping the personal choice of marriage and marriage registration strictly private, he intends not to evade the responsibility he must bear regarding his works. This is why his way of approaching works and his words, "The size of responsibility is the same," feel more meaningful than the marriage registration that was hidden for four years.