‘가을동화’에 출연하여 스타덤에 오르고 그 후 10년이 지난 지금 송승헌(36)은 한류 스타가 되었다.

송승헌은 ‘가을동화’ 외의 5개의 멜로드라마에 출연한 것 또한 그가 현재의 인기를 얻는데 일조를 했다.

송승헌의 최근 작품 ‘남자가 사랑할 때’ 역시 멜로드라마다. 이번에 그가 출연하는 드라마 역시 가슴을 절절하게 하는 멜로이지만, 본인은 이번 배역이 가장 소화하기 어렵다고 밝혔다.

‘에덴의 동쪽’에서 거친 깡패역할을 맡았지만 송승헌은 이번 배역이 자신이 맡은 캐릭터 중 가장 거칠어 더 끌리게 된 것 같다고 전했다.

예쁜 남자 이미지를 벗고 싶다고 털어놓은 송승헌은 30대에 들어선 지금 자신에게 가장 맞는 배역을 찾은 것 같다고 말했다.

송승헌은 조직의 2인자에서 한 여자를 만나며 자수성가한 사업가가 되는 한태상 역을 맡았다. 하지만 사랑하는 여자 서미도(신세경)이 자신의 친한 동생과 사랑에 빠지며 배신당하게 된다.

“사랑은 한번도 해보지 못하고 거칠기만 한 태상이 사랑에 빠져 자신만의 어리숙한 방법으로 표현한다는 것을 잘 할 수 있을 지 걱정이다”고 송승헌은 전했다.

하지만 송승헌이 이번 배역에 맞는 적절한 연기를 선보인다면 배우 송승헌으로 더욱 각안될 수 있을 것이다.

한편 송승헌, 신세경, 채정안, 연우진, 조재룡, 등이 출연하는 ‘남자가 사랑할 때’는 오는 4월 3일 첫 방송될 예정이다. (코리아헤럴드)



<관련 영문 기사>

Song Seung-heon sheds ’pretty boy’ image
Hallyu heavyweight toughens up to play reformed thug in new drama

By Jean Oh


It is hard to believe over a decade has passed since veteran actor Song Seung-heon earned his place in the Korean Wave firmament with the now-iconic “Autumn in My Heart.”

After Song melted many a female heart as the singularly devoted and sweet not-quite-brother to Song Hye-kyo’s ill-fated heroine, he went on to star in five more television dramas, most of which fell into the same genre that propelled him to international fame -- the heart-searing melodrama.

Song’s latest work is no exception, but, according to the 36-year-old actor, MBC’s upcoming “A Man in Love” (working title) is his roughest role to date.

Though he played a gangster in his popular small screen comeback “East of Eden,” Song said, “This character has it tougher than other characters I’ve played and that might be why I was drawn to this role.”

Confessing he wanted to shed his “pretty boy” image at the drama’s press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, Song put it quite simply that as a man well into his 30s he felt playing a man’s man was the right fit.

In this case, his man’s man is a cold-hearted loan shark, a thug who survives his boss’ betrayal and steps up from right-hand man to head of the gang, only to leave it all behind in the name of love and morph into a successful businessman.

The twist comes when his sweetheart, played by “High Kick 2” actress Shin Se-gyeong, betrays him for another man, leaving him bent on revenge, and suddenly it all becomes quite clear that “A Man in Love” is no picnic. It is a bona fide melodrama with all the requisite trappings -- unrequited love, betrayal and revenge.

While none of this is new to Song, the actor revealed that he had been gnawing over his role, worrying about it because it presented something of a challenge to him.

“What I am most concerned about is how to go about playing a thug who has never been in love and yet suddenly finds himself in love, having to express it in his own awkward way,” Song explained.

Indeed, portraying a man whose day-to-day life is steeped in high-stakes violence and yet who is in the dark when it comes to true boy-meets-girl love requires a certain complex duality that cannot be taken lightly.

Pulled off right, it would be a poignant role of the kind that could up Song’s star power, and judging from how costar Shin described his character as a “Daddy-Long-Legs” of sorts, it appears as though Song’s hero will display a sweetness that might just have viewers rooting for him to the end.

“A Man in Love” starts airing April 3 on Wednesday and Thursday nights on MBC at 9:55 p.m.
(oh_jean@heraldcorp.com)