"My Name Is Loh Kiwan" Song Joong Ki Comments He Strives to Deliver Equal Value for His Pay

My Name Is Loh Kiwan actor Song Joong Ki commented about his experience and the responsibility he feels as the lead actor.

On March 6, the actor conducted an interview with reporters at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

What's interesting to note is that Song Joong Ki, a Hallyu star with 16 years of experience, acted in the North Korean dialect for the first time since his debut.

As of March 3, My Name Is Loh Kiwan ranked third on Netflix's Global Top 10 list (non-English). Talking about how he feels, Song Joong Ki said, "Of course, it feels good to [know my movie] ranked third. The response [of the audience] in Korea is a priority, but I'm curious about how people in other countries perceived this film, both qualitatively and quantitatively." 

He continued, "I have sought [and focused on] people's response a lot. I got to know the response of the domestic audience from a lot of information provided by the staff, and I also got to know the response of the international audience from friends living abroad or foreign professionals [working] in the same industry because I'm curious [about how people perceived the film]."

My Name Is Loh Kiwan was filmed for five months in Budapest, Hungary. Talking about his experience shooting in a foreign country, Song Joong Ki said, "Choi Sung Eun and I filmed almost without a day off. I stayed there for five months and returned without even taking a single photo of the tourist attractions." 

He added, "It's not easy to shoot overseas because there are many factors. It's [even] difficult to go overseas to shoot some of the scenes for dramas. [However, the shooting for] this [movie] went on for five months [in a foreign country]. And especially because I was the lead actor, I worried about various issues, such as accidents on set and people getting hurt. I approached this project almost with a producer's mindset." 

"My wife (Katie Louise Saunders) stayed with me, and she was pregnant at that time. As a husband, I had to take care of her [as well]. So I didn't have much peace of mind."

He revealed that the reason he challenged himself with heavy roles in his recent films, including Hopeless and My Name Is Loh Kiwan, which were different from the roles in his previous works, was because he had a desire to do something different and grow. Song Joong Ki said, "The biggest reason is that I don't want to be bored. I could have succeeded by doing what I [usually] do [just like the works] before, but there's a beat within me [that pulls at me] because I don't want to bore myself. Fortunately, my manager and team members of the agency I work with support my choices, so I feel reassured." 

However, he also emphasized that he doesn't completely disregard box office performance. He said, "Honestly, I always hope for box office success. Wishing for something is a basic desire of a human being, so it's natural."

He went on, "Even for Hopeless, I knew it was difficult, but I hoped for [the movie] to be a hit." "If I don't do that [strive to make the work a box office hit], I believe it reflects poorly on my sense of responsibility as the lead actor." He continued, "If one is going to approach work like that [with inconsideration], they shouldn't be paid a lot of money. If I receive [my equal] pay, shouldn't I deliver my pay's worth?"

Song Joong Ki continued, "Shouldn't those who invested also get their money back? All the staff on the set, as well as the producers and [members of the] PR agencies, are heads of their households. So I believe it's a sphere where one must work seriously." "That's also why I didn't get a guarantee when I was [acting] in Hopeless. Because if I had been paid, the production costs would have gone up. Hopeless wasn't even made with the purpose of being invited to the Cannes International Film Festival." 

In another interview, director Kim Hee Jin revealed the fact, "About seven years ago, Song Joong Ki once declined the role. At that time, there were various factors, including schedule. More than anything, it seemed he [Song Joong Ki] couldn't understand Ki Wan's choice at the time." 

Earlier, Song Joong Ki also mentioned at a production briefing, "In fact, I once declined My Name Is Loh Kiwan about 6 to 7 years ago. I said, 'I want to do it,' then changed my mind. At that time, there were some parts I couldn't relate to, so I dared to refuse." "I regretted turning it down." He expressed his affection for the movie, saying, "When I was filming Reborn Rich, I received this [movie's] script again. It was fate. I strongly felt that 'This is my movie, mine.' I thought it was meant to be."

Sources (1)(2)