Atypical Family actor Jang Ki-yong: I would like to act in a Hindi film, they are so striking | Web series

“I am now a ‘genre doesn’t matter’ Jang Ki-yong,” says South Korean actor Jang Ki-yong about his successful comeback with “The Atypical Family.”

After a two-year break to complete his military service, he returned to the screen and revealed that it was also a time of reorientation. “During my military service, I was constantly thinking about my work and was ready to make an effort and try new things to show the audience different aspects and sides of myself.”

In SLL’s fantastic series “The Atypical Family”, Jang Ki-yong plays Bok Gwi-ju, a former firefighter and single father who can return to the past. But thirteen years later, he is an alcoholic and depressed man who has not only lost his ability to travel in time, but also leads an aimless life. Like Gwi-ju, his mother Bok Man-huem (Goh Doo-shim) and his sister Bok Dong-hee (Claudia Kim/Soo) are also

Hyun) have lost their ability to dream and fly. The arrival of the mysterious Do Da-hae (Chun Woo-hee) changes the dynamics of the powerless Bok family.

In an exclusive interview with Seoul’s The Hindustan Times, Jang Ki-yong said the drama and the character of Bok Gwi-ju are unlike anything he has done before, and the opportunity to work with director Jo Hyun-tak (SKY Castle), writer Ju Hwa-mi (My Shy Boss) and creator Kang Eun-Kyung (The World of the Married) is an equally exciting prospect.

“The script included several new and fresh elements. I was fascinated by the unpredictability of it all. This was the first time I portrayed a father on screen. I also changed my hairstyle and appearance. I also felt that it would be natural and convincing for me to portray Gwi-Ju as a clumsy and inept father. As the story unfolds and the relationship with his daughter develops, this was portrayed as naturally as possible. Gwi-ju as a character is lethargic, depressed and indifferent to everything. However, I felt that he is trying his best in his own way to find happiness in his lackluster life.”

Although his character can travel back in time, he is unable to change the moments of his past. Trapped in his memories, Gwi-ju’s dilemma is to not only overcome his inertia, but also achieve the future his heart desires. Within his superhero framework “The Atypical Family”

also deals with various socio-cultural and economic issues, including bullying and body shaming. Jang Ki-yong admits that articulating the character and his complexity posed a number of challenges.

“Gwi-ju’s current misery and his former happiness are such opposite feelings that it was not easy to express the rapid change of emotions that had to take place at a certain moment. I tried to depict the contrast in the smallest details besides the obvious atmosphere and expression.”

He adds, however, that on a personal level, he is not someone to look back on, preferring to live in the here and now. He draws parallels between himself and two of his now-famous characters, Do-jin from Come and Hug Me and Gwi-ju from The Atypical Family.

“My characters Do-jin and Gwi-ju are similar to me on many levels, but still very far from me. Do-jin is making progress and working to put his past behind him. I think Gwi-ju is a little further from my true self, as he is trapped in time and his memories. However, I always view my film characters as real people and work on how I perceive them and combine that with the director’s vision for the character.”

Jang Ki-yong expresses his admiration for his co-star Chun Woo-hee, who plays the mysterious Do Da-hae, and says the two had a friendly partnership.

“I have seen Chun Woo-hee’s work and she is an actress I have always wanted to work with. We are also very similar and rely on

each other and I felt that our acting chemistry was right. I was able to learn a lot from her and I am grateful for that,” he replies with a smile.

Jang Ki-yong, a model turned actor, made his film debut with a guest appearance in the 2014 drama “It’s Okay, That’s Love.” He rose to fame in 2018 with the romantic thriller “Come and Hug Me,” followed by Search: WWW (20190), My Roommate is a Gumiho (2021), and Now We Are Breaking Up (2022). The 31-year-old admits that he notices a change in himself, especially in his attitude toward work. “In my 20s, I lived my life to the fullest and treated work like a task. But after serving in the military and entering my 30s, I see a change in my perspective and am glad that I can enjoy and appreciate my work much more.”

He acknowledges that it is also a thriving time for the Korean entertainment industry. “As an actor, it is really exciting and overwhelming how diverse the genres and platforms are that are available to us, and how many audiences around the world enjoy what we do. That is what makes me work even harder at what I do now.”

Given the popularity of Indian films like “3 Idiots,” “My Name is Khan,” “Black” and “RRR” in South Korea and the exponentially increasing proportion of Indians consuming Korean content, Jang Ki-yong says he would be more than happy to try his luck in Bollywood.

“I like Bollywood films, they have such striking elements. If I had the chance, I would love to be a part of it anytime.”

Although his character in The Atypical Family can travel through time, the actor says he would love to go back in time himself. “I think I’ve enjoyed every moment to the fullest with no regrets. But if I had to choose one, I would go back to when I first learned to ride a bike, when I was about seven years old,” he says, laughing.

However, he says he would rather have the superpower of flight than time travel. “If I want to go somewhere to heal, then even the flight there is healing.”

“The Atypical Family” is currently streaming on Netflix.