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| ▲ This photo of Korean actress Cha Seung-won, lead cast of Disney+ original series "The Tyrant," is provided by the OTT giant on Aug. 16, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Aug. 16 (Yonhap) -- "When director Park Hoon-jung suddenly told me he had almost finished a script and wanted to show it to me, I met with him, read the script, and when he asked which role I thought was best, I said, 'I have to do Im Sang.'"
This is how actor Cha Seung-won described his decision to take on the role of Im Sang, a killer with a deceptive appearance of politeness and naivety, in the recently released Disney+ original series The Tyrant.
Speaking with reporters at a café in Seoul's Jongno district on the 14th, Cha recounted, "After I said that, Director Park responded, 'I thought the same thing.'" The Tyrant is an action drama centered around the "Tyrant Project," a secretive operation aimed at enhancing human abilities. Cha portrays Im Sang, a hitman employed by a secret faction within the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
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| ▲ This still photo shows Korean actress Cha Seung-won as a lead character of Disney+ original series "The Tyrant," provided by the OTT giant on Aug. 16, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Im Sang's character is a former NIS killer who continues his deadly work even after leaving the agency. Cha explained that the role intrigued him because he wondered how someone who had been part of such an organization for so long would adapt to life outside it.
Despite his usual mild-mannered and somewhat clumsy demeanor—often speaking politely to everyone and even being disrespected by high school students—Im Sang quickly reveals his lethal skills when a target needs to be eliminated. This stark contrast highlights the character's combat prowess and heightens the tension in the series.
Many of Im Sang's quirky moments, such as muttering "Thank you" when his car barely starts or commenting "He's handsome" while looking at a target's photo, were Cha's ad-libs. "For an actor, it's important to have the freedom to let these things happen naturally," Cha noted. "Some directors are more restrictive, but Director Park gives a lot of room for expression."
Cha also emphasized the collaborative nature of creating a character like Im Sang, stating, "While it's important for me to approach the role creatively, having someone who can enhance that creativity makes all the difference. Director Park was great in that respect."
The character's defining action scenes, involving a shotgun, were particularly challenging to film. Im Sang uses a shotgun with a heavy silencer to overpower his enemies with sheer firepower. However, Cha revealed that the cold winter weather during outdoor shoots often caused the gun to misfire, leading to over ten takes for a single scene. "There was one time the gun kept misfiring because it was so cold," he recalled.
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| ▲ This still photo shows Korean actress Cha Seung-won as a lead character of Disney+ original series "The Tyrant," provided by the OTT giant on Aug. 16, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Reflecting on the physical demands of the role, Cha jokingly compared his experience to that of his co-stars, saying, "It wasn't as tough as what Cha Ja-kyung [played by Jo Yoon-su] went through, but compared to the other two [Kim Sun-ho and Kim Kang-woo], who mostly just sat and talked, I had to carry a heavy shotgun and endure more hardships."
Cha Seung-won has been keeping busy with multiple projects. Following his appearance in the film Believer 2 last year, he will play King Seonjo in the upcoming Netflix movie Jeon, Ran set in the Joseon Dynasty. He has also completed filming for the Netflix series Square and will soon start shooting for the Park Chan-wook-directed film Inevitably.
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| ▲ This photo of Korean actress Cha Seung-won, lead cast of Disney+ original series "The Tyrant," is provided by the OTT giant on Aug. 16, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Beyond his work in films and dramas, Cha is also well-known for his appearances in tvN's popular variety show Three Meals a Day, earning the nickname "Cha-jumma" for his impressive cooking skills. He is currently filming the sixth season of the show's "Fishing Village" edition. "Even though the new season hasn't aired yet, people keep telling me they're enjoying Three Meals a Day. It turns out past seasons are frequently rerun," he said with a laugh.
When asked if he ever worries about the contrast between his variety show persona and his on-screen roles, Cha responded, "I don't feel the need to hide my true self behind a veil for the sake of a project. Some may have mixed feelings about my involvement in both acting and variety shows, but I don't think, 'I shouldn't do variety shows because I'm working on a project.' Of course, there will be people who don't like it, but I believe there are more who do, and you can't please everyone."
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