Meet Yoo Ah-in, the K-drama star who is leaving his more serious side behind for a role in zombie movie #Alive, directed by Il Cho
Star of Burning, who recently appeared in reality show I Live Alone, is stepping away from his usual roles and aims to get closer to fans by showing his friendly side
Actor Yoo Ah-in has played a variety of adolescent characters on both big and small screens since he made his debut with the coming-of-age TV series Sharp (2004).
His roles have been unusually deep and emotionally serious for a young actor, ranging from a rebellious high school student in Punch (2011) and an insane crown prince in the historical drama The Throne (2015) to a sensitive young man in the psychological thriller Burning (2018), a critics' prizewinner at Cannes.
This has led to him becoming known as a dramatic actor on the South Korean entertainment scene, one who chooses thoughtful characters or projects with social implications.
In the upcoming zombie thriller #Alive, however, Yoo takes the role of a young guy named Joon-woo who lives a mundane life, getting up late in the morning and enjoying computer games like the boy next door.
Directed by Cho Il-hyung, known as Il Cho abroad, #Alive revolves around Joon-woo, isolated and struggling to survive in a city infected by a mysterious virus. Joon-woo, one of only two survivors in a zombie-hit apartment block, falls into deep loneliness and despair before discovering the other survivor.
“I've played many serious characters, who portray the ideal youth of the generation in a literary or implicit way,” said the 33-year old actor. “But I'm not a person like that.”
Yoo, one of the most socially outspoken actors in his generation, said it was part of his strategy to differentiate himself from other actors or actresses about his age. But this time, he wanted to take on the spontaneous and unflattering side of acting in #Alive.
“It feels too heavy for me to keep dealing with such solemn characters, and I think my fans feel the same,” he said. “Now, it will feel fresher for them to see my friendly, comfortable side in #Alive. This change will help remove a barrier set between an actor and viewers.”