[Dispatch=Reporter Jung Tae-yoon] "Heo Nam-jun's acting is insane."

Initially, it seemed like actor Lim Ji-yeon would carry the show alone. That made sense—Heo Nam-jun was only in his second lead role. It was a challenge following last year's "A Hundred Memories." Worries and expectations came together.

However, SBS-TV's "A Wonderful New World" was not carried by one person. It was the sum of two. Particularly, what captured attention until the final episode was Heo Nam-jun's acting.

Heo Nam-jun moved between his past life (royal Hyeon) and present life (tycoon Cha Sae-gae), digesting contrasting charms. As a cold-blooded tycoon, he crumbled helplessly upon meeting Shin Seo-ri (played by Lim Ji-yeon).

He freely crossed the boundaries between comedy and melodrama, foolishness and coldness. He reached his peak in the final episode. His earnest devotion, hoping only for Seo-ri's consciousness to return, made even the somewhat rushed ending feel convincing.

The finale reached 11.8% nationwide and 14.1% at its peak (based on Nielsen Korea). It renewed its own highest viewership rating until the end. It swept first place in the time slot, as well as first place in Saturday miniseries and weekly miniseries.

Heo Nam-jun said, "I thought it would be difficult since this is my first romance-comedy. But I really wanted to try it," adding, "I approached it with slight burden and a challenger's spirit to do my best."

How did he become a genre-specialist actor who got so right with romance-comedy? Dispatch recently met with Heo Nam-jun.

◆ A Genre-Specialist Face

In fact, Heo Nam-jun was an actor distant from romance-comedy. In 2020, he stepped into genre works with OCN's "Missing: They Were There." In 2021's JTBC "Snow and Fire," he was a supporting role in an espionage thriller thick with tension.

In Netflix's "Sweet Home" seasons 2 and 3, he further imprinted his face on the genre. He played "Kang Seok-chan," a crow unit soldier. He left an impression with his charm—slick one moment, then composed in crisis.

He began to make a name for himself in 2024 with ENA's "Your Honor," playing villain Kim Sang-hyeok. He completed a cold and dangerous face with just eye contact, without dialogue. For this work, he was nominated for Best New Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

His next move was the complete opposite. JTBC's "A Hundred Memories." His first lead role and first traditional youth melodrama. The result was ambiguous. The solid impression honed in genre works clashed slightly with the freshness demanded by melodrama.

The reaction was strong: "Heo Nam-jun is indeed suited to genre works." Yet his next choice was romance-comedy. He said, "There was burden, but the desire to challenge myself came first."

◆ Turning Burden into Confidence

"A Wonderful New World" depicts a love story between actor Shin Seo-ri (played by Lim Ji-yeon), possessed by Joseon Dynasty villainess Ak-hon, and ruthless tycoon Cha Sae-gae (played by Heo Nam-jun).

Compared to genre works, romance-comedy lacks dramatic shock value. Simultaneously, subtlety is important in this genre. Heo Nam-jun started with the thought that it wouldn't be easy.

What troubled him most was his tone of voice. Cha Sae-gae is a "self-made villain" who stops at nothing for money. Would sarcastic, self-absorbed dialogue fit a romance hero? He himself lacked confidence.

Heo Nam-jun confessed, "It was the part that wouldn't come together. I had lots of concerns in the beginning, so I asked the director and writer many questions."

Particularly the "flower fighting" between Seo-ri and him in episode one. The setting where he fights back and forth with the heroine from his entrance was far from a typical romance-comedy male lead.

Once he saw the whole picture, the answer appeared. He explained, "His words are sharp, but he takes care of everything behind the scenes. The script made Cha Sae-gae someone you can't dislike."

"With those devices in place, I had confidence that even his fastidious tone of voice would feel charming. Plus, Seo-ri isn't a pushover either. When strong characters meet, the synergy shines."

◆ Is Writer Kim Eun-sook Watching?

What led Cha Sae-gae to likability was unexpectedly his almost unlikable tone and cringeworthy lines. For example, when Seo-ri eats candy he had, he says "disgustingly sweet," or "drop all the other girls and only look at me," and such.

Somewhat violent yet cringeworthy dialogue reminiscent of Han Ki-ju (played by Park Shin-yang) from "A Lovers in Paris" (2004). Online reactions even included "Is writer Kim Eun-sook watching?"

Just as writer Kim Eun-sook transforms cringeworthy lines into famous lines, Heo Nam-jun's delivery was formidable. Through his mouth, uncomfortable dialogue transformed into desperate, sensuous language.

For him, this wasn't a difficult point. Heo Nam-jun said, "When I first read it, I didn't feel 'this is trouble.' I'm an actor, so I thought about how to digest what was given to me."

"Of course there were moments I let out a brief sigh. (laughs) Still, the challenger spirit to pull it off was strong. The writing naturally blends in, so it actually felt natural."

Added to this was his explosive tearful performance in the emotional scenes in the latter half, completing the character's temperature. He began with sharpness but ultimately convinced with sincerity, adding depth to the character.

◆ "Good Actors Work Harder"

The credit for Cha Sae-gae's sharpness turning into endearment also went to his scene partner. Lim Ji-yeon handled both Kang Dan-sim and Shin Seo-ri simultaneously while digesting melodrama, comedy, and action.

Lim Ji-yeon too was new to comedy, so she let loose with all her might. With her unreserved commitment came memorable scenes. The possessed Kang Hee-bin meme, the home shopping scene, the electrocution scene with eyes rolled back—all were born that way.

About Lim Ji-yeon, Heo Nam-jun said, "Her personality is really good. Even in physically difficult moments, there was no wavering," and "She barely had time to sleep, yet never flubbed her lines."

"Rehearsals were never done roughshod. You could already see what she intended. I thought, 'Good actors work harder.' I was stimulated every time on set."

His sincerity toward the work seeped directly into his performance. He said, "As the character stuck to my body, I began thinking from the character's perspective and gradually added some ad-libs."

"When I read the script at home, I try to be as rational as possible. Then on set, I try to feel as much as possible. With conviction, I try to act on instinct rather than intellect."

◆ "It's Not My Style but It Bothers Me"

Now in his seventh year as an actor, he is enjoying a record-breaking heyday. He said, "I went straight into the next project 'Star Whale,' so I haven't felt the response yet. Still, being on set, people recognize me more frequently."

His SNS followers increased by 900,000 before broadcast. Heo Nam-jun said with a laugh, "Originally, mainly Korean fans responded. These days there are many comments in various foreign languages."

The most memorable comment he cited was "It's not my style but it bothers me." He said, "It felt like proof I did well, so I felt good seeing it."

He credited all praise to the work and team. "Fundamentally, the writing is good, the direction is excellent, and it was captured well, so the drama succeeded. Thanks to that, my acting was able to shine," he revealed.

Still, what is actor Heo Nam-jun's unique strength? He said, "I seem to do well at maximizing emotions. Also, I didn't just show cool moments—I showed the weakness and pettiness everyone has, which is why people sympathized."

Heo Nam-jun ended with a measured pledge.

"Up to now, I haven't been lazy, but I think I need to work even harder. For every line I have to deliver and every role I carry, I will work responsibly and diligently. There will be days when reactions are divided, but I will accept what I should accept, focus on what's essential, and continue professionally going forward."

<Photo sources=SBS, H-Solid, Netflix, ENA>