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

At first, it seemed it would be actress Lim Ji-yeon's solo show. And for good reason—Heo Nam-Jun was only on his second lead role. It was a challenge following last year's "A Hundred Memories." Both concern and anticipation came with it.

But what drove SBS-TV's "Wonderful New World" was not one person. It was the sum of two. In particular, what captured attention through the finale was Heo Nam-Jun's acting.

Heo Nam-Jun moved between past life (royal family member Lee Hyeon) and present life (tycoon Cha Se-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. The finale marked his peak. His earnest devotion, hoping only for Seo-ri's consciousness to return, made even the somewhat hurried ending feel acceptable.

The final episode climbed to 11.8% nationwide and peaked at 14.1% (based on Nielsen Korea). It marked its own highest viewership to the very end. It swept first place in its time slot, as well as first place in Saturday miniseries and weekly miniseries.

Heo Nam-Jun said, "Since it was my first time doing romance-comedy, I thought it would be difficult. But I really wanted to try it," adding, "I approached it with slight burden and a spirit of challenge to give my best effort."

How did he become an actor specialized in genres into a romance-comedy actor who "fit perfectly"? Dispatch recently met with Heo Nam-Jun.

◆ Genre-Specialized Face

In fact, Heo Nam-Jun was an actor distant from romance-comedy. In 2020, he stepped into genre productions with OCN's "Missing: They Were There." In 2021, JTBC's "Snowdrop" cast him in a tense spy-thriller supporting role.

In Netflix's "Sweet Home" Seasons 2 and 3, he further established himself as a face of the genre. He played soldier "Kang Seok-chan" of the crow unit. He made an impression with charm that could be smooth but would turn collected before crisis.

He properly made a name for himself in 2024 with ENA's "Your Honor," playing villain Kim Sang-hyuk. He perfected a cold and dangerous look with only his eyes, no dialogue. For this work, he was nominated for the Baeksang Arts Awards New Actor Award.

His next move was the opposite. JTBC's "A Hundred Memories." His first lead role and first conventional youth melodrama. The result was ambiguous. The solid impression he had built through genre works slightly clashed with melodrama's demand for freshness.

The reaction was strong that "Heo Nam-Jun is after all a genre actor." Yet his next choice was romance-comedy. He said, "The burden was significant, but the desire to challenge myself came first."

◆ Turning Burden into Confidence

"Wonderful New World" depicts the love story between actress Shin Seo-ri (played by Lim Ji-yeon), into whom a Joseon Dynasty villainess has possessed, and ruthless tycoon Cha Se-gae (played by Heo Nam-Jun).

Romance-comedy, compared to genre works, lacks dramatic sensational points to display. Simultaneously, it is a genre where subtlety is important. Heo Nam-Jun began with the thought it would not be easy.

What troubled him most was his manner of speech. Cha Se-gae is a "self-made person" who spares no means for money. Would cynical, self-loving dialogue suit a romance lead? He himself was not confident.

Heo Nam-Jun revealed, "That was the most unresolved part. At the beginning, I had so much concern that I asked the director and writer countless questions."

Particularly in Episode 1, the "flower fight scene" with Shin Seo-ri. The setting where he quarrels with the female lead from his entrance was far from a typical romance lead.

Seeing the whole picture, the answer became clear. He explained, "His words are harsh, but he takes care of everything behind the scenes. The script was written so Cha Se-gae couldn't be bad."

"With those devices in place, I had confidence that even acerbic speech would be felt as charm. Above all, Shin Seo-ri is no pushover either. When strong characters meet, the synergy came alive."

◆ Writer Kim Eun-sook, Are You Watching?

What led Cha Se-gae to likability was unexpectedly near-dislikable dialogue and cringeworthy lines. For instance, when Shin Seo-ri ate candy, he would take it and say "disgustingly sweet," or "forget all the other girls and look only at me."

Somewhat violent yet cringeworthy lines reminiscent of Han Ki-joo (played by Park Shin-yang) from "Paris Lover" (2004). Online, responses like "Writer Kim Eun-sook, are you watching?" even emerged.

Just as writer Kim Eun-sook turned cringeworthy lines into quotable lines, Heo Nam-Jun's digestibility was formidable. Through his delivery, uncomfortable dialogue transformed into desperate, sensual language.

This was not a difficult point for him. Heo Nam-Jun said, "When I first saw it, I didn't feel 'this is a big problem' at all. Since I'm an actor, I thought about how to digest what was given to me."

"Of course, there was a moment of slight sighing. (Laughter) Still, a spirit of challenge that it would be fun if I pulled it off was greater. The writing naturally blended in, so it actually felt rather inevitable."

With the addition of explosive tear acting in emotional scenes in the latter half, he completed the character's temperature. Starting with harshness, he eventually convinced with sincerity, adding depth to the character.

◆ "The Talented Work Harder"

The transformation of Cha Se-gae's harshness into lovability owed credit to the opposite actor as well. Lim Ji-yeon, simultaneously acting out both Kang Dan-sim and Shin Seo-ri in the drama, handled melodrama, comedy, and action.

Lim Ji-yeon was also trying comedy for the first time, so she held nothing back. She made memorable scenes with unhesitating abandon. The possession meme, the home shopping scene, and the electrocution scene with eyes rolled back all came from this.

Heo Nam-Jun said of Lim Ji-yeon, "Her personality was really good. Even in physically demanding moments, there was no wavering," and "She was so busy there was no time to sleep, yet she never flubbed a line."

"Rehearsals were never rough either. Already, I could see what she intended. I thought, 'The talented work harder.' I acted while getting stimulated every time on set."

His sincerity toward the work came through in his acting. He said, "As the character began to stick to my body, I thought from the character's perspective and gradually added small 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 I can. I act with conviction, relying on instinct rather than my head."

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

Now in his seventh year of acting career, he is having his best period ever. He said, "I went straight into the next project 'Whale Star,' so I didn't fully feel the response. Still, being on set, I notice the frequency of people recognizing me has increased."

His SNS followers increased by 900,000 before broadcast. Heo Nam-Jun laughed, saying, "Originally, mostly Korean fans left reactions. These days, there are many comments in various foreign languages."

Among the most memorable comments, he cited "It's not my style but it bothers me." He said, "It felt like proof that I succeeded, so I felt good seeing it."

He gave all credit to the work and the team. "Fundamentally, the writing is good, the directing is skillful, and it was captured well, so the drama succeeded. Thanks to that, my acting shone too," he said.

Still, what is actor Heo Nam-Jun's unique strength? He said, "I seem to be good at maximizing emotions. Also, I think people related because I showed not just cool moments but the weak and petty side everyone has."

Heo Nam-Jun concluded with a calm pledge.

"I haven't been lazy until now, but I think I need to work even harder. As much as the lines I have to deliver and the roles I carry, I will work responsibly and diligently. There will be days when reactions are divided, but I will accept what needs accepting, focus on what's essential, and continue professionally going forward."

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