Actor Koo Kyo-hwan steps away from the intense personas that have become his signature to play a refreshingly ordinary young man in the upcoming romance film “Once We Were Us.” Portraying an aspiring game designer, he hopes audiences will see his character not just as fiction, but as someone they might pass on the street or even recognize from their own lives.

“I wanted Eun-ho to come across as someone you might meet in everyday life [...] like someone they might know, a friend or simply themselves,” he said during an interview at a cafe in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Friday.


Directed by Kim Do-young, who helmed the film “Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982” (2019), the romance film follows two former lovers, Eun-ho and Jeong-won, who unexpectedly reunite on a plane overseas, 10 years after their breakup. As they reconnect, the story unfolds through their shared memories. Koo stars as Eun-ho alongside actor Mun Ka-young, who plays Jeong-won.

Koo described himself as a former “melodrama master” during a news conference on Thursday, noting that he had played romantic roles before achieving widespread recognition through the film “Peninsula” (2020).

Reflecting on the news conference, he laughed and said, “I may have taken the joke a bit too far,” adding, “Let’s wait and see whether I [return as a] ‘melodrama master.’”

He also expressed confidence in the film, highlighting its central theme, love, which he referred to as “the simplest, yet the greatest emotion.”

“I felt it was a story that people would understand well, thinking themselves having been in love before or still being in love now,” he said. “I thought that if it were done right, it could deliver a far more powerful experience than any 4DX film. That’s why I thought to myself to act with complete honesty.”

The film explores the rare chance to reconnect and share memories with one’s past lover, demonstrating how a couple can respectfully say goodbye — something Koo notes is uncommon in real life.

“I think there’s a real sense of thrill to this film,” he said. “Usually, our experiences stop at the relationship itself, but here, through an incredible coincidence, the two characters meet again on a plane and actually get to talk.”

“I believe it’s a cinematic fantasy. It’s something you don’t really get to experience in real life. And that’s when I thought, this is what cinema is for. This is why we watch films to experience stories like this.”

The actor also picked Jeong-won’s bus scene, where she cries after completely ending her relationship with Eun-ho, as one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the film. He called it one of “Korea’s top three bus scenes” alongside the films “The Roundup” (2022) and “Silmido” (2003).

“It broke my heart when I watched it,” he said. “Even the staff members on set ended up crying together during the shoot.”

While portraying Eun-ho, Koo, as in his other projects, was determined to present the character to the audience in the best way possible. Yet, when asked about the reasons behind Eun-ho’s behavior toward Jeong-won, he drew a line.

“I don’t want to make excuses for him,” he said, adding that there were moments when he wanted to give him a light punch. “Actually, I think I was even more immersed in the scene from Jeong-won’s perspective while acting.”

Koo is not only an actor but also works as a creator, making his own video projects. He even participated in making girl group aespa’s trailer video for its song “Rich Man,” incorporating some scenes from a scenario he wrote a decade ago.

As a creator, he relates to Eun-ho’s determination to achieve his dream of earning 10 billion won ($6.8 million) through his game, despite numerous obstacles and failures, noting that the film is also about dreams. He shared that he has experienced many failures as a creator, but he chooses to view them positively and learn from them.

“I often say to myself that failure doesn’t really exist, only fake failures do,” Koo said. “I try not to get stuck in it or let it consume me.”

Following “Once We Were Us,” Koo has a packed schedule with upcoming projects, including director Yeon Sang-ho’s “Colony.” Despite his busy calendar, he shared that he still finds joy in both acting and creating.

“I find it fun when, right after a cut, I can’t recall exactly what I did,” he said. “Honestly, it’s the sensation of just being in the scene that’s enjoyable. Directing also gives me joy because it feels like I’m telling a story to someone.”

The upcoming romance film “Once We Were Us” will be released on Dec. 31.


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]