Do Kyung-soo, a member of the group EXO and an actor, opened up about his acting chemistry with his ‘close friend’ Lee Kwang-soo.
A recent interview with Do Kyung-soo from Disney+’s ‘Sculpted City’ was held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
‘Sculpted City’ is an action drama where Tae-joong (played by Ji Chang-wook), who lived an ordinary life, is wrongfully involved in a heinous crime and sent to prison, later discovering it was all planned by Johan (played by Do Kyung-soo), leading him to seek revenge.
Do Kyung-soo plays Ahn Johan, a ‘sculptor’ who orchestrates incidents, portraying a deranged character who dismantles others’ lives as if sculpting them.
This project marked the first substantial collaboration between him and his ‘friend’ Lee Kwang-soo. Though they briefly encountered each other in the 2014 SBS drama ‘It’s Okay, That’s Love’, this was their first extended collaboration.
“It felt like I was seeing him acting properly for the first time on set,” Do Kyung-soo reminisced. “I was surprised by Kwang-soo hyung; I’ve always seen his everyday side, but seeing him immerse himself in the role, he wasn’t the hyung I knew,” he reflected.
He didn’t hold back in praising Lee Kwang-soo’s acting.
“I knew he was good, but his concentration in the moment is unbelievably strong. There’s so much to learn,” Do Kyung-soo said. “Honestly, it made me dislike him. Shouldn’t a character like Do-kyung’s be really unlikeable? But he was genuinely unlikeable on set,” he joked, bringing laughter.
He continued, “I thought acting with close people would feel awkward because it’s not their usual selves, but it was actually easier to focus. Perhaps it’s because he acted so well,” adding, “Before shooting, I worried ‘Would it be awkward? Would I not be able to look him in the eye because we’re close?’ But it was surprisingly more focused, which was fascinating.”
In the conclusion, Johan faces defeat by Tae-joong, but Tae-joong chooses not to kill Johan directly. The lack of a direct depiction of Johan’s death led to mixed interpretations among viewers.
Regarding this, Do Kyung-soo explained, “The action of Tae-joong sparing Johan would be an emotion Johan never felt before. The emotion of someone whom he considered an ‘ant’ saving him would be a first, leading to extreme anger,” he explained, interpreting Johan’s end personally as death.
He explained his certainty about Johan’s death.
“Realistically, he was stabbed, the place exploded; while Tae-joong, who always did good, might have been saved by someone, Johan, who only committed the worst actions, likely had no one come for him,” he reasoned. “Left alone in such situations, I view Johan as dead,” he added. However, he left room for different interpretations, stating, “I believe he died, but the director and writer may view it differently. I don’t know for sure.”
In the final episode of ‘Sculpted City’, Tae-joong is acquitted and returns to a normal life, opening a cafe.
However, a mysterious silhouette appears, hinting at someone preparing a new ‘sculpt’, reigniting tension. Viewers speculated on Johan’s return or the start of a new narrative.
About this scene, Do Kyung-soo expressed, “No one knows. The director seemed to plant an open ending. The director considered using ‘Yumo’ or ‘Johan’ for the silhouette but chose an unknown figure for an open ending.”
Having had a busy year with projects, Do Kyung-soo is also preparing for EXO’s full comeback next spring.
He shared, “We EXO members meet often. There’s a fan meeting, and next week we have an award ceremony,” he said, adding that rehearsing old songs like ‘Growl’, ‘Call Me Baby’, and ‘Monster’ together feels refreshing and fun.
Though active as an actor, EXO remains central to him.
“I will continue EXO activities, work hard to show great performances, release a personal album, and focus on projects,” he said. “It’s more about the resolve of ‘I have to do it now’ rather than a particular mindset, aiming to maximize opportunities that allow for simultaneous work,” he concluded.
Image source: The Walt Disney Company Korea
