Portraying a character confused with his self-identity in Blind, Ok Taecyeon shares his thoughts on the drama’s end.
Taking on the role of a passionate detective in Blind, actor Ok Taecyeon portrays Ryu Sung-jun, who plays a significant role in exposing the truth about Hope Welfare Center. While he is a passionate detective who pursues the truth, he is also suspected as the culprit of the murders.
Different from his role in Secret Royal Inspector Joy, the actor’s character in Blind is a detective who is persistent and stubborn. Having arrested his own family, the police chief, and the real culprit of the murders in the drama, the actor highlights his talent by depicting his character’s loneliness and emotional changes.
Moreover, he exudes powerful charisma, which draws viewers’ attention and sympathy to his portrayal of Ryu Sung-jun.
Through an interview, the actor talks about his experience and thoughts filming a drama where the perpetrator and the victim have been reversed. He also expresses his gratitude for the drama and its viewers, promising a brighter work in the future.
Accepting the Role
Deciding to appear in the drama as Ryu Sung-jun, actor Ok Taecyeon tells how his character played an important role that triggered the plot’s impetus. Moreover, he states how the uncertainty caught his interest.
“It was more attractive and fun because of the suspicion that ‘Ryu Sung-jun’ may or may not be the culprit.”
While suspicion is also being shifted to his character, the actor notes how it was enjoyable to portray someone respectable while also doubting that uprightness.
“When playing the character, it was interesting and attractive because it gives me the feeling of being a right and upright character while also giving an eerie feeling of being confused about my identity.”
Playing a remarkable character who is eager to pursue the truth, the actor shares what the drama means for him.
“A drama that sends a small message of hope even in the dark and uncomfortable truth.”
On Portraying Ryu Sung-jun
Before he started filming, actor Ok Taecyeon tells how he focused on his eyes for the drama in the thriller genre.
“There were many parts, but the part that paid the most attention was the eyes.”
Given that his character was written intentionally to confuse the viewers, he recalls following the instructions of the director to exude the eerie feeling of the eyes of Yoon-jae when he was still a child.
“While filming, I got a strange feeling from the eyes of the actor who played the young Yoon-jae, and the director told me that if I express those eyes together, the viewers will feel confused, so I tried to create an eerie feeling like a murderer or a psychopath.”
Misjudged for being violent as a detective, the actor’s character has been framed for murder and underwent a lot of hardships. Naming his difficulties while filming, the actor lightheartedly admits how he struggled in some action scenes.
“I’ve done a lot of blood makeup in my previous work, but in this drama, I did a lot of blood makeup, and I suffered a lot because there were many action scenes. But the action team and the actors who were with me were so good that I was able to take it well without getting hurt.”
Lingering Impression on his Character
Ryu Sung-jun is a character who struggled emotionally while believing that he was adopted, which made him wander around his parents and brother. When asked how he analyzed his character, the actor recognizes the anxiety of his gaslighted character whose memories were manipulated since childhood.
Ok Taecyeon notes that he focused on that fact while also considering the fact Sung-jun has an older brother whom he admires and constantly compares himself to.
“I wanted to express how I craved my brother’s heart more than my parents to get what I lacked and struggled to get it.”
Having said that his character was mistaken in thinking he was adopted and mentally tortured, the actor notes the difference in Sung-jun’s outcome from other children who actually came from Hope Welfare Center.
“…but Sung-jun was different from others in that he was willing to reflect on himself and live properly, and I don’t think it’s right to take revenge and kill people like Jung Yoon-jae or his brother Ryu Sung-hoon did.”
Reflecting on his character, actor Ok Taecyeon takes to heart his learnings from the drama’s ending.
“I came to think deeply about the drama’s meaning that accepting the painful past and preventing it from happening in the future is what I should do as an adult and as a member of this society.
Memorable Moments while Filming
Sharing his memorable scene and line from the drama, actor Ok Taecyeon chooses one scene from episode 10 where Sung-jun talks with Mr. Baek in the interrogation room.
“In episode 10…Sung-jun says, ‘A person who has a deep grudge against you enough to kill your daughter, I will make sure that he will be punished.'”
Explaining why it was memorable, the actor admires his character’s sense of justice despite being beaten up by the same person just recently.
“Even though Baek tried to torture and kill him until just before, it was memorable because he showed his willingness to catch the murderer again as a police officer and with his own justice.”
Filming a dark and heavy story with murders, the actor recognizes how it must have been mentally difficult for the production team. In that, actor Ok Taecyeon positively speaks about how the friendly atmosphere among fellow cast members helped in brightening up the set.
“The chemistry between the actors was so good. The energy of actors Ha Seok Jin and Jung Eun Ji on set was so good, and thanks to them, we were able to shoot happily on set until the end…”
Confessing he usually has high tension, actor Ok Taecyeon appreciates how he got along well with Ha Seok Jin and Jung Eun Ji.
“…I usually have extremely high tension, but I didn’t care about those things and accepted them well, and the three of us fit so well that the atmosphere on the site was well created.”
Bidding Farewell to the Drama
With Blind‘s recent conclusion, actor Ok Taecyeon expresses his sadness in wrapping up the drama, appreciating the time he spent with the production team and fellow cast members.
“…The shooting, which started in February, ended around August, and I think I had a really good time with the actors and staff for half a year. It was a work that taught me a lot, and it seems to be a work that makes me feel emotional the more I think about it.”
Saying goodbye to his character, the actor leaves Ryu Sung-jun a message, wishing him a future filled with warmth and good people.
“Sung-jun, you’ve done a great job. Your life wasn’t easy from the beginning, and I think it would be a little easier to think that the betrayal, regret, and all these things you have were meant to make you a better person after all. I’m rooting for every future you go to. I hope you face the future with warmer people.”
Future Plans
As Blind is in the thriller genre, the actor tells how he saw a lot of blood and death, which may have appealed to some. So, for his future roles, he wishes to take on something brighter and light close to his image as an actor.
“For new works, I want to choose works that have a fun and warm feeling and that can show a similar image to Ok Taecyeon. There were many fans who did not like the thriller genre, but thank you for watching until the end. I want to take on a brighter role in the next work.”
Lastly, the actor expresses his gratitude to the viewers of the drama, and promises more refreshing acting in the future.
“First of all, thank you for watching Blind until the end. Since it was a drama with a lot of messages, I don’t dare to say that it would have been nice if it was a drama like this, but I think it would have been nice if I could show you a fresher and more interesting acting. I will do my best to reach you with better acting and enjoyable works in the future.”
Watch Blind on Viu.
Source: enews iMBC
Photos: tvN Drama
[wpedon id=”2271″ align=”center”]
