Song says he never wanted to marry late
I go to the theatres a lot to see the movies I’m in. Sometimes, I am sitting right next to someone, so close that I can hear their breathing. It’s fun to see that I’m on the screen and they don’t know I’m right next to them. Song Joong-ki, actor
SEOUL: Actor Song Joong-ki, 31, has commented that he had never wanted to marry late.
He is marrying actress Song Hye-kyo on Oct 31.
Said Song in an interview: “I never wanted to get married late.”
Prompted for comments on his fiancee, Song said: “She’s a very thoughtful person,. Every part of our lives is being talked about. I’m only human and there are times when I have my concerns. But I think we can deal with (the media) wisely.”
The two are in the midst of “happily preparing” for their wedding, Song said. “Nothing is for certain of course, but I’ll probably be thinking about my next project after the wedding. Nothing is in the works right now.”
His most recent role is in the war movie Battleship Island.
In the film, Park infiltrates Japan’s Hashima Island, where hundreds of Koreans have been taken captive and are forced into slave labour in coal mines, to rescue a key independence movement figure.
The character is propelled by a sense of compassion for the downtrodden, Song said.
“At first, he’s a soldier whose duty is to follow orders and complete his mission, and that’s it.
“But he’s later moved by the plight of the people on the island.
“His motivation changes as the movie progresses. He later feels he has a duty to save the Korean people.”
The strong sense of responsibility could be a trait Song shares with the character.
As an actor whose following has expanded overseas, taking on the sensitive subject of Korean- Japanese history could have presented a dilemma; but Song cited the socially accepted notions of “common sense” in his decision to speak out against the historical contentions surrounding Hashima Island.
“People ask me if I was concerned about foreign fans’ responses before deciding to do this movie. Of course I pay attention to fans’ responses.
“I’ve reached a point in my career where one photo of me is uploaded on the internet and all of Asia sees it.
“But I believed that (what the film shows) was just. It’s the right thing to do, which is why I think I wasn’t afraid. It was a small expression of my beliefs.”
On a more day-to- day basis, Song describes himself as a social creature — he finds no stress in spending lengthy amounts of time engaging in group activities. “I think that’s why I was able to adjust so well to life in the military,” he said. He also frequents cinemas. Said Song: “I go to the theatres a lot to see the movies I’m in. Sometimes, I am sitting right next to someone, so close that I can hear their breathing. It’s fun to see that I’m on the screen and they don’t know I’m right next to them.”
Song takes mental notes of which points in the film evoke the collective sighs, gasps and laughter from the audience. “After the movie, when people go out talking among themselves, I can hear everything. Sometimes even the bad things.”