It took Byeon Woo Seok over half a year to choose his next project after the overwhelming success of “Lovely Runner.”
In December last year, it was confirmed that Byeon Woo Seok and IU will work together in a new drama “Wife of a 21st Century Prince” (working title). Since the announcement, fans are excited to see this new pairing work their magic on screen.
On January 27, Star News sat down for an interview with the 33-year-old actor, who won 6 awards at the Asia Artist Awards in December last year. He talked about various topics including reuniting with Kim Hye Yoon, his next project, and working with IU.
After the success of “Lovely Runner”, Byeon Woo Seok received dozens of acting offers, however, ultimately chose “Wife of a 21st Century Prince”.
The story follows an unlikely romance between a high-achieving commoner woman and the prince of Korea’s modern-day constitutional monarchy, who struggles with the emptiness of his royal life.
In the drama, Byeon Woo Seok plays Lee Ahn, the second son of the king in the 21st-century constitutional monarchy. Born into a royal family, his fate is one of being unable to possess anything beyond his royal status, and his life begins to change when he meets Seong Hee Ju (played by IU).
During the interview, he shared the reason for choosing his next project, saying, “What I really wanted to do was something that would emotionally resonate with me. I focused on that while reviewing scripts, and when I read “Wife of a Century Grand Prince”, I found it so interesting that I immediately wanted to be part of it. So, as soon as I read it, I expressed my desire to join the project.”
When asked if he felt nervous about signing the new project, he answered, “There was some pressure, but now I just think, ‘I’ll do my best in the moments I can,’ and I’m focused on giving my best. If I do my best, it might lead to good results. If it doesn’t, then I’ll accept that as it is.”
He continued, “For me, every project feels like ‘this is just the beginning.’ I believe having this mindset is incredibly important. It was the same for “Lovely Runner”, and it’s the same for “Wife of a 21st Century Grand Prince”. The thought of giving my best is always the same.”
Byeon Woo Seok also shared his excitement about working with IU. He explained, “I had the chance to act with IU in a cameo role in “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo” (2016), where I played her ex-boyfriend who had an affair before she went back to the past.”
He continued, “We met back then, but our scenes were brief, so I’m really looking forward to this reunion. I’m excited to act with her again.”
He was also asked about how he was preparing for the ‘prince’ role, Byeon Woo Seok shared, “I’m trying to work out more and I’ve signed up for a new skincare routine. I’m preparing for the shoot that way.”
Meanwhile, MBC is considering year-end broadcasting for the highly-anticipated “Wife of a 21st Century Prince”. If reports are true, it will air after “The Moon Flows Over the River” later this year.
