Song Joong Ki says he wants to get away from the chivalrous, cute roles that propelled him to success in the drama series, "Descendants of the Sun."
The 30-year-old, best-known for his role as Captain Yoo Si Jin, the sweetly, gallant boyfriend of Dr. Kang Mo Yeon, played by Song Hye Kyo in the mega-hit drama, said that he is now keen to play a role that has a cold personality.
"I think there are sides of me that are like that. A thriller could be fun, too." Korea Herald quoted the actor as saying to a group interview at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on April 15. "I'm a fan of Edward Norton and if you see his early works, he plays a lot of those roles."
In June 2009, Joong Ki revealed his desire to assume cold roles like Jang Jun Hyuk, played by Kim Myung Min in 2007's "Behind The White Tower," Drama Beans reported. In the drama, Jun Hyuk is an ambitious and cold doctor, who is determined to get what he wants at all cost.
Joong Ki, whose other notable roles include Kang Ma Ru in "The Innocent Man," sees his next role in the upcoming "Battleship Island" film, as part of his effort to move away from charming roles and stressed that it is a dream come true for him.
"I really wanted to do a period piece set in the Japanese occupation era," he revealed. "With this film, I've cleared one longtime goal."
In the film, Joong Ki will portray Park Moo Young, an independence warrior who penetrates the walled-up island to rescue a group of captured fellow Korean fighters. With a 2017 intended release window, the film explores the concealed story of 400 Korean laborers who were persuasively taken by the Japanese military to the Hashima Island to work in the coal mines during World War II.
Although the actor admitted that he wanted to break free from his cute roles, Joong Ki revealed that he does not want to relinquish his pretty-boy image and stressed that realistically, looks offer an advantage to an actor.
Due to his skyrocketed popularity, Joong Ki said that he feels burned with responsibility and that he have to work harder and concentrate more on his craft, as he does not want to disappoint the local and international fans who are supporting him.
Check out the video below: