'Mousetrap' actor Sul Kyung Gu on performing action scenes at 59

On September 2, Sul Kyung Gu (59) sat down for an interview following the release of his Netflix series Mousetrap, where he revealed why he chose the project despite its numerous action scenes.

Mousetrap is a mystery chase thriller that follows Moon Jae (Ryu Jun Yeol), whose name, face, and entire life are stolen by a mysterious man known as "The Rat".

In the K-drama Sul plays No Ja, a loan shark who is trying to collect an unpaid debt.

Commenting on the character, he said, "I found the character No Ja interesting. I thought I could play him freely, without being confined [by any particular framework]. I think the writer wanted No Ja to be a more weighty character, but I seem to have loosened him up a bit. As his journey with Je Moon Jae began, I think I loosened up through their back-and-forth banter, showing different sides of him. In doing so, I think I tried to make him appear a little more three-dimensional."

In the end, No Ja did not receive his money back from Je Moon Jae. So, what was No Ja feeling?

Seol Kyung Gu said, "I think No Ja's heart changed. Through this experience, perhaps he looked back on himself and reflected on his past. I think he became disillusioned with himself and began to wonder what could help him recognize who he was before committing [further] evil deeds. That is why I think he felt sorry for Je Moon Jae. I think he was saying to Je Moon Jae what he was actually saying to himself." 

He continued, "Doesn't he often tell Je Moon Jae, 'Live for real'? Since Moon Jae is rather clueless, he probably said it to him several times. I think that, too, was something he was saying about No Ja, who had lived a fake life. In other words, 'Don't live the way I did.' I think the writer was trying to convey a message through No Ja."

What did he think about the ending in which No Ja returns home? "Personally, I thought that No Ja should be punished for his wrongdoing and be arrested. When he returns home, I think the intention was to portray his elderly mother as remembering only the No Ja from the past and treating him as casually as if he were a child who had simply gone out. But I thought he should be punished."

Sul also shared behind-the-scenes stories about filming the action scenes: "Jun Yeol would get choked and pass out early on, then just lie there. I was always the one who had to clean everything up. I grumbled, asking, 'Does the old guy have to clean up everything?' Taking care of the aftermath was definitely tiring, but it was fun."

He recalled the experience, saying, "I worked with what I knew how to do. Rather than doing precise, sharp action, I made use of the strengths of the action I had done so far. Filming inside the car was really difficult because it was so cramped. We even apologized to each other beforehand, saying we might accidentally hit one another."

When asked what drives him to continue performing action scenes despite getting older, the actor said, "Honestly, I do worry. There were scenes where I had to run at night, so I was very concerned because I had no idea what might be lurking on the ground. I worried about spraining my ankle in the bamboo forest. If something went wrong, I could seriously injure my ankle. I don't know why they make me do so much action, but since it's what I was given, I have to do my best. I had fun. Director Kim Hong Sun completely trusted the action director. So the action director handled all the action and the cuts. Director Kim Hong Sun mainly just gave his opinions. By entrusting him with so much responsibility, they were able to produce high-quality scenes." 

He added, "It's not that I'm taking on action as a challenge. I do it because the story is interesting and it happens to have action in it. I think the action adds more richness to the story. I don't think action has much to do with age."

Mousetrap ranked No. 5 on Netflix's Global Top 10 list for non-English TV shows just three days after its release. Sul Kyung Gu commented, "I don't know why it has received so much love. Perhaps the ending of each episode made people curious [about the story ahead]. It makes you want to watch the next one," he said.

He expressed his gratitude to viewers, saying, "I think our series is one that you need to watch with concentration. If you get even a little distracted, you can lose track of [the plot]. I feel like it looks patchy if you watch it while doing something else. So I thought, 'They must be watching it with a lot of interest and affection.' Otherwise, you might miss things. I'm grateful. It's not easy to watch all 10 episodes straight through."

Mousetrap is streaming on Netflix.

Source: Newsen