(Blossom Entertainment)

“Descendants of the Sun” has come to an end, and so has Song Joong-ki’s role as the dashing Army Capt. Yoo Shi-jin. For the first time since the show’s completion, Song engaged in an interview session at the Grand Hyatt Seoul to talk about his life as an actor and a 31-year-old. Below is the full transcript of his hour-long interview, including responses to questions asked by K-pop Herald readers via email.

Q: What are your tips to acting out a romantic scene? (Asked by Huixin)

Well, not just for romance but also for other genres, the script is always considered the most important. It is always my top priority to go by the script or the book, and that’s why I think that it is so important. Another tip would be to think about why the writer created the scene, why she or he wrote the lines this way, or to put myself in the writer’s shoes.

Q: Are there any specific characters you want to do? What about acting as an antagonist? (Asked by Grace Chong, Tammy Chai, Kara Wynona, Filzah Razak, Marshandyar Aisha Dwitarahma, Mei Yen, Asiya Hussain, Belle Sia, Orachorn Ruangchoengchum, Trang Ngo, M.R. Wang, Sara, Daniella, Karen Ho)

As many of you already know, I‘m quite greedy when it comes to acting. There are many characters that I would love to try out, but I did certainly achieve one of my goals. I have always wanted to act in a drama or film based on the time of the Japanese colonial period, and I will be doing so in the upcoming film “Battleship Island.”

I also want to take on a scary, blood-chilling role one day. Personally, I like the actor Edward Norton. A role similar to what he does would probably be very attractive to me. Maybe in a thriller?

Q: It has been nine years since your debut. What were your goals as an actor and have you achieved those goals? (Melina, Bea Jorda, Intan)

When I was off to a fresh start as an actor, my main goal was to try as many different roles in various genres of works. I didn’t think about trying to reach the top in a short period of time, because I wanted to prevent myself from making mistakes or showing a low quality of acting. In terms of those goals, I think I have partly achieved them, and I am still in the process of doing so.

Q: Talking about genres, are there any genres that you would like to avoid or give a try? (Asked by K-pop Herald)

I have not and will not give much thought to the genre of the drama or movie. That’s why I have acted in the fictional-historical drama “SungKyunkwan Scandal,” fantasy romance film “Werewolf Boy” and others. They were all chosen simply because I loved the character itself. If I am attracted to the role, I think other things (like genre) are pushed out from being a priority.

(Blossom Entertainment)

Q: Your role as a soldier received a lot of attention in “Descendants.” Surprisingly, your next role in “Battleship Island” is also going to be similar. Why did you choose such roles and how will the new character be different? (Asked by Elisabeth C, Ellen Ng)

Actually I never imagined myself in such a role. I just happened to choose a soldier role for “Descendants,” and the same for “Battleship Island,” mostly due to the great storyline. In terms of the latter, the character is a Korean soldier fighting for independence from Japan. I am still in the process of preparing for it so I cannot be specific about the results, but it certainly will be a very interesting piece of work to watch.

By Kim Ji-young (christinekim@heraldcorp.com)