Heo Nam Jun’s role as Cha Se Gye may have ended, but his rise as a trending actor is only getting stronger.
The actor recently reflected on the success of “My Royal Nemesis,” where he played Cha Se Gye, a cold chaebol with a hidden emotional side.
Through the drama, Heo Nam Jun showed both modern romance and historical acting as he moved between Cha Se Gye and the Joseon character Grand Prince Cheong Hyeon, Lee Hyeon.
Speaking about the drama’s popularity, Heo Nam Jun said, “I feel really good that ‘My Royal Nemesis’ received love.” He added, “I always do my best in every project, but honestly, I am happy because it did well.”
He also shared that he was fully satisfied with the ending, saying, “I am 100% satisfied with the ending.” He explained that he liked how the story was resolved in the second half and was happy with the overall flow.
When talking about Cha Se Gye, Heo Nam Jun said the character was not simply a bad person. He explained, “Cha Se Gye is not basically a bad person. Because of the emptiness from not being loved, he is someone who wears hard armor in order to survive.” He also said he wanted to show the character’s softer side through small details, such as wearing a stretched out T shirt at home.
Heo Nam Jun also talked about working with Lim Ji Yeon, praising her professionalism and energy on set. He said, “While watching Lim Ji Yeon, I felt that people who are already good work even harder.” He added that she stayed bright even during difficult moments and helped make the filming set comfortable.
He also responded to Lim Ji Yeon previously saying that meeting him was “a miracle.” Heo Nam Jun shared, “On set, we joked a lot, saying, ‘You are lucky you met me,’ but in serious moments, we both admitted that we were thankful to each other.” He added, “She accepted anything I said, and I want to describe her as someone I may never meet again. I mean that sincerely.”
The actor also addressed his recent dating rumor with Hong Yi Seol. Heo Nam Jun laughed it off and said, “Honestly, I never imagined that she and I would have a dating rumor.” He added, “It was really interesting. I thought, ‘So people can connect us like this too.’” He also admitted he was surprised that the rumor became big enough to be reported.
With the success of “My Royal Nemesis,” Heo Nam Jun also ranked No. 1 in actor brand reputation, showing his growing popularity. Looking ahead, he said he wants to try many different genres, including traditional historical dramas and fusion historical dramas.
He shared, “I want to challenge many different works regardless of genre.” He also said he hopes to show deeper emotions through future roles, adding that he wants to try a project with more painful and emotional feelings.
After making a strong impression in “My Royal Nemesis,” Heo Nam Jun is set to return with a new role as independence activist Song Hae Su in the upcoming drama “Whale Star,” scheduled to air next year.
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