Joo Sang Wook has named SBS drama Agent Kim Reactivated as one of the most meaningful projects of his career, saying the series noticeably changed how people recognize him.
During a recent appearance on BoldPage’s interview series Global Q’s, the actor spoke about the response he received after the drama ended in July, as well as his experience filming action scenes with So Ji Sub.
Asked whether he could feel his recent rise in popularity, Joo Sang Wook said people had started approaching him differently in places he regularly visits.
He explained, “People used to tell me, ‘I enjoyed Giant,’ but now that has changed to, ‘I enjoyed Agent Kim Reactivated.’”
Joo Sang Wook added that while he hopes to continue making memorable projects in the future, Agent Kim Reactivated currently stands out to him.
“It isn’t easy for viewers to remember even the character’s name,” he said, referring to the attention received by his role, Joo Kang Chan. He then joked, “Maybe I should just change my name to Joo Kang Chan. We even have the same family name.”
The actor also shared behind-the-scenes stories from his action scenes with So Ji Sub. According to Joo Sang Wook, successful action sequences depend less on simply hitting or being hit and more on the coordination between the actors.
He praised So Ji Sub for helping him throughout the filming process and recalled one particularly demanding day.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day when I kept getting hit,” he said jokingly.
Joo Sang Wook explained that some planned action sequences had to be removed because filming time was limited, adding, “If we had more time, I probably would have eaten a late-night meal and then gone back to getting hit again.”
Beyond the action scenes, Joo Sang Wook said his approach to acting has also changed with time. While he used to feel anxious whenever he was not filming in his 30s, he now feels more comfortable about his career and believes he may be able to take on even more projects in the years ahead.
He also briefly discussed the possibility of acting again with his wife, Cha Ye Ryun, whom he met while filming MBC drama Glamorous Temptation before the couple married in 2017.
Joking about one condition for appearing together again, he said, “We would have to avoid meeting each other during filming. There’s no other reason. I’d just feel embarrassed.”
For Joo Sang Wook, the response to Agent Kim Reactivated appears to have marked a new chapter in his career, with viewers now recognizing both the drama and his character more strongly than before.
