Although the show and its characters are popular, the actor behind the role remains humble. Jung Sung-il appreciates the attention but believes that maintaining a consistent performance is the best way to express his gratitude. This is his story.

Jung Sung-il recently met with "The Fact" at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the Netflix original series "The Glory" (written by Kim Eun-sook, directed by Ahn Gil-ho). The story revolves around Moon Dong-eun (played by Song Hye-gyo), who was shattered both physically and emotionally due to violence in her youth, and her meticulous, desperate revenge against her school bullies.

In the series, Jung Sung-il plays Ha Do-young, the husband of Park Yeon-jin (played by Im Ji-yeon), who was one of the bullies responsible for Moon Dong-eun's unhealable scars. Ha Do-young unwittingly opens Pandora's box by getting involved with Moon Dong-eun and is forced to confront his wife's hidden past and make difficult choices.

After wrapping up the filming for "The Glory," Jung Sung-il immediately returned to the stage for theater performances. When asked about his recent activities, he said, "I'm working hard doing plays and musicals, and I can feel my popularity has increased. There are more people who recognize me on the streets, and more general audiences are coming to see my performances."

Though he was confident about the show's success, Jung Sung-il did not anticipate the attention it would bring him personally. He said, "I never imagined that I would become an issue or that the focus would be on me. I wondered why I was gaining so much popularity."

He continued, "People have given me nicknames like 'adult sexy' and 'decadent beauty.' I don't really understand why, but I'm grateful that they see me in a positive light. I'm also thankful for the praise and attention from those around me, and for the requests for autographs."

Jung Sung-il's casting in "The Glory" began with writer Kim Eun-sook's pick. While watching "Secret Forest 2," Kim Eun-sook noticed Jung Sung-il beside Yoon Se-ah and thought, "Ha Do-young should be played by him," as she wrote the script.

Because of this, Jung Sung-il heard about the casting news relatively quickly. He said, "I first heard about it a year before filming began. Kim Eun-sook told me that she was preparing for her next work and that I would likely be in it, but I didn't believe it at the time. I didn't have any information to prepare for the role, and time passed without any news until I received the script and attended the first reading. Even then, I felt uncertain, thinking I could be cut at any moment, so I was always anxious."

Although Ha Do-young was created with Jung Sung-il in mind, the actor still had preparations to make. He worked tirelessly to research and perfect his portrayal of the character, both externally and in terms of acting.

Firstly, writer Kim Eun-sook and director Ahn Gil-ho requested that Jung Sung-il lose weight. This was to portray Ha Do-young's strict self-control, including his avoidance of carbohydrates. In response, Jung Sung-il lost 4 kg (about 8.8 lbs) before filming began.

"When I actually lost weight and went to the filming site, they said, 'Why did you lose so much weight?' They said they didn't tell me to lose that much. The director said, 'I don't know why actors lose weight so drastically when they are told to lose a little bit.'"

In terms of acting, I tried to portray 'Korean Yangzoil'. The scene where this is best shown is when Mun Dong-eun first meets the original god. Jung Sung-il said, "Actually, it's not just about following a great actor. I thought more about the meaning in the director's words, like why I should be like this person. It was about conveying a clear message through the atmosphere, nuances, and eye contact."

In the play, Ha Do-young chooses to remain as Ye-sol's father even though he knows everything. As an actor who has lived as Ha Do-young for a long time, was he satisfied with the ending? Jung Sung-il, who has a 7-year-old son, said, "As a father, I empathized with it."

He said, "I've been devoted to childcare outside of work since my baby was born. So I know how hard it is to raise a baby. And I also know that the harder it is, the more proud you feel as your child grows up." He interpreted, "Ha Do-young is a person who sheds everything and the only moment he smiles brightly is when he meets Ye-sol. I think such a person would choose to nurture affection."

However, there were some points that raised questions apart from empathy. Jung Sung-il said, "The soccer field scene was good, but the airport scene made me feel sad. Because he is still a murderer. I acted out the scene where Ha Do-young, who killed someone, holds Ye-sol's hand and smiles, but I had doubts. I was curious whether he could really raise Ye-sol well and be happy after leaving like that, and at the same time, I was worried about Ye-sol."

The "chemistry" with Song Hye-kyo was also a hot topic. There was a lot of curiosity about the two actors' teamwork. Jung Sung-il said he felt once again that Song Hye-kyo was a great actor while working with her.

"Song Hye-kyo is a really great actress. As a viewer, I saw scenes where I wasn't facing her. Especially the scene where she fought with her mom and the fire broke out gave me goosebumps. Sometimes, I saw faces that I hadn't seen before. That's when I realized she was a really great actress. In fact, although she's a top actress in her private life, she's very down-to-earth and I often felt like she's just a person when we were together like neighborhood siblings. (laughs)"

"The Glory" attracted worldwide popularity to the point of being mentioned as a new syndrome. However, Jung Sung-il maintained a composed attitude as if he was hardly an actor in the work. In reality, Jung Sung-il tried not to be swept away by ups and downs.

He said, "I worked hard, and so do many others. However, there are many actors around me who cannot shine due to a lack of opportunities. I was just lucky to do one work, and then I got to do another work because someone liked it. Of course, I always appreciate the fact that I have come this far."

"I don't change much as a person. I always have anxiety, so I have a mindset that I will become extinct if I don't make an effort. Although it's funny to talk about having a beginner's mindset at my age, I want to maintain this attitude. I don't indulge in current interests and issues because I know they will soon fade away. I just want to keep doing what I've been doing, one step at a time."

Lastly, Jung Sung-il revealed how he would like to be remembered by the viewers. He said, "If they say 'this actor is really good,' that would be the greatest compliment. I think the biggest compliment for an actor is being told they are good at acting."

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