[Interview] Kim Woo-bin, "Shin Dong-yup Is a Good Grown-up, My Life Has Changed"

Actor Kim Woo-bin was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer in 2017. His world collapsed when the doctor said he only had six months. He walked recklessly looking at the ground. Suddenly, he thought to himself. "There is no disease I can't overcome". He ran nonstop for 10 years. He thought positively about taking a break. The disease improved remarkably. Eventually, he was cured.

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Kim Woo-bin, who played the role of Lee Jung-eun in Netflix's "Officer Black Belt" said in an interview with Sports Seoul, "I always focused on the future. 'I will become a better actor in 10 years. I want a better body, so I will exercise more. I won't sleep tonight'," he recalled. "That made me feel my days were too short."

"Thanks to the standard contract, I'm given time off these days, but I used to stay up all night for four to five days. Back then, I slept for an hour and worked out for two hours if given three hours. I overworked. As time passed, I felt sorry for myself. As I thought about it, my life changed".

He reflected on the meaning of a day. "One of them is to look at the person you are talking to more often", Kim Woo-bin said. "There were many times when I couldn't even remember what I was wearing even though we were together all day long. If I focus on the other person, I feel like I have lived a better day and I feel happy".

There was also a talk about 'good grown-ups'. He said, "I was affected by the presence of good people around me. I'm trying to be like them". He mentioned Shin Dong-yup.

"It's hard to define a good adult in one word, but I think it includes people you want to see, remember the moment and contact. I met Shin Dong-yup in his 20s while working on a sitcom called ""Vampire Idol". I've been longing to meet him but I just wanted to say hello. He was on TV all the time so it must have been a really busy time for him. I didn't want to take his time away from his family. It was so nice to meet him".

From "Alienoid" (2022) to "Alienoid: Return to the Future" (2024), "Black Knight" (2023), and "Officer Black Belt" (2024), Kim Woo-bin has continued to build up filmography to show a healthier performance. "I am more grateful to see you welcome me in "Officer Black Belt"", Kim Woo-bin said. "I don't mind the ligament injury I sustained while filming the action scene. It's something that I can endure because I decided to take action".

He also expressed his gratitude to his lover Shin Min-a. "She was happy that I met "Officer Black Belt" and was grateful for it. She really enjoyed watching it and liked it", Kim Woo-bin said, ending with an awkward smile.