Ryeoun is shining without any rest through his comeback with Twinkling Watermelon. His written lyrics of youth consists of fever and fantasy.

Twinkling Ryeoun – Super Shine!

The drama Twinkling Watermelon follows the story of a CODA (Children of Deaf Adults) with genius musical ability, who suddenly finds himself crash landing into an unfamiliar place and meeting suspicious youths before forming a band called Watermelon Sugar with them. In the universe of Twinkling Watermelon, Ryeoun portrays the guitarist of the band Watermelon Sugar. So, we shot a pictorial with Ryeoun, the member of Watermelon Sugar; in front of the camera, he shows an early taste of the sugary watermelon youth fantasy, like Harry Styles, Conan Gray, and the New Hope Club.

You received a lot of attention through the drama The Secret Romantic Guesthouse. Twinkling Watermelon has the complete opposite appeal compared to your previous drama, so we are curious on the reason why you pick the drama as your next project.
I won’t dare to say that I have the power to choose a project, for it is still something that is difficult for me to imagine. (laughs) One of my strengths is my spirit towards challenge. I always face every project with the intention of taking it as a challenge, embarking on a journey of learning and making use of the atmosphere as a way to gain as much experience as I can. Twinkling Watermelon is a project in which the script is so interesting that I got so engrossed reading it without realizing so much time has passed. There was no reason for me to hesitate since the drama offers so many colours that I have yet to experience. There are so many things I want to fill through this drama.

The character Eun-gyeol you are portraying in Twinkling Watermelon, what kind of person he is?
Eun-gyeol is a CODA youth born with gifted musical abilities. He is a quiet model student during the day and a passionate guitarist by night, leading a double life daily.

Most of CODA are usually known to be the hearing children living with deaf parents, between the culture of the deaf and the hearing ones, leading to the possibilities of difficulties and confusion while they are growing up.  
This project has exposed me to CODA and I watched a lot of movies and read books related to the subject. I also consulted a lot with the sign language teacher, having conversations in order to approach the culture of CODA as well as understanding their experience and feelings a little bit more. One thing that has left a huge impression on me is how heavy the responsibility is for a CODA. Most of them become the ears and mouths for their parents since a young age, playing the role of a communication bridge between their parents and the world. They more or less become a leader for the family, bearing a significant responsibility for their family. I have come to feel deep respect towards CODA and their culture through this project. I hope that the viewers will get to experience this feeling as well after watching the drama.

We heard that you practiced martial arts a lot for the drama The Secret Romantic Guesthouse. This time around too, it seems that you need a lot of training for sign language, playing guitar, and singing.
Somehow, wrapping up The Secret Romantic Guesthouse and jumping straight into Twinkling Watermelon makes me realize that I really don’t have much time (to practice). But then, Eun-gyeol’s character is someone who is well-versed in sign language, guitar, and singing, so in my opinion, the way to portray a convincing character is by practising continuously. On the days when there is no filming scheduled, I would listen to the sign language lessons or attend the guitar class, in between researching the character Eun-gyeol. As I continue to practice, I have come to realize that the three of them share a common characteristic: one can’t simply be good at sign language, playing guitar, and singing just from memorizing and doing them diligently; you have to include your feelings in order to express yourself and be able to be in tune with your partner. The lessons were difficult in many ways. (laughs)

Do you pay extra attention on any detail in order to portray Eun-gyeol?
I made an effort to visualize Eun-gyeol’s growth between the past and the present. Since the script itself is elaborate, the portrayal comes out naturally by concentrating on the lines and the situation. I also discussed a lot with the director, making it possible to catch the details needed for the scene.

How was the shooting? We are curious on your teamwork with the fellow cast.
I have never imagined that time would fly so fast like this. It seems that we have less than half of the drama left to film. Having similar age actors like Choi Hyun-wook and Seol In-ah around makes the set more lively since we joke around a lot. There are lots of things to be learned from them and their humane qualities. Having back-to-back projects with actors of the same age group after The Secret Romantic Guesthouse contributes to lots of positive energy.

You received the New Actor Award through Through the Darkness and gained huge popularity through The Secret Romantic Guesthouse. Of course every single project you have done contributed to make this version of you today, but do you have any particular project that left a memorable impression on you?
It is difficult to pick a single project since each and every one of them is precious and meaningful to me. Homemade Love Story is memorable to me because my parents really love it; Through the Darkness is the project I’m thankful for because the presence of the galaxy-like seniors gave me a bit of confidence in acting; The Secret Romantic Guesthouse holds a unique meaning for being the first lead role and the first historical drama for me. Even the projects which are yet to be aired such as History of Losers and Twinkling Watermelon will remain long in my heart as well.

You have been an actor for 7 years. Is the any change as you continue your career in acting?
I was originally a very introverted person but I could feel myself becoming more extroverted as I continue acting. I find myself to be comfortable around people on the set and I have the courage to keep moving forward. Ah, but it seems to be restricted only for filming set. As for photo shoots and interviews, I don’t have much opportunity to do them frequently so I can’t help but to be awkward at this. (laughs)

You viewed yourself as a serious person it seems.
I think that I tend to take some time to ponder before answering a question, just like this. The thought process somehow becomes longer when I want to answer everything with sincerity. I often enjoy walking alone while drowning in thoughts. After all, the answer to every concern and worry I have can be found within myself. I go out for a walk in order to find the answer myself.

You mentioned in an interview that you love talking about food. What kind of food do you love?
There is no way I can choose because I like everything that is food. If I really have to pick only one food that I can eat, I would choose raw fish since I enjoy eating it these days. I really love oyster but I choose not to eat it while I am filming for projects. I’m afraid that the schedule might be interrupted if I get sick (after eating oyster).

We heard that your pet cat’s name is Salmon. Do you have anything that you can brag of as a cat butler?
Salmon is the cat we raise at my parents’ house. I am living together with a cat named Udong at my house. Salmon’s name was given because I heard that it is good to give a cat the name of fish. The reason behind Udong’s name is kind of embarrassing: it is the short form of Unie’s younger sibling – Ryeo’U’nie ‘Dong’saeng. (laughs)

There isn’t much time left until the year ends. Do you have any goal for the remaining days of the year?
I am thinking of giving my best for the filming of the drama that we will soon wrap up. It would be great if you can look forward to actor Ryeoun as well as the drama Twinkling Watermelon. I still have a long way to go as an actor. I will continue to show my sincere and improving self, without stopping or getting tired.

©SINGLESKOREA