Kim Jae-won on His Film Debut, Onscreen Romance and Fear of Falling Short

"Of course there are times when I feel anxious and wonder, 'Am I doing well?'" Kim Jae-won said. "But after thinking it over, I landed on one answer. Give my best every moment. I want to enjoy it as much as I can. If I actually enjoy it, won't the people watching enjoy it too?"

That was the actor's answer to a question about whether fame comes with added pressure. Kim Jae-won has continued to build up his acting profile through series such as "Yumi's Cells 3" and "The Art of Sarah" (Leidi Dua), along with his role as an MC on the music show "Music Bank." By showing different sides of himself across several projects, he has shown his versatility and established himself as one of the rising actors in his 20s.

Next up is his first movie. "Final Interview" (Choejong Myeonjeop), directed by Kim Jeong-hoon, comes out on Nov. 4.

Set during the pandemic, the film follows six job applicants who beat 5,000-to-1 odds to reach a final interview. The room looks ordinary at first. However, the applicants find mysterious envelopes, each holding a secret, and things fall apart.

Kim Jae-won plays Han Jin-woo, an idealist who remains optimistic and composed even in a crisis. He said the script came to him at a time when he was looking to make his film debut. It captivated him so much that he signed on right away. However, bringing the character to life proved more challenging. "Han Jin-woo felt like a difficult role," he admitted.

"Jin-woo doesn't show his feelings on the outside," he said. "So I tried to hold back as much as I could. Everything looks bigger on a big screen, so even a small movement can feel big. I tried to make my movements smaller."

The film also pairs him in a romance with Cho Yi-hyun, who plays Moon Hye-in. In an earlier interview, Cho said she was happy with their chemistry and praised his thoughtful, kind personality. He quickly returned the compliment.

"Yi-hyun has this cute little-sister feel," he said. "I'm younger than her, but as we went through our schedules together, I saw how cute and lovely she is."

"Yi-hyun and I were on the same page on set, even when we were talking things through," he said. "I think we worked well together. If I get the chance, I'd like to work with her again on another project, maybe a classic romance or a romantic comedy."

Cho is not the only older co-star he has been paired with. He has also drawn attention for romances with Kim Go-eun and Shin Hye-sun. After showing chemistry with Kim Go-eun in "Yumi's Cells 3," he explained that having an older sister makes him comfortable around older women. "If you respect boundaries and get close slowly, I think you can become friends," he said.

"The people I've worked with so far have been so kind, and they opened up to me first," he said. "I'm getting every kind of love except my own sister's, so I'm grateful." He laughed as he said it.

"Final Interview" is his film debut, but he looked like a pro on the promotional circuit. His cute poses during photo sessions and stage greetings, the in-theater appearances where cast members say hello to moviegoers, got people talking. "It's only right to give our best to the people who come to see us," he said.

"At some point, stage greetings turned into a culture of connecting with the audience from the stage," he said. "I'm doing my best to match that. I also hope that if it made the audience happy, maybe they'll come back one more time."

He is meeting viewers on TV as well. He has hosted "Music Bank" since February, and his stiff, awkward dancing has become a talking point. "I think I know why I work in this industry," he said. "No matter the genre, I like standing in front of people and being loved." He described "Music Bank" as a place where he can feel fans' love in person.

"With 'Music Bank,' I get to see fans every week, and I love that," he said. "Now, thanks to the movie, I'm feeling that love again through stage greetings. I think that's why I'm especially cheerful at them."

He also talked about where he wants to go as an actor. His goal for now is to be known as an actor who plays his characters convincingly. He added that taking on film this year with "Final Interview" means a lot to him.

"My top goal is to show roles and sides of me that I haven't shown before," he said. "As I slowly build up know-how, I'd love to someday hear people call me 'an actor you can trust.' If that happens, I think I'd be really moved."