[The 'Mujinseong' I Saw] As I Speak, As I Dream
Played the role of genius hacker Ki Young-do in 'Killer of Married Women'"I want to become an infinitely versatile Mu Jin-seong"Actor Mu Jin-seong recently met with reporters at the
building in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, to discuss MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Killer of Married Women'. /Alien CompanyWhat does an unrefined star look like? The entertainment industry has many stars who receive public attention, and many media outlets follow them. Even when interviews are scheduled, it is rare to have one-on-one meetings. Since multiple reporters interview them together, the content is often similar. It is common for even photos and videos to be produced and distributed by the agency. Even in this reality, delivers the pure, unadulterated impressions of a reporter's eyes. (Editor's Note)[By Choi Soo-bin] Actor Mu Jin-seong truly lives by the motto "speak your mind." In the three meetings since 2024, Mu Jin-seong has presented new goals each time, and upon our next meeting, he has invariably returned having made those words a reality. Of course, all these moments were not the result of chance luck, but the accumulation of time spent constantly contemplating and striving to show something new in each project. That is why I am always curious about Mu Jin-seong's next chapter.Mu Jin-seong recently held a wrap-up interview for the MBC Friday-Saturday drama 'Killer of Married Women' (written by Kim Eun-hee, directed by Yoon Jong-ho) with reporters at the building in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. He played the role of genius hacker Ki Young-do and shared various stories related to the drama.I first met Mu Jin-seong in the summer of 2024. At the time, he had just finished the Disney+ original series 'Tyrant' and expressed a humble wish: "I hope to encounter good projects in the future." The following winter, when we met again, that wish had become a reality. He had encountered the tvN Saturday-Sunday drama 'Taepung Sangsa,' a good project, and showed a different side of himself. Perhaps because of this, Mu Jin-seong at that time went a step further, saying, "In 2026, I want to show diverse and new sides through multiple projects, not just one."And in the fall of 2026, Mu Jin-seong, whom I met for the third time, sat before reporters, having once again turned his words into reality. In the MBC Friday-Saturday drama 'Killer of Married Women,' he became a cool yet somewhat clumsy genius hacker, and in the Netflix original series 'Field Mouse,' released around the same time, he transformed into a mysterious accountant whose inner thoughts are difficult to read. The two roles were so different that it was strange to think they were played by the same person, and both projects received positive responses.Of course, not everything happens just by saying it. As I watched Mu Jin-seong's words gradually become reality from 2024 to 2026, what became even clearer was the effort behind those achievements. Rather than simply accepting the given characters, he spent time contemplating to bring out his own unique persona, and he didn't overlook even the smallest scenes. These accumulated efforts have shaped the Mu Jin-seong of today.However, 'Killer of Married Women,' being based on a popular webtoon, also came with pressure. The drama depicts the struggles of a 'working mom' (a woman who works while raising children) with the world's most dangerous job, as she fights to maintain her 'work-life balance' (balance between work and personal life). It is based on a webtoon of the same name and concluded its 14-episode run on the 12th.Mu Jin-seong showed a new side as the genius hacker Ki Young-do in 'Killer of Married Women.' /Alien CompanyIn particular, Ki Young-do, played by Mu Jin-seong, was the character who embodied the 'cold beauty' aspect in the original work. To best realize the original webtoon's art style, Mu Jin-seong constantly exchanged opinions with the staff, from his hairstyle to his outfits. He recalled, "My biggest concern was how to fill in the parts that weren't depicted," adding, "I put a lot of thought into how to approach his speech, tone, and expressions."The process of playing a genius hacker was also not easy. Ki Young-do is a key character who supports Yoo Bo-na (Gong Hyo-jin)'s operations in 'Kingfisher' and helps solve cases. He is the team's reliable brain, utilizing his outstanding hacking skills and quick judgment to find various information.Although Ki Young-do had many scenes of hacking alone in front of a monitor, most of the actual filming was realized through post-production. He confessed, "It was very difficult to act as if I was in front of the monitor when the screen was all CG," and "Since I had many scenes where I communicated with senior Yoo Bo-na through an earpiece and radio, it was the hardest part to act while imagining all of that.""Since I had many scenes alone in front of the computer, there were more solo scenes than scenes where I interacted with other actors, which was difficult. There were times when I filmed 26 scenes in one day. Everything was predetermined, from the monitor's position to where I should look and when to operate the keyboard and mouse. Since it had to match the post-production, it wasn't easy to memorize and calculate everything while acting."Mu Jin-seong's interpretation also shaped Ki Young-do's special feelings for Yoo Bo-na in the early part of the drama. He explained, "I thought it was respect, not love," adding, "The jealousy towards Kwon Tae-seong (Jung Joon-won) was likely an uncomfortable feeling that arose from seeing someone I respected sacrificing and dedicating themselves to their family life."Later, Ki Young-do develops feelings for Kwon Se-ah (Lee Eun-saem). However, Ki Young-do was notably awkward around Kwon Se-ah. While he was a genius hacker who knew everything in his head, his mind and body wouldn't cooperate when he was in front of the person he liked, which brought laughter.Mu Jin-seong expressed his determination, "I want to appear in more projects and show people that 'Mu Jin-seong has this side too.'" /Alien CompanyOne of the scenes where this charm is best showcased appears in episode 13. Ki Young-do, upon seeing Kwon Se-ah and Beom Sung-hoon (Choi Woo-seong) together at a convenience store, pretends to be thirsty from work and goes outside. As he tries to enter the convenience store immediately, he bumps into the locked door, not realizing it was locked. This was Mu Jin-seong's idea, not in the script."I thought about how Ki Young-do could come across as a more charming man. The script just said, 'I'm thirsty,' and he enters the convenience store. But I felt that would be a bit bland. I wanted to maximize the confusion and flustered state caused by jealousy, so I asked the staff on set if they could lock the convenience store door. I asked the director, and he said it seemed like a good direction, so we tried it, and the scene was used in the broadcast. I think it helped express the character of Ki Young-do more three-dimensionally, which I liked."Through 'Killer of Married Women,' Mu Jin-seong revealed various facets, including sharp judgment, steadfastness, clumsiness, and awkward budding romance. At the same time, in 'Field Mouse,' released concurrently, he completely flipped the mood. Playing accountant Son Soo-hyun, he created a chilling tension with a persona that was difficult to define as purely good or evil. Mu Jin-seong shared his thoughts, "As an actor, I was so happy to be able to show completely opposite characters once again," adding, "I felt catharsis being able to show completely different characters with duality in a similar timeframe."The reason this moment is even more special is that Mu Jin-seong's goals and dreams have been realized. In 2024, he said he wanted to meet good projects. After meeting good projects, he said he wanted to show new faces to viewers through multiple works. As those words also became reality, Mu Jin-seong promised yet another new face."In the new year, I want to show a completely new side that I haven't shown before. I want to appear in more projects and show people that 'Mu Jin-seong has this side too.' I want to become an actor who can remain in the memories of more people."Over the three meetings, Mu Jin-seong's goals have gradually grown, and his persona has become equally diverse. What is most impressive is that each time we meet, the wishes he expressed last time have become reality. Of course, in that process, there was Mu Jin-seong's intense contemplation, finding his own answers without overlooking even the smallest actions of his characters. Therefore, his current statement, "I want to become an infinitely versatile Mu Jin-seong," carries weight. It is already intriguing to see what new face he will surprise reporters with in his next project, having proven what he said each time through his own efforts.subin7134@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]
