Actor Ahn Jae-wook (54) talked about his children's reactions to 'Eagle Brothers.'
The KBS2 weekend drama 'Please Take Care of Eagle Brothers!' (written by Koo Hyun-sook, directed by Choi Sang-yeol and Lee Jin-ah), which ended on the 3rd, depicts the well-ripened family story of the five unique brothers from the long-established brewery, Eagle Soju, and the eldest brother's sudden transition to the head of the family just ten days after his marriage due to his husband's unexpected death.
Ahn Jae-wook played Han Dong-seok, the chairman of LX Hotel, who has been widowed for 15 years, showcasing both his prickly charm and late-blooming pure love.
When asked about his plans after the drama, Ahn Jae-wook said, "Now that the drama has ended and my wife is going into a performance, I have to take care of the kids. The vacation has just started."
Ahn Jae-wook and Choi Hyun-joo met in the musical 'Prince Rudolf' and developed into a romantic relationship, marrying in 2015. They have a daughter and a son. Ahn Jae-wook recently supported his wife, who is performing in the musical '42nd Street,' on social media.
He added, regarding his support for his wife on social media, "I have to boost her spirits," showcasing his tsundere charm, and said, "When it comes to triple casting, even if we sing the same lines, the colors are different. There are things the director wants, and if I give advice, it might lead to a conventional performance. When they express themselves in their own way, it comes out differently. Acting has no right answer. So I told them not to worry and to do it confidently. The current cast is great," promoting the show subtly.
When asked about his wife's reaction to the drama, Ahn Jae-wook said, "I think she enjoyed it," but added, "We don't discuss the details of our works with each other."
The conversation naturally shifted to his two children. As a 'late-blooming dad,' Ahn Jae-wook shared, "My eldest is in 3rd grade. Previously, they couldn't see mom and dad's performances, but now they watch together. The kids seem to enjoy it. They find it fascinating to see their mom and dad on stage. It feels good when many people in the theater recognize their dad. I showed a lot of children's plays to my eldest when they were younger," and added, "The youngest hasn't seen it yet. Now they're five, but still too young to control. The youngest seems to be waiting for their sister to get scolded. I think they're contemplating whether to side with dad or mom," he joked.
He continued, "The eldest was amazed watching this drama. When the scenes of Gwang-sook and Dong-seok having a crush appear, they hold hands and go crazy. They don't know how to react," which brought laughter.
When asked if he thinks his children inherited their parents' talent, he said, "We don't notice it ourselves, but people around us say they have talent. We see them every day. I don't think we need to decide in advance whether to pursue this path or oppose it. My wife and I share the common opinion that we prefer activity-based academies over studying. Swimming, skating, art, those kinds of things. We want to catch what the kids show interest in. If they really want to act, we won't stop them, but since we know it's tough, we hope they don't pursue it too much," he said cautiously.
He added, "While being loved by viewers and audiences builds a good career, everything else is tough. I feel happy when the opening music plays at a concert and I hear cheers, but there's stress in the preparation process, and as soon as I get off stage, I don't know what to prepare next, which is hard. It's tough because it's about interacting with people. I get hurt a lot, and I wonder if there's something wrong with me or if I'm lacking as an actor. Everyone works hard, but being loved in that process is not easy."
For this reason, he expressed great gratitude to the viewers who loved 'Eagle Brothers.'
He said, "It's truly a grateful work. I confirmed the love of the viewers again. As an actor, the deeper my age and real age become, the more precious and grateful the work feels. It's not easy to receive the love of viewers. In a way, it can be cruelly cold. But they chose our work, and thanks to that, the actors and staff were motivated to do it."
He continued, "Recently, I went to volunteer at the flood site in Gapyeong, and I've been involved with the Red Cross for a long time. Natural disasters come like a bolt from the blue, so it breaks my heart. I did dishes and served food, and they told me they were enjoying our drama and it gave them strength. So I took pictures with them," he shared.
Ahn Jae-wook started his career in 1994 as part of MBC's 23rd recruitment and has been active in dramas, films, and stage performances. He has built a successful filmography over more than 30 years.
Reflecting on the past, he said, "Looking back, I feel regretful. I don't have regrets, but compared to my peers, I wasn't prolific. I think that's the secret to being able to continue for over 30 years. I knew I would burn out quickly and was afraid of falling off, so I did it that way, but looking back, I think I should have invested a bit more time and effort. I've become an actor in my 50s after going through my 40s, and it's not just formal; the opportunities given to me are precious. I want to create many memories with the people I work with."
He added, "Now that I'm in my 50s, I want to do historical dramas, but the opportunity hasn't come. When I was younger, I received offers for historical dramas, but I think I wanted to do them when I gained depth. However, the more I want to do it, the less the opportunities come. I really believe I can do it well," expressing his desire for historical dramas.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
