Cha Seung-won has redefined the standard for 'special appearances' with 'The Square'.
In the Netflix series 'The Square', released on the 6th, Cha Seung-won appears as 'Cha Young-do', a character who shakes up the scene without belonging to either of the two organizations, 'Joo-un' and 'Bong-san'. The title of special appearance seems inadequate as Cha Seung-won creates special moments in 'The Square' with his heavy presence and overwhelming performance, controlling the flow of the drama.
From the opening of episode 2, Cha Seung-won captured attention with his unusual sharp energy. He tightened the tension with key characters, including the heads of the organizations, Joo-un (played by Heo Jun-ho) and Bong-san (played by Ahn Gil-kang), as well as Ki-jun (played by So Ji-sub), who is obsessed with revenge, and Geum-son (played by Choo Young-woo), a prosecutor and Joo-un's son, using a sly tone and inscrutable expressions.
The identity of Cha Young-do, played by Cha Seung-won, is a twist in itself. As the head of the Planning and Budget Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and a police chief, Cha Young-do has been backing Joo-un and Bong-san for 11 years. While he appears to be a supporter on the surface, he is actually a cold-blooded individual who considers human lives trivial for his own benefit. Cha Seung-won maximized the character's twist with his unique gaze and tone that coexist with both good and evil.
Despite being a special appearance, Cha Seung-won's performance, which drives the overall tension of the drama and enhances immersion with intense action, was enough to rewrite the 'textbook of special appearances'. This appearance is said to have been made possible due to a long-standing relationship with the production company, Yong Film, led by Lim Seung-yong, which has also become a topic of discussion regarding Cha Seung-won's unique loyalty to his works and people.
Previously, Cha Seung-won proved his 'presence master' status through numerous special appearances. In the 2018 film 'Drug King', he made a special appearance as Brian, a character with a dual charm that reveals hidden cruelty behind a kind face, leaving a shocking impression beyond intensity. In the 2012 film 'The King of Deception', he made a surprise appearance as himself, delighting the audience.
His special appearances, regardless of genre, continued this year as well. In February, he graced the opening of BLACKPINK's Jisoo's 'Earthquake' with a noir film atmosphere, elevating the overall quality with his distinctive presence.
In this way, Cha Seung-won always grounds the drama with sincere performances, regardless of the size of his role, leaving viewers with warmth and a deep aftertaste. This is why his next steps are always highly anticipated.
Meanwhile, 'The Square' recorded 7,600,000 views (the value obtained by dividing the total viewing time by the total running time of the work) in its second week of release, entering the global TOP 10 list in a total of 75 countries, including South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Germany, and Switzerland, continuing its global success.
[Son Jin-ah, MK Sports Reporter]
