Kwon Sang-woo, still in the game

The former heartthrob embraces his later years with broad comedy — and a clear-eyed view of where he stands

Kwon Sang-woo (Su Company)

Kwon Sang-woo has been here before. Starring in modest-budget comedies that don't have blockbuster marketing muscle behind them, bracing for opening weekend numbers while theaters keep losing audiences, and hoping to beat the odds one more time.

"I'm always on edge before a release," he says at a cafe in central Seoul on a Tuesday afternoon. "For about two weeks after opening, I'm a nervous wreck. More than during the actual shoot."

This time around, the 50-year-old is back with "Heart Man," which is equal parts sugary rom-com and wholesome family viewing. His character was once the frontman of a college rock band — all flowing locks and skinny jeans, belting out love ballads at campus gigs — but has long since become a single dad running a modest instrument shop. When his college sweetheart (Moon Chae-won) shows up again, he goes to absurd lengths to win her back, which means keeping his daughter (Kim Seo-heon) out of sight since the woman can't stand kids.

Kwon Sang-woo (left) and Moon Chae-won star in "Heart Man" (Lotte Entertainment)

It's dumb fun through and through, held together by Kwon's willingness to throw himself into embarrassing situations and the sheer cuteness of child actor Kim, who all but makes the film her own. The title alone tells you what you're in for — a not-so-subtle riff on Kwon's equally goofy "Hitman" series, which he suggested as a joke on set. "It's one-dimensional, sure. But it gets attention," he says.

This marks Kwon's third collaboration with director Choi Won-seob, after the "Hitman" films — one in 2020, the other in 2025 — pulled in a combined 5 million viewers. The sequel, in particular, was one of a handful of Korean productions that managed to break even last year when most homegrown titles were tanking.

Lowbrow laughs still do the trick here, and Kwon is back at it with the same playbook and director who got him there.

Kwon speaks of Choi with genuine affection, particularly when it comes to his commitment to a genre that he feels doesn't command much respect here.

"Comedy gets treated like outsider stuff in Korea," he says. "Looked down on, like it's cheap. But in some ways, it's harder than drama or action. You can't lean on music or editing to cover things up. Everything depends on timing, on chemistry."

Kwon Sang-woo stars in "Heart Man" (Lotte Entertainment)

That underdog ethos suits Kwon just fine. He's been grinding in this line of work for years now, far removed from the ripped leading man with the famous abs who once ruled network television. His 2003 melodrama "Stairway to Heaven" made him a star at home and across Asia. A year later came the film "Once Upon a Time in High School" — a scrappy, fists-flying action flick set during Korea's authoritarian 1970s — still talked about by those who came of age with it.

Then the spotlight began to dim. Following his marriage to fellow actress Son Tae-young in 2008, the offers dried up. Fans were surprised to see him show up in 2015's "The Accidental Detective," a buddy-cop comedy where he starred alongside Sung Dong-il.

"After I got married, the kinds of roles coming my way started to change," Kwon says. "There was definitely a transitional period. That's when I discovered the appeal of comedy."

His recent roles share a common thread. In "Hitman," he played a legendary assassin who faked his own death to pursue his dream of becoming a webtoon artist; this time, in "Heart Man," a former rock star raising his daughter while running an instrument shop.

Both are men who've left their glory days behind, getting by as the world moves on without them. Call it art imitating life, or the other way around — they are telling reminders that stardom doesn't last forever, that reinvention may be the only way forward.

Though Kwon doesn't spell it out, the resonance is there, and a certain poignance, too.

"As you get older, you inevitably drift away from the center," he says, matter-of-factly. "I'm clearly in my third act. I think about how much longer I can play leads, what kind of actor I want to be remembered as."

For those old enough to remember the good old days, there are moments where "Heart Man" slips in a sly callback: A parody of his iconic line from "Stairway to Heaven," "Love always comes back around."

"Kids these days don't know me," Kwon says. "I mention 'Once Upon a Time in High School' and they have no clue what I'm talking about. If a line gets picked up again and people remember me through it, I'm grateful."

"Then again, I couldn't name half the young stars out there now. People tell me who's hot, and I have no idea who they're talking about. That's when you know you're slipping away."

Kwon Sang-woo stars in "Heart Man" (Lotte Entertainment)

It's not that Kwon has slowed down. He still keeps fit through rigorous training — boxing sessions at the gym, plus weight training several times a week — and that edge shows in person. "My strength hasn't faded," he says. "If anything, I've gotten stronger." He's also developing his own production, including an action melodrama he hopes to shoot this year.

But for now, the goal is to survive the opening stretch, build some momentum and clear that breakeven point. He's already planning to suit up in his character's rock-band costume for special screening events, to show gratitude to those who show up to see the film in theaters.

"These days, you can stream movies at home for 17,000 won ($12) a month," Kwon says. "So when people actually come to the movies and pay to watch my work — that really means something."

"In fact, it's desperation and gratitude all mixed together," he adds. "We made this with other people's money. If we don't break even, that sits with you."

The fame that once seemed so permanent has proven, like most things, to be fleeting. And "Heart Man" may or may not change anything. Kwon seems to have accepted that not with resignation, but with something closer to grace.

"Of course you get older," he says. "That's just how life goes. An actor has to carry that with him.

"Whether it's a TV series or a film, whether I'm the lead or not — if the role is right, I'm ready to take it on. I just want to keep working, keep showing different sides of myself."

"Heart Man" opened Wednesday.