Actor Byun Woo-seok expressed his anticipation for his upcoming project, "Solo Leveling".

Recently gracing the cover of the November issue of the fashion magazine Elle, Byun showcased diverse charms oscillating between softness and strength through a pictorial.

An interview was conducted alongside the pictorial shoot. Byun, who has been busy carrying out his Asian fan meeting tour, shared, "When I face my fans, moments come when I encounter unexpected, overwhelming emotions. The expressions on their faces as they look at me and the voices cheering me on sometimes bring a surge of deep emotion. Even when I resolve not to cry this time, it never quite goes the way I want when that actual moment arrives (laughs)."

He also conveyed the joy of experiencing small, everyday routines in the cities he visits for fan meetings. "I tend to feel the local vibe by eating delicious food or walking down the streets," he said. "Above all, walking through the spaces where fans live their daily lives feels special. It is because I am newly moved by the fact that they like and cheer for me, even though we live in different cultures and environments."

Spending most of his days lately shooting and living as Sung Jin-woo from the Netflix series "Solo Leveling," Byun said, "Sung Jin-woo is a friend with a completely different side compared to the characters I have played so far. I am spending a lot of time trying to understand and portray him. Especially since he is a character where the way he uses his body is important, I find myself conscious of my movements and posture even outside the set."

Sung Jin-woo is a character who grows from an E-rank hunter, dubbed the "weakest weapon of mankind," into an entirely different entity. Asked what drew him to Jin-woo, Byun responded, "I liked that he is not strong from the start, but someone who is weaker and feels fear more than anyone else, yet keeps moving forward for what he needs to protect even in such situations. I want to respect the charm of the original work while showing Jin-woo's emotional line that can only be felt in a live-action adaptation."

When further asked what kind of life he would choose if he could "level up" into another existence, Byun replied, "The happiness I feel within my life right now is precious enough. While I need to grow and develop further, I want to live as myself rather than becoming someone else. Even if I were born again, I would want to level up well as Byun Woo-seok (laughs)."

(Photo courtesy of Elle Korea)

(SBS Star News, reported by Kim Ji-hye)