Byun Woo-seok Uses Dazed Korea Cover to Champion Indie Films: "I Hope to Help, Even a Little"

Byun Woo-seok is putting his Dazed Korea cover to work for a cause close to home: supporting independent films.

For its November issue, Dazed Korea rolled out five covers, a photo spread, and an interview with the actor. The shoot doubles as a tie-in to SIFF x Byun Woo-seok: Shorts on 2025, a production support initiative he’s backing with the Seoul Independent Film Festival, adding extra weight to the collaboration.

The concept is simple: film. Instead of high-gloss fashion, Byun leans into a stripped-down mood ― sometimes reading like a fresh-faced indie lead, other times delivering a quiet, lived-in intensity that impressed the crew on set.

"In other shoots I might need to be more fashion-forward and flashy, but because today’s theme was film, I thought it was important not to get in the way of that," he said. "Even if I had to be front and center, I wanted to show something more raw than polished."

Sharing why he launched the production support project with the Seoul Independent Film Festival, Byun added, "What I can do isn’t huge, but at a time like this I wanted to lend whatever little strength I can. Independent films often produce remarkable results despite limited circumstances. I wanted to help, even a little, with the real-world challenges of making movies. Right now, this support project feels like my way of cheering them on. If there’s something I can do ― even on a small scale ― I want to do it."

He continued, "Independent film is a precious space ― and a genre ― where new and inventive directors, writers, actors, and crew members can naturally shine," underscoring his deep affection and support for Korea’s indie scene.

Photo: Dazed Korea

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)