[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] “I ended up becoming an introverted CEO by chance, but once I get to know people, I’m actually quite different. I’ll do anything for ‘Tazza 4.’”

Actor Noh Jae-won expressed his affection for the film “Tazza: The Song of Belzebub” (Tazza 4) during an interview held on the 14th at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.
“Tazza 4” is a crime thriller in which Jang Tae-young (played by Byun Yo-han)—who thought he had it all thanks to his online casino business—and his best friend of the same name, Park Tae-young (played by Noh Jae-won), who took everything from him, meet again on the global gambling scene to settle the score. Author Heo Young-man, the creator of the “Tazza” series, has even cited “The Song of Beelzebub” as his favorite story in the series.
“Tazza 4” marks Noh Jae-won’s first leading role in a commercial film. “I can’t sleep,” he said. “‘How could they cast me as the lead?’ It’s not something to take for granted.” He added, “I’m so grateful—it feels like a dream.”
No Jae-won went on to say he would do anything for “Tazza 4,” adding, “I’d even dance. If we hit 5 million viewers, I’ll dance to (ATEEZ’s) ‘Bad,’” and he even gave a brief demonstration of the signature choreography. When asked if he had practiced, No Jae-won was startled and replied, “I’ve never tried it. I hope you don’t even imagine me practicing,” drawing laughter.

The character Park Tae-young, played by Noh Jae-won, feels inferior to his friend Jang Tae-young, a sentiment that ultimately leads to a catastrophic outcome. He also displays psychopathic tendencies. However, Noh Jae-won said he doesn’t view the character as a simple “villain.”
In fact, Noh Jae-won prepared for the role by thinking of a friend he admires and wants to emulate, using Byun Yo-han as his benchmark for acting. Noh Jae-won smiled and said, “I intentionally tried to imitate everything about Senior Yo-han,” adding, “I even secretly checked the brands of his clothes and bought the same ones.”
Noh Jae-won said, “He was a character who, more than any other, was pure and wanted to be loved,” adding, “When I’ve played other villains, I’ve tried to find that common ground with the audience, but while playing this character, I thought of him as someone who rationalizes his actions by saying, ‘Shouldn’t I be praised for working this hard for my own life?’”
As the edited footage—which originally ran over four hours—was condensed to 129 minutes, Park Tae-young’s storyline was also scaled back. Noh Jae-won explained, “Park Tae may seem crazy, but he has his reasons,” adding, “Park Tae wants to be like Jang Tae, so he mimics everything he does—even his stance at the pool table and the way he holds a baseball bat. There was also a scene where he tried to woo Tae-hee, and a line where he said that every time he dated multiple girlfriends, he ended up not having a single girlfriend,” he revealed.

Regarding Byun Yo-han, Noh Jae-won said, “I relied on him way too much. I think Senior Yo-han was everything to me.” He continued, “In reality, I envied everything about Senior Yo-han, and whenever he looked at me, I’d feel jealous—I think I had mixed emotions. I also learned a lot from his technical skills.”
He continued, “The character Jang Tae is cool, has a lot going for him, and carries himself with confidence, but in a way, Park Tae has moments where he comes across as unlikable and clumsy. I think it was actually that contrast that made us work so well together.”
Noh Jae-won, who has worked with Byun Yo-han on various projects such as “Uncle Samsik” and “Made in Korea,” also expressed special affection for Byun Yo-han, whom he regards not just as a senior but as an older brother. He revealed his overwhelming emotions, saying, “Long before we did ‘Tazza 4,’ he told me, ‘I support your acting, and I think you’re on the right track. Someday, I’d like to see you in a leading role.’ And then I ended up doing ‘Tazza 4.’”
He continued, “We met often before filming and talked for hours on end, staying up all night. We’d sit on the sidewalk, drinking only coffee and water—not a drop of alcohol,” and shared a behind-the-scenes anecdote: “I think we called each other at least once a day. His phone number is saved in my phone as ‘Jang Tae.’”

“Song of Beelzebub” is the final installment in the “Tazza” series, following “Tazza” (2006), “Tazza: The Hand of God” (2014), and “Tazza: One-Eyed Jack” (2019).
Although it brings the 20-year series to a close, Noh Jae-won said, “I didn’t think it was a film that would be overshadowed by the others.” While speaking cautiously, he added, “I think it’s the most entertaining story in the ‘Tazza’ series. The part I liked best when reading the script was the realization that this wasn’t just another ‘Tazza’ film, but a completely different story featuring Jang Tae and Park Tae. It was that fresh of a story.”
“Tazza 4” stars Byun Yo-han, Noh Jae-won, Ayaka Miyoshi, Jo Woo-jin, Yoon Kyung-ho, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Hong Dao, Kim Min-ho, Im Se-mi, and Moon Ji-hoon (Swings). It opens on the 23rd.