[Edaily Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] “This is my first time working on such a big commercial film, and I could still feel the audience’s energy the very next day.”

Actor Kang Yu-seok shared his thoughts on meeting the audience during an interview for the movie *The Final Interview*, held on the 3rd at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

He had met with audiences during a stage greeting last weekend ahead of the film’s release. In a previous interview, Kim Jae-won had stated that among the cast of *The Final Interview*, he was unrivaled in charm and energy. He also added, “I’m looking forward to seeing Yoo-seok hyung as well.”

In response, Kang Yu-seok joked, “I don’t see Jae-won as a rival,” adding, “I’m the better one.” He also expressed confidence in his ability to connect with audiences, saying, “Even though it was physically exhausting, after doing the on-stage greeting, I found myself brimming with energy when I went to the set the next day.”

“The Final Interview” tells the story of six job applicants gathered at a final interview venue who discover mysterious envelopes containing revelations about each other, leading them to suspect one another and fall into confusion. Kang Yu-seok plays the role of mediator Lee Hee-chan in the film.

When asked about his thoughts ahead of the film’s release, Kang Yu-seok drew attention by saying, “I felt regret because I fell short. I watched it thinking, ‘What if I had done just a little better?’”

He added, “I can’t eliminate that sense of regret entirely, but if I think of it as a scale of 10, I hope to gradually reduce it to 9.7 or 9.5 with each future role. That way, by the time I die, if my regret is down to about 1, I’ll be able to close my eyes in peace,” expressing his ambition as an actor.

Kang Yu-seok also shared that playing the role of a job seeker allowed him to reflect on his own experiences. “I was desperate just to land a single small audition right in front of me, and I lived my life focused solely on that one thing,” he said. “I think it’s the accumulation of those moments that has brought me to where I am today.”

He continued, “There were times when I struggled just like Hee-chan did, after failing over 200 auditions. I even felt discouraged, wondering, ‘Am I really cut out to be an actor?’ and I’d sometimes break down crying on the way to an audition.”

Kang Yu-seok added, “Before that, I think I was pretending to be a decent person and someone who worked hard, but I decided to just be myself for three or four months. I just needed to tell my story and exist as myself, but I guess I was in too much of a rush back then.”

Kang Yu-seok said that during his break, rather than blaming himself, he took time to reflect. “I spent time thinking, ‘Why did I get rejected? What went wrong?’ After taking about three months to do that, I started passing auditions,” he said, adding, “It’s incredibly moving to be here right now, filming a movie and giving this interview,” which drew attention.

“The Final Interview” is a drama filled with one twist after another. Amidst all that, Kang Yu-seok delivered a powerful performance in his role. Although he was offered the role of Hee-chan, he said he had actually read the script before receiving the offer.

Kang Yu-seok said, “My first impression of the script was that it was incredibly immersive and thrilling. As I followed the investigation to find the culprit, I found myself thinking, ‘Oh, it was him,’ or ‘Wait, no?’” He continued, “After finishing the script, I really wanted to play Hee-chan, and then I was told I’d been offered the role. I said, ‘That’s amazing! I’ll do it right away.’ I didn’t hesitate at all.”

Through this project, Kang Yu-seok worked alongside Jo Yi-hyun, Kim Jae-won, Shin Seung-ho, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Bae Kang-hee. When asked if he felt any pressure as the oldest member on set, he replied, “I think everyone was just a bit reserved at first. After a while, rather than me leading the way, the six of us just clicked together,” he said, boasting of their chemistry. He then smiled and added, “I went to an all-boys middle and high school, and it made me think, ‘This is probably what it would feel like if I’d gone to an engineering school.’”

He said he felt they had become “one team” not just in terms of friendship but also while acting. Kang Yu-seok said, “I could see that they were doing an excellent job both as actors and in their roles, and I really felt the chemistry between us. It wasn’t much different from working with star-studded senior actors.”

He continued, “Not a single one of them was frivolous; all six of us prepared intensely. We acted with seriousness in every single moment.” He added, “I could feel my own acting improving, and it felt like a time filled with admiration and connection. It was fun and joyful. It also felt like acting in a play with friends my own age.”

“The Final Interview” opens on the 4th.