A multi-dimensional performance blending bluffing and inferiority as Hwang Dong-man, a man who has dreamed of debuting as a film director for 20 years.
Koo Kyo-hwan is currently starring in the JTBC Saturday-Sunday drama ‘Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness’ (written by Park Hae-young and directed by Cha Young-hoon), which premiered on the 18th of last month. The series follows a man who struggles with envy and jealousy as the only one among his successful friends who hasn’t made it, eventually searching for peace. The 12-episode drama has aired 8 episodes so far.
Koo Kyo-hwan leads the story as Hwang Dong-man, who has spent 20 years dreaming of becoming a film director. While teaching at a creative writing academy and working part-time jobs to make ends meet, he refuses to give up on his dream.
However, because he has remained in the same position for so long, those around him treat him like an outsider. Despite having his years of endurance dismissed, he is a character who declares, “I will fish up the truth that shines at the end of my worthlessness.”
That said, Hwang Dong-man is far from a perfect person. He is jealous of his friends’ success and feels bitter when others’ films do well. He bluffs in front of those more successful than him and often speaks sharply in a desperate bid for recognition. While the character could easily come across as pathetic or unlikeable, Koo Kyo-hwan meticulously layers the anxiety and void within him, ensuring Hwang Dong-man is more than just a nuisance.
As a result, it is impossible to hate Hwang Dong-man. Even when he acts wrongly, you find yourself rooting for him. This is because Koo Kyo-hwan vividly portrays how his bluffing and aggression are actually desperate struggles to protect himself. He pretends to be fine on the outside, but inside, he is more terrified than anyone. Koo Kyo-hwan expresses these subtle emotional nuances with incredible detail.
What is most impressive is how he portrays Hwang Dong-man’s sense of lack. A prime example is the scene where he binge-eats after returning home. Even when people ask him, “How long are you going to cling to that dream?”, he doesn’t explode in anger. He silently endures it, pretending everything is fine, but his emotional state is marked by ‘hunger’.
Once home, Hwang Dong-man opens the fridge and frantically eats. Despite the lack of dialogue, Koo Kyo-hwan uses the act of eating aggressively to show just how empty and deficient the character feels. It is less about physical hunger and more of a struggle to fill the void in his heart.
The scene where he takes the bus home after learning he was rejected for film production support is a highlight of Koo Kyo-hwan’s delicate expression. Hwang Dong-man listens to music through headphones, swaying his body and forcing a smile. At first glance, he looks like an ordinary person enjoying music on the way home, but his expression tells a different story. He looks like someone who wants to cry but forces a smile because he fears he will completely collapse if he lets a single tear fall. While the corners of his mouth are turned up, his eyes are shaking as if they might break at any moment. Through these minute changes in expression, Koo Kyo-hwan poignantly depicts the character’s desperate will to survive.
The scene of him walking home after getting off the bus also leaves a deep impression. There is no special dialogue or intense close-up. He simply trudges along. Then, he suddenly begins to run as if struggling, shouting, “When I can’t prove myself by being great, I prove myself by breaking down.” He eventually loses his balance and rolls on the ground, a sight that feels truly desperate. It feels like the struggle of a human being who wants to prove his existence and escape his own worthlessness.
Koo Kyo-hwan’s true talent lies in making Hwang Dong-man feel like someone who could exist in our own lives rather than a special character. Everyone has likely suffered because of their own perceived worthlessness, felt small compared to others, or tried to pretend they were okay. Through Hwang Dong-man, Koo Kyo-hwan naturally evokes emotions that viewers have experienced themselves.
It has reached a point where saying Koo Kyo-hwan is ‘acting’ as Hwang Dong-man feels awkward. In fact, viewers have reacted by saying, “I can’t imagine anyone other than Koo Kyo-hwan as Hwang Dong-man.” He has moved beyond portraying a character to becoming the person himself.
The character itself could easily be disliked, but it is the actor’s job to make that character multi-dimensional and persuasive. Koo Kyo-hwan is doing that difficult task brilliantly. ‘Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness’ vividly demonstrates why Koo Kyo-hwan is an irreplaceable actor.
‘Everyone is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness’ airs every Saturday at 10:40 PM and Sunday at 10:30 PM.
