Um Tae-goo’s Hilarious Secret to Being “Cute” in ‘Wild Thing’: “I’d Rather Die Than Not Be Cute!”

Actor Um Tae-goo has transformed into a rapper for the movie ‘Wild Thing,’ and he recently shared that he approached the role with a hilarious determination: he felt he’d rather die than not be cute!

On the 16th, a video titled “Waiting for the Canelé That Never Comes with Um Tae-goo” was uploaded to the online channel ‘BDNS’.

In the video, Um Tae-goo appeared as a guest for a chat with Moon Sang-hoon. Known for being an introvert, Um Tae-goo was asked by Moon Sang-hoon, “Are you usually the type to get nervous?” To this, Um Tae-goo replied, “It varies, but I’ve improved a lot lately. I talk and joke around much more on set than I used to.”

When asked if he used to be more nervous in the past, he confessed, “I still get nervous, but I used to be even quieter. These days, I talk a lot more. Back then, even going to the after-parties after filming made me incredibly nervous. Now, I don’t feel that way about after-parties anymore.”

The conversation then shifted to his role as rapper ‘Sang-gu’ in the movie ‘Wild Thing,’ which has already become a hot topic. When asked about the “shocking” reactions to the trailer, Um Tae-goo recalled, “During rehearsals, I don’t think I was actually that cute. But on set, after putting on the clothes and talking with the choreography teacher, we decided that I should probably raise the tension, so I just tried it right there on the spot.”

He added, “At first, I felt quite shy. But since it’s my job and the character is so exaggerated and different from me, I told myself, ‘If I’m not cute at this moment, I’d rather die.’ That’s why I think I just went for it, and once I started, it became easier to keep pushing the boundaries.”

Meanwhile, ‘Wild Thing’ is a comedy movie about ‘Triangle,’ a co-ed dance group that once swept the music industry but disbanded overnight due to an unexpected incident. The story follows their reckless challenge to seize a chance at a comeback after 20 years. The film is set to be released on June 3.