Actor Song Joong Ki shared his thoughts on the diverse reactions pouring in for his latest film "My Name is Loh Kiwan." He expressed that he didn't anticipate the mixed responses from the audience but emphasized his subjective satisfaction as a lead actor in the project.

Song Joong Ki met with reporters this afternoon (6th) at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, for an interview commemorating the release of the Netflix movie "My Name is Loh Kiwan." In the film, released on the 1st, Song Joong Ki portrayed a North Korean defector named 'Giwan,' who arrives in Belgium with the last hope of his life.

"My Name is Loh Kiwan" ranked third in the Netflix global Top 10 films (non-English) just three days after its release. Upon receiving congratulations for this achievement, Song Joong Ki commented, "I feel proud when I heard about it this morning." He added, "In fact, I couldn't sleep yesterday and ended up searching for 'My Name is Loh Kiwan' in English. I found YouTubers reviewing it, whether it's positive or negative, I can't resist being curious."

While "My Name is Loh Kiwan" has performed decently on Netflix, there were mixed reactions from both the media and the audience immediately after its release. Some criticized the lack of persuasiveness in the sudden development of a romantic story line between Kiwan, who carries the sadness of losing his mother and living as a stranger, and the female lead 'Marie' in the latter part of the film.

Regarding this, Song Joong Ki said, "I didn't expect such polarized opinions, but when I listen to the views of those who dislike the film and see reviews, it seems they didn't empathize with it. Some say it's inappropriate for a melodrama, and I understand that criticism because I once rejected it for the same reason. But as I watched it again, I hoped that they could empathize with it over time, just like I did." He further expressed his affection for the film by saying, "If even after watching it two or three times, they still can't empathize, then that's beyond my control, as it's like letting go of my child. I personally like to watch a movie several times; therefore, I hope it's not like a disposable paper cup but something that stays."

In reality, he initially hesitated when he received the offer for this project. Song Joong Ki revealed, "Seven years ago, I was asked to work on a project, and we agreed on it because it seemed good, but I changed my mind because there were parts I couldn't empathize with. Then I directed the movie 'The Battleship Island.' At that time, I couldn't empathize with the character who had a sense of guilt, wondering why they were indulging in love. The term 'indulging in love' itself contains criticism, and I couldn't empathize with it."

However, he kept thinking about this film. He said, "I continued to stay on the sidelines. I wondered why I didn't want to participate, but then the script came back to me. But this time, I empathized with it. Although the story remained the same, I think I changed." He further expressed his changed thoughts, saying, "When you want to survive and live well, you start to think about what it means to live well. Living well doesn't mean living with your comrades but living with love from family or a lover."

"My Name is Loh Kiwan" tells the story of Kiwan, a North Korean defector who arrives in Belgium with the last hope of his life, and Marie, a woman who has lost the meaning of life, drawn to each other like magnets. Song Joong Ki and Choi Sung-eun played the lead roles as the male and female protagonists for the first time. You can stream it on Netflix.