[News] Return as Hallyu star is no easy comeback for Shinhwa's Eric.

[News] Return as Hallyu star is no easy comeback for Shinhwa's Eric.
Cr. - 10asia

One might presume that playing a Hallyu star for an acting gig would be a piece of cake when you are already a Hallyu star yourself but that is rather what singer-actor Eric is burdened by for his role in upcoming TV series "Spy Myung-wol."

During a press conference held in Seoul on Tuesday, Eric said that him having to play his actual self is what he feels pressured about in taking on top Asia-wide celebrity Kang-woo in what will be his first acting project in three years.

Eric had made his debut in 1998 as the rapper of popular boy band Shinhwa which also gained recognition overseas a few years later but he put his career at a halt in late-2008 to fulfill Korea's two-year mandatory military services.

"It's been a while since I've been a Hallyu star so I've had to recollect on my memory to play Kang-woo," Eric remarked with a smile but added, "It has felt like the way singers feel pressured when they're asked to sing."

He then stated that he felt even further burdened by his role because he has to present himself as someone who is also a solo singer, a career path all other members of Shinhwa have pursued and one that Eric himself has been considering for a long time as well.

"The increasing amount of pressure I've felt in wanting to do a good job as a solo artist when the time comes, combined with having little time to prepare for a scene where I would perform on stage as someone pursuing that very solo career, made me become very stressed," Eric explained in reference to a scene in the beginning of the drama where Kang-woo holds a concert in Singapore.

About 800 of Eric's actual fans from several countries in Asia including Singapore, Thailand, Japan and Indonesia, flew into the country to take part in the filming of the scene a few weeks ago.

Excluding such pressure however, Eric said that playing the role of Kang-woo was supposed to be easy but became complex with the sensational popularity of Hallyu star Dokgo Jin, played by actor Cha Seung-won, in recently wrapped up drama "The Greatest Love."

"I was a huge fan of Dokgo Jin too but I found myself making Kang-woo sound similar to him since they have the same job and similar personalities so I've been focusing on making the two seem different," Eric explained.

Nonetheless, Eric has "no regrets" in taking on his romantic comedy which he joined by choosing to step down from TV series "Poseidon" which will air immediately after "Spy Myung-Wol" ends its eight-week run.

Eric was originally cast as one of the main characters to "Poseidon" which will tell the story of special forces soldiers of the National Maritime Police Academy but filming for the show had gotten pushed back indefinitely after North Korea's unexpected shelling of South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island last November.

"'Poseidon' was going to be a challenge I was going to take on, in terms of both acting and physical strength because I didn't know when I'd be handed such a project again," said Eric who so far has played mostly funny or cool-headed characters.

"Honestly, I wish I could do both dramas but I don't have any regrets," Eric remarked. "I've been lucky to come in touch with another good project for my comeback...... It's going to be fun and easy-to-watch which is the easiest approach for me to take."

"Spy Myung-Wol," also starring actress Han Ye-seul, will tell about her character Myung-Wol, a North Korean spy, trying to seduce Kang-woo in three months to make him defect to North Korea.

The show will go on air on major broadcaster KBS's Mondays and Tuesdays primetime slot starting July 11.