Yoon Kye Sang Talks About The Resurgence Of "The Outlaws" + Thanks BTS, "Squid Game," And "Parasite" For Expanding Global Interest In Korean Entertainment

Yoon Kye Sang expressed his gratitude for “The Outlaws,” BTS, “Squid Game,” and “Parasite” in a recent interview!

Last month, the sequel to Yoon Kye Sang’s 2017 film “The Outlaws” hit theaters and quickly became the fastest film in three years to surpass 2 million moviegoers. Since then, “The Outlaws 2” (also known as “The Roundup”) has overtaken “Parasite” as the top-selling May release in Korean box office history and become only the 14th Korean film ever to amass over 12 million moviegoers.

Although Yoon Kye Sang does not appear in the sequel film, the popularity of “The Outlaws 2” has led to the first film regaining popularity on streaming services, garnering attention for Yoon Kye Sang and his character Jang Chen.

Regarding the recent popularity of Jang Chen, Yoon Kye Sang commented, “Those in their twenties don’t even know my name. They just know me as Jang Chen. Only fans my age remember me as [a member of] god.”

He continued, “Four years ago, I felt pressured about only being called Jang Chen, but it’s okay now that time has gone by. Now, I think it’s so great to have played a character who’s remembered so strongly amidst all the projects and characters that are newly coming out. I wonder whether I’ll be able to do something like that again.”

Even though “The Outlaws” was rated R, it still surpassed 6.8 million moviegoers – meaning it easily could’ve passed the 10 million mark if it was deemed suitable for younger viewers. With the success of “The Outlaws 2,” Yoon Kye Sang revealed that he has been receiving calls from people rewatching the first film to praise his work as Jang Chen. He commented, “This is something I’m so thankful for. The reason I was able to keep acting was because of the Jang Chen effect. Since I get cast [in new projects] out of anticipation for another ‘Jang Chen effect,’ I’m so thankful to ‘The Outlaws.'”

Not only is Yoon Kye Sang’s Jang Chen remembered through the first film, but the character is also necessary for context when discussing the villain in “The Outlaws 2,” who is played by Son Suk Ku. Additionally, “The Outlaws” series could potentially continue up to eight parts and Jang Chen will have to be remembered until the very end.

Yoon Kye Sang shared, “These days, there are a lot of English comments on my social media. That alone is fascinating.” He explained that while starring in the 2004 drama “My 19-Year-Old Sister-in-Law,” his popularity rose in Japan, thanks to Bae Yong Joon‘s fandom leading the Korean Wave.

He used this period to discuss his current resurgence in popularity overseas, thanking other Korean acts and works for making it easier to become recognized and appreciated on a global scale. Yoon Kye Sang explained, “The fandoms of K-content have built up with BTS leading K-pop and ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Parasite’ winning awards. Thanks to that, I think I’m able to receive love [from overseas] easily. It feels like the world is not far away.”

Yoon Kye Sang debuted as a god member in 1999 and first ventured into acting in 2004. When asked how he’s been able to receive love for so long, Yoon Kye Sang chose honesty. He elaborated, “A lot of people know me. What kind of hardships I’ve endured and what kind of thoughts I have when I endure those hardships. I’ve been too honest all this time. I didn’t curate myself to look good. I think that has lasted as an image that isn’t gross.”

Yoon Kye Sang added, “I want to endlessly do well and I want to reach further until the moment I do well. I hope the day comes when I can watch my movie with numerous people and not feel embarrassed. No matter what, what comes first and is most important is that I really want to be good at acting.”

Watch “The Outlaws” with subtitles below!

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