Hyun Bin's shift from rom-com icon to moral gray zones in 'Made in Korea'

Hyun Bin stands as a rare case in an industry where visually driven K-drama stardom — exemplified in rom-coms "Crash Landing on You" and "Secret Garden" — seldom seasons into sustained cinematic authority. While many drama-bred leading men hesitate to risk uncertainty at the box office or actively avoid roles that might fracture carefully cultivated fan personas, the actor has built a parallel film career through award-winning projects, including "The Fatal Encounter" and "Harbin."

That approach continues with his latest transformation. The 43-year-actor shifts from Lee Jung-hyeok of "Crash Landing on You" — a compassionate North Korean commander who falls in love with a chaebol heiress — to Baek Ki-tae in Disney+'s "Made in Korea." Baek Ki-tae is a cold, calculating Korean Central Intelligence Agency agent who pursues power and wealth by any means necessary, including drug trafficking.

The venture has clearly paid off. Just a month from its release, the series has become one of Disney+'s strongest regional performers, ranking No. 1 among all Korean original titles across the Asia-Pacific region last year. A second season is already in production and is scheduled to premiere in the second half of the year.

Reflecting on his latest project, Hyun Bin spoke about portraying a morally ambiguous character — or even an outright villain — for the first time.

"The director seems to always put a lot of effort into drawing out something new, whether it was during 'Harbin' or this project," Hyun Bin explained in an interview Tuesday. "I think he enjoys watching that process. As an actor, I really appreciate that aspect."

"Made In Korea" follows closely on the heels of Hyun's 2024 return to the big screen in "Harbin," in which he portrayed independence activist Ahn Jung-geun (1879-1910). Directed by Woo Min-ho, who also helms "Made In Korea," the film went on to win best film at the 2025 Baeksang Arts Awards.

However, Hyun Bin, measured and deliberate throughout the interview, was careful not to reduce Ki-tae to a conventional antagonist.

"Personally, when I played Ki-tae, I didn't approach him with the idea that he was simply a villain, so I see him as a character with appeal beyond being a one-dimensional antagonist," he said. "Of course, he's someone who does wrong, but there are parts of him that are understandable and even relatable, while at the same time he makes you uncomfortable. I think those contradictions make Ki-tae compelling and give room for audiences to see him not just as a bad guy, even though he is one."

Opposite Hyun Bin in "Made In Korea" is another top-tier star in Jung Woo-sung, who portrays prosecutor Jang Geon-young, a man obsessively driven to bring Ki-tae down. The project marks Jung's return following a widely publicized personal scandal in 2024, after he acknowledged fathering a child out of wedlock with model Moon Ga-bi.

Jung's performance in the series has drawn mixed reactions, igniting criticisms of his acting style that include awkward delivery and exaggerated expressions. Asked about the controversy, Hyun Bin offered a gentle, carefully calibrated response. "(Jung) would have thought about and reflected on that aspect far more than I have. Personally, I hope viewers watch all the way through Season 2."

Although Jung did not attend the press roundtable for the series, Hyun Bin expressed support for his co-star, praising Jung as a collaborative presence on set.

"He's an actor who offers unexpected ideas," Hyun Bin noted. "He's someone who thinks even about things that aren't directly his own."

He particularly pointed to Jung's experience as a director, having previously helmed films that include "A Man of Reason." "Since he has experience directing, he can view the set from a director's perspective as well. His consideration for others is something I'm very grateful for."

Off the screen, conversation frequently turned to Son Ye-jin, whom Hyun Bin married in 2022 after their on-screen chemistry in "Crash Landing on You." He spoke warmly of her support, noting that Son offered her own professional feedback on the series. "My wife told me it was nice to see a different side of actor Hyun Bin that she hadn't known before," he said.

"There's a scene where Ki-tae comes out of the iron enclosure, lights a cigarette handed to him by Pyo Hak-soo (Noh Jae-won), and warns, 'Don't go back and forth confusing things.' She explained why my expression and the tone of my delivery worked so well there."

The moment, Hyun Bin admitted, resonated beyond his household. "Not just my wife, but a few other people have mentioned that scene as well, and it was completely unexpected for me. Since my wife is also an actor, I think she notices those kinds of details."

Looking ahead, Hyun Bin offered a measured teaser for the second season of "Made In Korea." "There's a lot of room to show another side," he said. "Filming wraps up in March, but it's a situation that could change at any time."

As for what he hopes audiences ultimately take away from the series, he framed it less as entertainment than provocation. "I hope it's a project that keeps making people ask questions," he said. "Although the show is set in Korea in the 1970s, I think it depicts situations that could still happen today, and they're not limited to Korea alone."

"I felt it's a story that audiences overseas can also fully relate to," he added, expressing the hope that viewers would place the series within its historical context and allow it to serve as "a starting point to ask questions and reflect."