Q. First, a formal question. How much can you drink?
A. I get easily drunk. I’m not trying to hide any info [I’m not lying]. I’m a light drinker, and my face turns red really quickly when I’m drunk. And when I’m dead drunk, I just keep on drinking.
Q. Do you have any particular drinking habit?
A. Usually, I become really talkative (laughing). But I’m not gonna tell you [not gonna expose my drinking habits]. I don’t have a particular drinking habit, but whenever I drink alcohol, I lose 2~3㎏ the following day.
Q. At the Baeksang Arts Awards, you won best actor for the TV category. Were you expecting that?
A. I wasn’t expecting that. But honestly, I seriously wanted to win it. I wanted to win for my role on Six Flying Dragons. Doing a 50-episode historical drama was not easy. I don’t mean that I wanted to win as a compensation [for the effort on this lengthy drama]. I just want to point out the efforts poured into the drama. As a result, the award had a unique significance to me.
Q. You were nominated in both categories, movie and TV. Which one did you wish for?
A. Honestly speaking? I might sound greedy, but I wanted to win them both (laughing). Regarding what I said earlier about Six Flying Dragons, I just wanted to point out something in particular [the efforts exerted a lengthy drama]. Winning any of these two categories would have meant a lot to me.
Q. Last year, you were the top winner at several award ceremonies.
A. Before that time, I used to look at awards as winners being recognized by the people, rather than being satisfied or content with themselves [T/N: he used to think or had a preconception about awards: those who win awards only enjoy the acknowledgment by others, and that awards don’t necessarily bring the winners any satisfaction with their own abilities and talents]. I made that rationalization myself, and used to live by it. Later on, I realized that I liked it when someone claps for me, or when I hear compliments from others [T/N: he realized that being acknowledged by people feels really good, and the way he perceives awards has totally changed]. Even though receiving an award might not mean being incredibly successful, I realized that being praiseworthy/admirable is really meaningful. It felt really good. I don’t necessarily mean that people should put so much importance or let their nerves get worked up over winning an award. Because having the recognition of the public and the critics needs some time in order to be received.