Nam Joo Hyuk Is A Slam Dunk On The Big Screen

Nam Joo Hyuk is a beast on the basketball court, but the 25-year old Korean actor proves that he is a slam dunk on the big screen too.

- Bryan Goh

Nam Joo Hyuk’s childhood dream while growing up in Busan was to become a professional basketball player. One day, a post-injury operation started a metaphorical itch because he realised his 1.88m frame was suited more for fashion shoots than shooting hoops. The beginning of his career can be condensed into the following: it began with him winning a nationwide modelling contest and blazing trails across the big screen.

In a time when industry players mask fears and insecurities, Nam reveals he is not short of them whenever he takes up a new role. “For me, every work I have taken part in so far was challenging. Every time a new role was given to me, I needed to take time to be the character and make an effort to connect with the audience naturally through the character – that’s why I’ve always accepted those challenges,” he shares.

Nam also corrects the assumption that modelling and acting get on like a house on fire. He explains, “I think modelling and acting are too different to find any similarity between them. There are differences in terms of the way of expressing myself on the runway and on the screen. Modelling and acting have parallels in the sense that I have to concentrate in order to showcase all the different aspects of myself.”

THE GREAT BATTLE

Though Nam has ridden the Korean Wave to great success, he acknowledges the giants’ shoulders he stood on, stating that he “would always support those who contribute to generating such positive phenomenon in the Korean film industry”.