Actor Park Sung-woong puts law degree to work

Actor Park Sung-woong has a lot in common with his character, Park Dong-ho, in the recently concluded SBS series "Remember - War of the Son."

And no, it's not just their last name, although that's part of it. It's also their degrees in law and odd senses of style.

Like his alter-ego, Park studied law against his will -- it was his dad's idea more than his -- but instead of joining a gang, Park, then 23, went into acting.

Almost 20 years later, Park can finally say studying law "has paid off." But it has not only paid off in the sense of utilizing the knowledge -- the drama was a success. The series concluded with a viewership high of 20.3 percent.

"Before 'Remember,' I've always played the tough guy. But I really like that (Park Dong-ho) is different. He's three-dimensional," Park told Yonhap News Agency in an interview on Monday. "I'm glad I've been able to make my viewers laugh, cry and be thrilled."

It took Park many years to graduate from playing "gangster #3,"

"bypasser #1" and "reporter #2." At one point, he remembers earning just 500,000 won ($407) a year.

When asked what kept him going, Park said, "I've always admired being able to touch the public with acting. I never thought I'd come this far, but I knew I wasn't giving up."

In "Remember," protagonist Seo Jin-woo (Yoo Seung-ho) becomes a lawyer to clear his father, who has been wrongfully accused, of murder charges. Park Dong-ho (Park), another lawyer who has always fought for the rich and powerful, knows that the real culprit is Nam Kyu-man (Namgung Min), a chairman's son. But he withholds evidence incriminating Nam until the last minute.

"Park has always wanted to clear the elder Seo's name. He was just waiting for the right time," Park explained. "The reason he withheld information for four years is because doing so early would have been premature."

Park has also noticed himself adopting his character's fashion style.

"At first, I was too embarrassed to wear the kinds of clothes suggested by the fashion coordinators," he said, referring to the colorful suits reminiscent of rapper Psy's. "But later, I bought the orange coat my character wore on the show (laughes). I've become more like Park Dong-ho." (Yonhap)