Park Hae-soo calls villainous role in Netflix’s ‘Karma’ ‘liberating’

Actor Park Hae-soo was relatively unknown to mainstream audiences before being cast as the protagonist in tvN’s drama “Prison Playbook” in 2017 — a choice that seemed to come “out of the blue” for many viewers.

In reality, however, the actor had long been one of the country’s most acclaimed actors in theater and musicals.

Since his breakout performance in the tvN drama, Park has taken on a wide range of notable roles in both television and film, culminating in his portrayal of Sang-woo, the protagonist Gi-hun’s childhood friend, in Netflix’s global sensation “Squid Game” Season 1.

In his latest series “Karma,” Park once again challenged himself by taking on the role of the Witness, a morally corrupt man with a dubious past and hidden intentions.

“It is my first time portraying a man with no name. It was challenging for me to figure out this character’s backstory from the script,” he said of his character in the crime thriller during an interview with local media Wednesday.

“With no home or identity, I came to conclude that he is like an empty shell. Very little is known about his past. The only thing for certain is he has made money through evil deeds,” he said.

Directed by Kim Il-hyung, known for “A Violent Prosecutor” (2016) and “Remember” (2022), the thriller revolves around six characters who are tightly entangled in ill-fated relationships amid failed attempts to escape from one another.

The series, which premiered Friday, debuted fifth on the streaming service’s non-English series chart for the week ending Sunday.

Park’s character serves as an axis of evil in the six-episode series, as he is the only one who forms a connection with all five of the other characters in the story.

“Throughout the series, he gradually chooses to become evil of his own will. I don’t mean to sound religious here, but the story reminded me of a passage from the Bible, ‘Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death,” he said.

He described portraying the Witness as both “thrilling” and “liberating,” for the emotional depth and physical changes the character required.

“It was so much fun to play a character who undergoes such a dramatic transformation within a single series, especially with all the additional makeup,” he said.

Another perk of being part of the series, the actor said, was the opportunity to work alongside outstanding actors who helped him “bring out the best” in himself.

“I realized the power of working with great actors lies in the natural energy they bring to the set. It empowers me to perform more naturally and in an organically connected way,” he said.

Over the past few years, the 43-year-old actor has starred in four Netflix original series — “Squid Game,” “Money Heist: Korea — Joint Economic Area,” “Narco-Saints,” and the latest thriller “Karma.” On the film front, he has appeared in three Netflix original films, “Persona,” “Time to Hunt,” and “Yaksha: Ruthless Operations.” His frequent appearances have earned him the playful nickname of “Netflix’s civil servant.”

“It wasn’t like Netflix offered me good roles on purpose, nor did I ever choose a role just because it was a Netflix production,” he said.

“My top priority has been the genuine quality of the project and the cast I’d be working with,” he said, adding he looks forward to “more chances to showcase different sides of myself through various other projects, including films and theater.”