Ong Seong-wu takes on first villain role: 'I want to show a chilling side'

Actor Ong Seong-wu will take on his first villain role in tvN's "Spellbound," playing Kang Min-hwan, a two-faced man of deep ambition, when the drama series premieres July 18.

The new tvN Saturday-Sunday drama series follows a chaebol heiress who can see ghosts and a passionate prosecutor who fears them most, in a slapstick occult romance. The series is a reimagining of the film of the same name.

Ong plays Kang Min-hwan, an original character created for the drama series. Behind a gentle and refined exterior, Kang harbors unfathomable ambition — a dangerous man driven by a desperate need for recognition from his parents and his company, and a fierce desire to get what he wants, to the point of thinking nothing of manipulating others' feelings.

Explaining why he chose to join "Spellbound," Ong said the original film had been loved by so many people that he was excited to see the story remade. "I also felt that the character of Kang Min-hwan — who doesn't exist in the original — could bring a new kind of tension to this story," he added.

He also said that because Kang Min-hwan has a very clear goal, a defined objective gives the character's every expression and action a sense of justification. "So I focused on the reasons behind everything Min-hwan does," Ong said.

Approaching his first villain role, Ong said his resolve runs deep. "People often tell me I have a wholesome look," he said. "Through this character, I want to show a chilling side. I want viewers to think, 'Oh, he can pull off this kind of vibe too.'"

"Spellbound" premieres July 18 at 9:10 p.m. on tvN.