Heo Sung-tae, the actor who terrorized audiences worldwide as the villainous Jang Deok-su in Netflix's "Squid Game," is finally stepping into the spotlight as a leading man. The 48-year-old star, who portrayed Player No. 101 - the hulking gangster who orchestrated riots and betrayed allies with sociopathic calculation - is taking his first lead role in "The Informant," a crime action comedy set to hit theaters December 3.
Heo's journey to stardom differs dramatically from the typical Hollywood narrative. Unlike most actors who begin their careers in adolescence, Heo entered the entertainment industry at 34 through a nationally televised acting competition. Before his acting breakthrough, he held a degree in Russian literature from Pusan National University and climbed the corporate ladder at LG Electronics, the South Korean conglomerate known for manufacturing everything from refrigerators to televisions, where he handled global marketing.
"Sometimes I wonder if my whole acting career was leading me to this film, to this director," Heo says, wearing a hoodie emblazoned with his new film's title. Speaking quickly but quietly with noticeable hesitance, he reflects on finally securing lead billing after 14 years in the industry. Following his competition win, Heo spent years bouncing between over 60 minor roles, gradually carving out a niche as the go-to actor for thugs and heavies despite his impressive educational background.
In "The Informant," Heo plays Nam-hyeok, a once-ace detective who has been demoted to irrelevance and lost his edge, coasting through life until circumstances force him to remember his former capabilities. The character resonates deeply with the actor, who admits, "I'm actually kind of pathetic in real life too - indecisive, prone to backing away from risk." When Nam-hyeok finally snaps back into form, it reminded Heo of his own pivotal audition years ago: "Right before I walked onstage, I was shaking. I thought about my mom, told myself that I'd make her proud. That memory kept surfacing while we shot those scenes."
The film represents director Kim Seok's knowing tribute to the cop comedies that once dominated Korean box offices around the turn of the millennium before fading into obsolescence. Kim resurrects the formula with self-aware excess, layering double-cross upon double-cross until chaos becomes the central theme. While the broad comedy doesn't always land perfectly, Heo's performance - playing pathetic until he suddenly transforms - holds the production together alongside co-star Jo Bok-rae.
What distinguishes Heo's approach to this leading role is his intense focus on the business aspects of filmmaking. "They say the role makes the person," he explains. "Taking on a lead role, I've learned what that means - mediating between director and staff, finding myself wanting to get out there and promote the film." His corporate background at LG proves invaluable in this new responsibility. "Back at LG, I did overseas marketing and planning. That experience keeps connecting to what I'm doing now - pitching ideas for promotional shorts, coordinating with the publicity team, calling them constantly."
Heo approaches his promotional duties with the systematic mindset of a middle manager, balancing the director's creative vision against staff concerns while keeping younger cast members focused. He has been uploading daily dance clips to social media to generate buzz, callbacks to his viral gyrating routine on "SNL Korea" from several years ago. "Honestly, I have no idea why these shorts catch on," he admits. "I don't fully understand the appeal. But if it helps get people into theaters, I'll keep at it."
This extra promotional effort stems from Heo's understanding of the harsh realities facing smaller productions. "From my experience with smaller productions, the actors and crew shouldn't have their sacrifices go to waste," he says. Before signing onto "The Informant," he made the production team promise to aggressively market the film. "Because it breaks my heart - these aren't 10 billion or 20 billion won blockbusters. Everyone puts in the hours, the crew working through the cold, the actors taking pay cuts. And if it ends up drawing only 100,000 or 150,000 viewers at most, that just hurts."
The global phenomenon of "Squid Game" brought unexpected challenges for Heo, who struggled to navigate sudden international fame. While shooting the historical drama series "Bloody Heart" immediately after the Netflix show exploded into the global zeitgeist, Heo experienced a panic attack on set. "It felt like everyone was staring at me. So I got help, went through therapy," he recalls. He has worked consciously to stay grounded ever since, adopting a pragmatic perspective on fame's temporary nature. "When my Instagram followers hit 2.4 million after 'Squid Game,' I told myself this would all drain away eventually. And it did."
Despite his newfound recognition, Heo maintains a day-by-day approach to his career without grand long-term schemes. "I don't have big plans. I just take things day by day - do what's in front of me, and hopefully end up somewhere decent," he explains. His corporate experience taught him the futility of extensive planning: "I've written plenty of long-term business plans in my office days. They never work out." However, when asked whether he would make the same life-changing decision to quit his stable corporate job and pursue acting, Heo shows no hesitation whatsoever. "Absolutely. This work, when the camera's rolling - that's when I feel most alive. Everything else, I can live without."
