“Son Heung-min really helped me build this character. I’m sincerely grateful,” Lomon said during the event on Jan. 16 at SBS headquarters in Mok-dong, Seoul.
"No Tail to Tell" is a fantasy rom-com about Eun-ho (Kim Hye-yoon), a Gen Z gumiho (nine-tailed fox) who has zero interest in becoming human, and Kang Si-yeol (Lomon), a swagger-filled, self-adoring human. Lomon plays Kang Si-yeol, a global soccer phenom who’s all confidence and no laziness. His picture-perfect life as a top-flight striker for a major European club gets upended when Eun-ho storms in with a well-timed tackle.
Because Si-yeol is portrayed as a true world-class athlete, Lomon studied real-life players. “I drew inspiration from Son Heung-min and from Zlatan Ibrahimović’s fearless energy,” he noted, adding that he hoped passionate soccer fans would understand the homage.
At host Park Kyung-lim’s suggestion, Lomon sent a quick video shout-out to Son: “Wishing you a happy new year, and please show lots of love to our drama premiering today. You really helped me find Si-yeol―thank you so much.”
To sell the on-field realism, Lomon trained hard. “I started practicing months before filming. I worked to make every movement look like a pro’s―took lessons five times a week for two to three hours each. I also talked with player friends and watched tons of footage to capture a footballer’s mindset, attitude, and passion,” he explained.
"No Tail to Tell", the follow-up to "Taxi Driver 3," premieres tonight at 9:50 p.m. KST on SBS.
[Photo by Baik Seung-Chul]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)