 |
| Actor Yoo Yeon-seok / Courtesy of Kidari Studio |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Yoo Yeon-seok has a clear sense of purpose when it comes to the roles he chooses and the directors he works with. Before the pandemic, his goal was to land a huge role in a big-budget blockbuster with an extensive cast. However, the actor decided to take a road less traveled after reading the script for "My Heart Puppy." A noted dog lover, he even took a pay cut for the canine-based picture.
"I decided to take on a low-budget passion project because I couldn't ignore the pet abandonment issue that's becoming a growing problem nowadays. And most of all, I was deeply moved by director Kim Joo-hwan's commitment to animal welfare," he said during an interview with The Korea Times, Friday.
"My Heart Puppy" follows the story of avid dog lover Min-soo (Yoo) who lives with his golden retriever named Rooney and faces an unexpected crisis when his soon-to-be-fiancee says she is allergic to dogs.
Min-soo's cousin Jin-guk (Cha Tae-hyun) suggests that he should find a new custodian for his beloved dog. The two embark on a journey to find a new person but unintentionally end up adopting more pets.
 |
| A scene from the film, "My Heart Puppy" / Courtesy of Kidari Studio |
Yoo explained that he tried to build rapport with his canine co-star to better express the bond that Min-soo and Rooney have.
"I went to see Rooney whenever I had time for three months before filming 'My Heart Puppy.' Because a dog is just being purely a dog, all errors came from me and not Rooney. However, he was so smart and expressive that I shed tears five or six times when watching the film," he said.
The actor said how successful "My Heart Puppy" becomes does not matter to him. "It's the themes and the feeling that really matter. I hope the film strikes a chord with audiences that prompts them to take action. If one of them decide to adopt an abandoned dog after watching our film, that would mean the world to me," he said. Yoo also revealed that he adopted a dog named Rita from an animal shelter a year after shooting the film.
Although the plot does not mirror Yoo's real-life experience and Rooney's onscreen persona is different from his dog's, there is one scene in particular that sweetly reminded the star of his furry friend.
"We filmed several scenes at an animal shelter. They were in a poor condition due to the lack of appropriate funding. The strong odor of animals from the shelter made me realize how much we've been neglecting animal welfare. It influenced my acting and prompted me to adopt Rita," he said.
Yoo said he hopes the audience will empathize with Min-soo's dilemma rather than accusing his character as someone willing to give up his dog for adoption. "Min-soo has never given up on Rooney. I'd like the audience to focus on the message, which is 'dogs are part of the family. Never give up on your family,'" he said.
"My Heart Puppy" will hit local theaters on March 1.
![[INTERVIEW] Wellington mayor's love for Korean culture spurs collaboration](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/6fcc82645abc473980e0e10997ef2bf9.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/8cc3b8d992cd4b8bb43395b014670ca2.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/83a5770de8d8420da3634fb8b78266c1.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
