[OSENWORLD] Fifteen years into her run on SBS’s hit variety show Running Man, actress Song Ji-hyo is rediscovering her dramatic roots with her new film The Savior.
In an interview held in Seoul on October 23, Song opened up about her latest project and her long-running relationship with Running Man, which has been part of her life since 2010.
Directed by Shin Joon, The Savior follows a couple, Young-beom (played by Kim Byong-chul, from Guardian: The Lonely and Great God and Doctor Cha) and Sun-hee (Song Ji-hyo), who move to a rural village called Obok-ri. What begins as a peaceful fresh start turns ominous when they realize that every miracle around them comes at someone else’s expense. Actress Kim Hieora also stars as Chun-seo, a mysterious resident whose presence heightens the film’s eerie tension.
For Song, the role marks a sharp departure from her bright, comedic persona on Running Man. Reflecting on the show’s 15-year journey, she smiled, “I joined the show when I was 30 — now I’m 45. Someday, it’ll just be a beautiful memory, but until that day, I’ll give it my all. Even if my knees give out, I’ll keep going.”
She added with a laugh that her Running Man family still teases her about her film work. “When I tell them, ‘I’m promoting a new movie,’ they just say, ‘Oh, was that the one you filmed years ago?’ We’ve known each other for so long that it’s less about formal support now — it’s more like family teasing.”
Before Running Man, Song was known for darker roles in Whispering Corridors and Some. “Back then, I mostly did horror or thrillers,” she recalled. “People told me my voice didn’t suit upbeat characters. I even tried to change my tone once, but it didn’t feel right. So I decided to embrace my voice instead — to make it my strength.”
Ironically, after years of portraying cheerful roles on Running Man, she found herself missing the darkness she once embodied. “I wanted to show people I could be both,” she said. “At first, it was hard to reconcile those two sides — the playful variety star and the serious actress. But now, they coexist within me. On set, I can still be bright and energetic like Running Man, but when the camera rolls, I dive deep into character. Time has taught me how to coexist.”
When asked how she chooses her next roles, Song explained, “I don’t separate scripts by genre anymore. I just ask myself: can I express this character, and do I care about the story? If so, that’s enough for me.”
Describing The Savior, Song said, “It’s a story that left me with questions rather than answers. If salvation really exists, would I believe in it? Would I rely on it completely? The film made me wonder — and that’s why it stayed with me.”
For Song Ji-hyo, The Savior is more than a comeback — it’s proof that both laughter and darkness can live side by side. The film opens in Korean theaters on November 5.
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
Courtesy of Mindmark
