Actor Oh Man-seok Reflects on Imperfections, Teaching, and the Enduring Power of Theater

Oh Man-seok continually observes shortcomings in his own performances, a self-awareness that has driven his career. He sees himself as an imperfect actor with much more to learn, fueling his dedication to the craft. His aspiration is to be remembered as someone who constantly embraces challenges throughout his professional life.

He stated, "I still have so much to learn, so I consider myself an imperfect actor."

Assuming the role of a faculty member at K-Arts, Oh Man-seok expresses a greater sense of responsibility than anticipation. He is committed to maintaining his professional acting career while also fulfilling his teaching duties. His goal is to connect academic theory with the practical realities of a professional set, offering students a comprehensive understanding of the industry.

He remarked, "I've joined as faculty at this school but I plan on continuing to work and I believe working professionally is what the school probably hopes of me."

Oh Man-seok believes that students in arts education are often accustomed to praise, which can hinder their growth. He advocates for a balanced approach to feedback, emphasizing the importance of highlighting areas that need improvement. He stresses open communication to foster an environment where students can truly develop their skills.

He clarified, "I think it's right to give compliments but to be open and share feedback on areas that need improvement."

Oh Man-seok differentiates between the demands of stage acting and camera acting in his teaching. He creates a realistic set environment by using professional equipment like boom microphones and cameras. His methodology focuses on practical, hands-on experience, allowing students to learn by 'doing' rather than merely through theoretical instruction.

He elaborated, "Basically, I create an environment where students can first-handedly act and become main characters in a film."

Oh Man-seok addresses the common misconception among students that raw, improvisational acting is always superior for the camera. He teaches that camera acting requires as much preparation and precision as stage acting. Directors and editors often prefer consistent, high-quality performances over sudden bursts of explosive energy.

He explained, "Instead of an explosive energy that suddenly appears, directors and editors actually prefer showing consistent, quality acting."

Oh Man-seok describes the early curriculum of K-Arts School of Drama as highly experimental and interdisciplinary. Students frequently took on roles outside their primary disciplines; for example, playwriting students would direct, while acting students engaged in writing or stage design. This cross-disciplinary approach provided students with a broad perspective on various creative roles within the arts.

He recalled, "We did much more of switching roles. For example, when giving a presentation of a scene, a playwrighting student would direct, while an acting student would write or stage design."

As a member of the inaugural cohort, Oh Man-seok and his peers lacked senior alumni to seek career guidance from. The faculty also faced pressure to produce successful graduates, adding to the challenges. The first cohort experienced initial struggles with industry prejudice and exclusion due to the newness of the institution.

He admitted, "There were times when I was ignored and at times rejected and excluded."

During his sophomore year, Oh Man-seok experienced a profound crisis of confidence, feeling talentless and questioning his chosen path. He struggled with the traditional methods of emotional extraction for acting, which felt unnatural to him at first. Even when cast in a role, he would harbor doubts, believing it was not right and feeling like a lie.

He confessed, "Because I was talentless. I felt like I had no talent. Even when I was cast in a role, I would think 'no, that's not right; that's a lie' and wouldn't be able to stop feeling that way."

Oh Man-seok noted a stark contrast between the explosive emotional expression demanded in acting school and the strict emotional suppression required during his military service. This enforced two-year period of hiding emotions created a significant discrepancy with his academic training. However, this suppression surprisingly acted as a catalyst, allowing his bottled-up emotions to flow more naturally and authentically upon his return to acting.

He explained, "In school, we're made to extract our emotions to act explosively or expressively. But since I had to hide my emotions and keep a blank face in the military and was ordered to keep my emotions suppressed for two years, the discrepancy between school and the military actually helped me"

Oh Man-seok strategically alternates between television, musicals, and plays to prevent his acting from becoming stale or repetitive. He believes this rotation helps him avoid developing mannerisms associated with any single medium. He also finds that returning to theater helps him regain focus that might be lost in the faster-paced environment of filmed media.

He shared, "That way, I won't be stuck with the mannerisms used in one media. I have a side that pushes myself. That aspect helps me a lot."

Oh Man-seok places immense value on his current work, preferring to focus on the immediate present rather than dwelling on past nostalgia. His mood for the week is notably influenced by his teaching days at K-Arts, which fall on Tuesdays and Fridays. He finds it natural to feel the strongest attachment to the project he is currently involved in, whether acting or teaching.

He articulated, "My mood for the week depends entirely on Tuesdays and Fridays, when I have class. For me, it's natural that I have the most attachment to the project I'm currently working on."

Oh Man-seok identifies several key productions that served as significant turning points in his acting career across different media. These include the musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," the play "Yi," and the television series "The Vineyard Man."

He stated, "I'd say the pieces that were turning points in my life would be for musicals, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch", for plays, "Yi" and for TV series, "The Vineyard Man" ."

Oh Man-seok's directorial journey began when he was asked to direct a project for the stage design department, where stage design students were going to act. This initial experience led him to direct "The Glass Menagerie" as a workshop production. He credits mentors and colleagues with encouraging his transition and growth in his directing career.

He recounted, "There was a show spearheaded by the stage design department and the stage design students were going to act, so they asked me to direct."

Oh Man-seok emphasizes that theater possesses a unique quality centered on the shared physical presence of performers and audience members. In an era where authentic connection is increasingly absent, theater offers a rare opportunity for people to be in the same space, breathing the same air. This physical co-presence fosters an unspoken connection that cannot be replicated by other media.

The essence of theater, for him, lies in this immediate and shared experience. He believes that the ability to sit together and collectively engage with a live performance creates a bond that transcends digital interactions. This makes theater an increasingly vital art form in modern society, providing a counterpoint to isolated, screen-based consumption. He expressed, "There's a certain quality that only theater possesses. There's an unspoken connection that is created when you sit in the same space, breathing the same air."