Kwon Sang-woo Shares Family Love Ahead of 'Hitman 2' Release

Actor Kwon Sang-woo (권상우), 48, is set to make his return to theaters with the family film 'Hitman 2' during the Lunar New Year holiday. He expressed his deep affection for family while reflecting on the significance of the film. Released on January 22, 'Hitman 2' follows Jun (Kwon Sang-woo), a once-successful webtoon writer who faces a comedic crisis when a terrorist mimics his new work, leading to him being wrongly accused.

After a five-year hiatus, Kwon shared his experience at the film's premiere, stating, "I had drinks with the staff and attendees after the screening. Since I’m in the film, I tend to watch it with a critical eye. I usually try to avoid false hope, but I was relieved to see the audience laugh at scenes I worried about." He added, "This is the best feedback I’ve received for a film in a long time."

The first installment, released in 2020, attracted 2.4 million viewers, ranking among the top four films of that year. Kwon recalled, "The first week of release coincided with the COVID-19 outbreak, which hit us hard. If the timing had been better, I believe we could have achieved even greater success." He noted that the sequel captures the fun interactions among the cast, and he was pleasantly surprised by the audience's positive reactions during the screening.

Kwon also mentioned his involvement in the production of 'Hitman 2', admitting, "It’s not a blockbuster series like 'The Outlaws', so I feel a bit shy about it. I’ve never worked on a film with a budget in the hundreds of millions, but I believe a modestly successful film that surpasses its break-even point is more meaningful. Everyone seems obsessed with the numbers of 10 million or 5 million viewers, but my goal is to be an actor who can surpass 3 million."

The film features a special appearance by actress Choi Ji-woo (최지우), which has garnered additional interest from audiences. The two first connected through the 2003 SBS drama 'Stairway to Heaven' and later collaborated on 'Temptation' in 2014. Kwon expressed his gratitude, saying, "I hope this gets published. After getting married, I’ve had less interaction with fellow actors. It’s not easy to ask someone for a special appearance, but I called Choi Ji-woo on the spot, which shows how comfortable we are with each other. I’m really thankful she agreed so readily. There’s no one like her."

Kwon also expressed appreciation for the renewed interest in 'Stairway to Heaven' among the MZ generation. He said, "Being an actor is a profession that can easily be forgotten, so I’m grateful that people are rediscovering me through that drama. The director, Lee Jang-soo, often calls me every few years to discuss new projects, and I jokingly suggested creating a sequel set 20 years later. That drama holds significant importance for me."

On the family front, Kwon has been married to actress Son Tae-young (손태영) since 2008, and they have a son and a daughter. He recently appeared on KBS Cool FM's 'Park Myung-soo's Radio Show', where he shared, "In the 18 years I’ve been with my wife, she has never looked unattractive to me." When asked about Son Tae-young's reaction, he laughed, saying, "Of course, she liked it. I said it for her to hear, but I didn’t ask her directly."

Currently residing in New Jersey for their children's education, Son Tae-young engages with fans through her YouTube channel 'Mrs. New Jersey Son Tae-young'. Kwon mentioned, "The first thing I check in the morning isn’t my stocks or searching my name online, but what new videos my wife has uploaded. I look at the comments in order of the latest. It feels like we’re connecting through chat or pen pals since we’re far apart. Thankfully, her daily updates have attracted many fans. It seems like many people have viewed her through tinted glasses in the past. Now, I think she has more fans than I do. As her husband, I can’t pretend I don’t know she’s a YouTuber. It’s nice to show a more down-to-earth side of ourselves."

When asked how he would feel if his daughter started dating in the future, Kwon responded coolly, "Of course, she will date. If we show her a proper example of being good parents, I believe she will grow up well. Son Tae-young and I aim to guide our children in that regard. I hope they experience good love with good people in the future."