Song Joong Ki Says It’s “Tough” To Work With Song Hye Kyo After Marriage

They might have fallen in love on the set of Descendants of the Sun, but Song Joong Ki has no intention of romancing his wife-to-be, actress Song Hye Kyo, onscreen again.

Speaking to the local media at a press conference on Tuesday (Aug 8), Song Joong Ki said, “Working with Hye Kyo in the future is something I’d have to give a little more thought to. It would be challenging ’cos work is work, so it may be a little tough to be on the same production,” suggesting that he would like to keep his work and personal life separate. So those holding out for a Song-Song reunion on screen will have to make do with watching (and re-watching) DoTS.

Joong Ki at The Battleship Island press con

The 31-year-old actor, who spoke through a translator, was here to promote his upcoming flick The Battleship Island, alongside director Ryoo Seung Wan and co-stars So Ji Sub and Hwang Jun Min. The wartime movie revolves around the story of captive labourers who plot a daring escape from a forced labour camp on Hashima Island during World War II. The film smashed box office records when it opened in South Korea last month, with ticket sales undoubtedly boosted by the news of SJK and SHK tying the knot on Oct 31. According to reports, the duo’s nuptials will be held at The Shilla hotel in Seoul.

Joong Ki alongside his co-stars So Ji Sub (right) and Hwang Jun Min

Battleship, which marks SJK’s return to the big screen after five years, is his first production after skyrocketing to the top of the A-list with Descendants of the Sun, where his army captain character falls in love with Song Hye Kyo’s doctor. In Battleship, SJK plays a heroic soldier, yet again.

“If you count the number of years I served in National Service in Korea as well as playing the role of a soldier in Descendants of the Sun and now, also in The Battleship Island, I've been living the life of a soldier for five years now,” he said, inducing laughter from the media. “So it has become something natural to me. I’ve had short hair after National Service so I could just comfortably immerse myself into the role.”

He also said that one of the challenges the cast faced playing malnourished laborers toiling was having to lose weight “’cos [the characters] were very skinny due to malnutrition.”

The Battleship Island opens in theaters on Aug 17.

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