[News Culture] Ryu Seung-ryong is taking on another father determined to protect his daughter, but Portrait of a Family is steering him away from the warmth audiences may expect from his previous roles.
Set for release on September 2, the film casts Ryu as Jung-goo, a former star baseball player whose life has fallen apart. His marriage to top actress Nam-mi (Ha Ji-won) breaks down after the unexpected appearance of his daughter Dong-ju (Kim Si-a), and the family goes its separate ways. Eight years later, Dong-ju becomes caught up in a shocking case, pulling Jung-goo back into her life as he races to uncover what happened.
For Ryu, playing a father is familiar ground. Miracle in Cell No.7 became one of his defining films, with his portrayal of Yong-goo and his unconditional love for daughter Ye-seung striking a major chord with audiences. Years later, Moving paired the same instinct to protect a child with the brutal physicality of Jang Joo-won, who would put himself through anything for his daughter Hee-soo.
Jung-goo, however, approaches fatherhood from a different angle. He is rough around the edges, emotionally guarded and not particularly good at showing affection. His attachment to Dong-ju is unmistakable, but it emerges through action rather than words. The contrast between his hardened exterior and the vulnerability he shows around his daughter is expected to give Ryu a noticeably different variation on the father roles that have become part of his screen identity.
Director Lee Ji-won said that contrast was central to casting Ryu, describing him as an actor with both formidable intensity and an unexpected softness in scenes involving someone his character loves.
Ryu also made substantial physical preparations for the film. Because Jung-goo appears from his 20s through his early-to-mid 40s, the actor adjusted his weight through exercise and diet to reflect the character at different stages of his life.
He also trained in pitching and batting to convincingly play a former baseball star, while tattoo makeup was used to add to Jung-goo’s rugged appearance.
The film adds another transformation to a career that has moved comfortably between blockbuster comedy, historical epics, action and drama. Ryu has appeared in four Korean films that surpassed 10 million admissions — Masquerade, Miracle in Cell No.7, The Admiral: Roaring Currents and Extreme Job. He later expanded his presence through series including Moving and Low Life, while The Dream Life of Mr. Kim earned him the Grand Prize in the television category at the 2026 Baeksang Arts Awards.
With Portrait of a Family, Ryu returns to an emotional territory closely associated with his career, but without simply reprising the fathers audiences have already seen. Jung-goo may share their instinct to protect his child at any cost, yet the way he carries that love promises a markedly different performance.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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