Heo Sung Tae dishes out the after-effects of filming "Squid Game."
Hallyu and the global audience were stunned by the craze created by the 9-episode series. Dubbed as Netflix's biggest show yet, "Squid Game" follows the story of 456 cash-trapped participants who are determined to be the sole winner that will take home 45.6 billion KRW or approximately 38,122,800 USD.
However, they have to endure the deadly child's themed game in order to take home the jackpot prize.
While the actors skyrocketed their fame, Heo Sung Tae revealed a surprising truth about the smash-hit series.
Heo Sung Tae's Confession About 'Squid Game'
Presenting the newest historical K-drama under KBS2, Kang Ha Na, Lee Joon, Jang Hyuk, alongside Heo Sung Tae, graced the press conference for the K-drama "Bloody Heart."
At the media briefing, the 44-year-old actor shared a shocking experience he had after filming "Squid Game."
As noted by a media outlet, Heo Sung Tae revealed that he developed a "phobia of people," so he had to "cancel one filming with Choi Ri" when he began filming for the drama.
According to WebMD, fear in people is known as Anthropophobia or social anxiety disorder. It is the same with sociophobia, or social phobia, which is a fear of social gatherings.
Experts explain that a person "might feel comfortable in an anonymous social setting" or a "random crowd of people," making one feel "anxious in that crowd as in any other social setting."
Unfortunately, extreme cases could lead to quitting school or work to avoid social situations, like in Heo Sung Tae's case, he had to postpone filming for his scene.
Fortunately, the actor also explained that he was able to overcome it through the help of people around him, especially the director.
"That was a time of crisis for me, but I was able to overcome it thanks to the detailed and considerate advice from the director."
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Squid Game' Actor Heo Sung Tae Suffered After Gaining 17 kg to Play the Villain Jang Deok Soo
At the "Bloody Heart" press conference, he also apologized to his co-star, who appeared as his on-screen daughter.
In "Squid Game," Heo Sung Tae played the villain role. The 44-year-old actor took on the role of gang leader Jang Deok Soo a.k.a player no. 101.
As noted by Variety, it took "Squid Game" director and creator Hwang Dong Hyuk revealed that it took the team "six months to perfect the first two episodes," so it's no surprise how Heo Sung Tae formed a certain condition after filming some intense scenes.
'Bloody Heart' Kicks Off With Smooth Premiere
The KBS2 historical K-drama premiered on May 2, leaving fans entertained with surprising twists between the characters of Kang Ha Na and Lee Joon.
For "Bloody Heart" episode 1, Nielsen Korea noted that the Monday and Wednesday series garnered a solid 6.3 percent nationwide rating which is a good start for the drama.
It is also higher than the "Crazy Love" finale, which stars Kim Jae Wok and Krystal Jung, who wrapped up the season with an average nationwide rating of 4.6 percent.
