Byeon Woo-seok Lands 4 ELLE Covers as His Solo Leveling Prep Deepens

Byeon Woo-seok says he promises himself not to cry at his fan meetings, and it rarely works. The actor shared that in an interview with ELLE for its November issue, where he appears on four different covers.

The shoot leans into a sultry, bolder mood: heavy-lidded, languid eyes and restrained expressions layered over his usual warmth. The result sits somewhere between softness and strength.

On the road with fans

Byeon is currently on an Asia fan meeting tour, and he told the magazine that unexpected emotions hit him each time he faces fans in person. The looks and support aimed at him fill him up, he said, and holding back tears is harder in the room than it sounds in theory.

The travel itself is part of the appeal. He enjoys eating local food and walking through each city, and he places value on seeing the places where fans actually live. Knowing that people in such different environments are cheering for him still moves him, he explained.

Preparing for Sung Jin-woo

Byeon is now focused on preparing for the Netflix series Solo Leveling, in which he plays the lead, Sung Jin-woo. "Sung Jin-woo has different traits from the characters I've played before," he said. "I'm spending a lot of time fully understanding and expressing him." Because the role is so physical, he added, he stays conscious of his posture and movement even off set.

What drew him to the character is the arc. Sung Jin-woo begins as an E-rank hunter, rated the weakest of all, and gradually grows into a formidable presence. Byeon said he was attracted to a man who is not strong from the start: "He has fear and weakness, yet he moves forward for what he has to protect." He also hopes to respect the appeal of the source material while delivering an emotional line that feels convincing in live action.

Leveling up as himself

Asked what he would choose if given the chance to grow into a different kind of being, Byeon answered with affection for his present life. He wants to keep improving, but as himself rather than as someone else. "Even if I were born again, I'd like to level up well as Byeon Woo-seok," he said.

The contrast is the notable part: a bold, sultry cover set against an interview full of earnestness toward fans and craft. Fans now have his next role to look forward to.

The four covers, pictorial and full interview are in the November issue of ELLE and on its official website. Fashion films and YouTube content will be released in stages through ELLE's official social media and YouTube channel.