Going for a Song: Five highlights of The Battleship Island press conference

In his third go-round as a soldier - once in real life, and two in reel life - Song Joong Ki just gets sexier each time he dons a military uniform.

The popular Korean actor, who was in town on Aug 8 to promote his new war film The Battleship Island, was joined by director Ryoo Seung Wan and his co-stars Hwang Jung Min, 46, and So Ji Sub, 39.

Playing a special military agent sent on a mission to a forced labour camp on Japan's Hashima Island, known as Battleship Island, his determination to save the Koreans there will certainly enrapture audiences once more.

The charming 31-year-old heart-throb, who rose to stardom last year after starring in the military-themed romantic drama Descendants Of The Sun (DOTS), had the media swooning over him at a press conference for the film in the afternoon at Marina Bay Sands, followed by a public meet-and-greet at Suntec City.

Based on historical accounts, The Battleship Island delves into the tragic plight of 400 captive labourers toiling away in a coal mine.

Tensions run high between the Japanese soldiers who maintain order with shocking cruelty and violence, and the Koreans from all walks of life who were tricked or forced into going there - until one day, they decide to make a dramatic escape.

It opens here on Aug 17.

Here are five highlights from the hour-long session...

1. You can't avoid questions about Song Hye Kyo

Song Joong Ki's highly-anticipated wedding in October to Korean actress Song Hye Kyo, who played his love interest in DOTS, has been the talk of the town ever since the couple announced last month that they were going to get hitched.

When asked if he would invite his The Battleship Island co-stars to the big day, Song said yes.

But when it comes to collaborating with his wife-to-be again in future productions, he was less sure.

Speaking through a translator, he said in Korean: "Working with her... I have to give it a little more thought. It may be challenging because work is work. It may be a little tough to work on the same production."

 

2. Song's co-stars took care of him on set as he was the youngest

He has been playing the role of soldier for about five years now - from the time he enlisted for his mandatory military service in 2013, to starring as one on the small screen in DOTS, and finally on the big screen in The Battleship Island.

But that didn't mean Song threw his weight around on set.

Even though he is the "junior" among his co-stars, he said he never felt any pressure acting alongside them.

He added: "In fact, all the big brothers took care of me and gave me a lot of advice. The chemistry between us was great."

3. Song will survive

When asked who would have the best survival skills in times of war, So and Hwang, who play a righteous gangster and a father respectively, said in unison that Song wins out.

"I think everyone here except Joong Ki will experience pain if we have to perform vigorous movements," Hwang said with a laugh.

4. Hwang - a man of many talents

He began his career in musical theatre in 1995

, and can sing, dance, play musical instruments and even speak fluent Japanese all at once, as evidenced in the movie.

He humbly said he has been learning such skills for many years now.

"But for Japanese, I just memorise the script," he said.

5. So gets physical

He has several intense action scenes in The Battleship Island, including one where he is almost stripped naked in a public bath.

He said: "I took one and a half months in total to train and prepare. That was the first fight scene in the movie so I put in extra effort. But thankfully, there weren't a lot of NGs (no-good takes)."