Actor Yook Sung-jae from SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Haunted Palace' is drawing attention by throwing an ambitious declaration as a 'fantasy invincible' actor through an interview.
On April 18 at 9:50 p.m., following 'Buried Hearts', SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Haunted Palace' (written by Yoon Soo-jung and directed by Yoon Sung-sik) is a body-swapping fantasy romantic comedy in which Yeori, who refuses her fate as a spirit medium, and Kang-cheol, trapped in the body of her first love Yoon-gab, confront an eight-legged spirit harboring a grudge against the royal family, leading to a chaotic struggle between body and soul. The director Yoon Sung-sik, known for his entertaining works such as 'Mr. Queen', 'Lee Soon Shin is the Best', and 'Bridal Mask', teams up with writer Yoon Soo-jung, who penned 'The King's Face' and 'Cheer Up!', to create a fresh acting combination with Yook Sung-jae (playing Yoon-gab/Kang-cheol), Kim Ji-yeon (playing Yeori), and Kim Ji-hoon (playing Lee Jung), generating high expectations.
Yook Sung-jae plays Yoon-gab, who is the first love of Yeori and becomes possessed by the evil spirit imugi 'Kang-cheol', showcasing a diverse charm as he transitions from the kind and intelligent young man to the captivating evil spirit imugi, presenting a dual role.
Ahead of the upcoming debut broadcast of 'Haunted Palace', Yook Sung-jae noted, "I always wanted to challenge myself in the historical drama genre, and my fans were also looking forward to seeing me act in such a role. Moreover, when I read the script, not only did I like the character Kang-cheol's personality, but it also contained fantasy elements that I enjoy, which led me to choose 'Haunted Palace' as my return project after three years."
Yook Sung-jae, describing his challenge of playing dual roles as Yoon-gab and imugi 'Kang-cheol', explained, "While Yoon-gab is a righteous and intelligent scholar, Kang-cheol is a divine being who has lived for over a thousand years, making them completely opposite characters," raising expectations. He particularly mentioned, "I remember a humorous scene where Kang-cheol tastes human food for the first time and is shocked. The portrayal of the imugi experiencing various human emotions and suffering for the first time will be attractively captured."
Meanwhile, Yook Sung-jae has consecutively hit successful fantasy dramas such as 'Goblin' and 'A Korean Odyssey', earning nicknames such as 'fantasy invincible' and 'specialist in possession'. Furthermore, following the release of the first teaser video for 'Haunted Palace', online reactions have been flooding in with comments like "Yook Sung-jae is already doing well." In response, Yook Sung-jae shared his personal tip: "In fantasy genre acting, one should not feel embarrassed. There are many scenes that require CG, like shooting a wind blast into the empty air or creating a whirlwind on one's hand, so you have to act boldly." He also conveyed that "in 'Haunted Palace', there are many scenes utilizing wires, such as climbing roofs or jumping down, which will allow Yook Sung-jae's fantasy acting to shine once again."
Regarding his chemistry with co-star Kim Ji-yeon, he remarked, "At first, I worried, 'Will it be awkward because we're the same age?' but it turned out well. Since we had a pre-existing friendship, we communicated comfortably and considered each other's performance, making the filming smoother." He heightened interest in the unprecedented relationship romance between the imugi and the shaman. Additionally, about his interactions with Kim Ji-hoon, he stated, "Kim Ji-hoon is not only great in his own acting but also possesses excellent attention to detail regarding the entire scenario of the drama, which allowed me a lot to learn from him. There will be many fun scenes where Yoon-gab, who was the most loyal scholar, suddenly becomes rebellious and confronts the king as Kang-cheol, which will showcase a unique chemistry."
Finally, regarding the visual of the imugi that created significant buzz after being revealed in the recent teaser poster, Yook Sung-jae conveyed gratitude, saying, "It is an effect for a more dramatic character description, and I appreciate all the love shown." He added, "The emotional changes that occur as the imugi Kang-cheol gradually becomes accustomed to the human body and integrates into human relationships will be an interesting point for viewers." Furthermore, he introduced the points of interest in 'Haunted Palace', stating that it will not only focus on the romance between Yoon-gab/Kang-cheol and Yeori but also the process of pacifying the angry spirits and the narratives of those spirits will be very entertaining, significantly raising anticipation for the upcoming premiere.
[Photo] Provided by SBS
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