The comedy special forces 'New Recruit 3' has returned.
On the 7th, a production presentation for the Genie TV original drama 'New Recruit 3' (written by Yoon Gi-young and Kang Go-eun, directed by Min Jin-ki and Jo Jae-wook) was held at The Saint in Sindorim-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul. Attending the event were director Min Jin-ki and actors Kim Min-ho, Kim Dong-jun, Oh Dae-hwan, Nam Tae-woo, and Kim Hyun-kyu.
'New Recruit,' which started from the mega-hit animation of the same name, is a hyper-realism military comedy that depicts the story of various characters, from good guys to bad guys, coming together as a 'military spoon' recruit joins the mix. The vivid performances of the actors, who maximize the reality of their strong characters, along with the delightful comedy, have resonated with a diverse audience across genders and generations, earning love in all previous seasons.
'New Recruit 3,' returning with high expectations, features unpredictable scenarios of two new recruits joining and a legendary villain's comeback, with the Myth Unit in crisis and Park Min-seok (Kim Min-ho) facing an escalating difficulty in military life as he approaches his promotion to sergeant. Above all, director Min Jin-ki, who has broken the barriers between drama and entertainment with 'military content,' collaborates with comedy master writer Yoon Gi-young to create even greater excitement for drama fans.
Director Min Jin-ki noted, 'The military service period is 18 months. Those who enlisted after watching season 2 will be able to see season 3 upon discharge. The reason it takes 1 year and 7 months is that each work needs to create reasons for viewers to watch every season. Therefore, a preparation period is necessary. Each season requires new characters to be added so that the viewers from the last season will want to watch the next one.' He added, 'In season 2, we focused on commando training, but in season 3, the actors and staff worked hard to convey the feeling of an extreme winter. We filmed even in weather not suitable for winter training. Compared to seasons 1 and 2, the number of episodes, characters, and scale have increased, maximizing the fun.'
Director Min Jin-ki emphasized, 'This season starts 39 days before Staff Sergeant Choi Il-gu's discharge, and two new recruits are coming in. While there are recruits like Park Min-seok, there are also characters like Kook Min-soo from around the world. I wanted to show that the military, as a space, is a microcosm where various people collide and grow together. And while the previous seasons focused on the soldiers' perspective centered on Park Min-seok, this season expands to include the stories of the non-commissioned officers and officers. Since the military also includes non-commissioned officers and officers, I wanted to depict their stories through Jo Baek-ho. I also wanted to show the stories of female soldiers led by Lee Su-ji. I hope you see this as a comprehensive compilation of the narratives and themes I want to convey through military content.'
Director Min Jin-ki explained, ''New Recruit' has a character setting that is perfect in itself. Based on this, we create a structure that combines original and new stories. Since the characters are well-developed, I try to present it in a way that original fans won't feel out of place. The actors are continuously connected and while new stories are added, since the same actors are performing, I believe it will allow for a smoother immersion. Our work and the original are hyper-realistic. That's what 'New Recruit' is about, and I believe it's the reason for its existence. The character Moon Bit-na-ri was created to maximize the sense of reality. It's designed to give the impression that there was one such person in every unit. With the help of the actors, I tried to minimize the sense of estrangement from the new stories outside the familiar original story.'
The cast accompanying Private Park Min-seok, who is transitioning to a senior rank, is also remarkable. Returning are 'New Recruits' Kim Min-ho, Nam Tae-woo, Lee Sang-jin, Jo Jin-se, Lee Chung-goo, Kim Hyun-kyu, Lee Jung-hyun, Jeon Seung-hoon, and Lee Su-ji, who, with their accumulated experience, are expected to hard carry the evolving military life once again. The performance of the much-discussed new faces Kim Dong-jun, Oh Dae-hwan, and Kim Yo-han adds to the anticipation.
Director Min Jin-ki said, 'I looked into who could become the global star to bring in the new recruits, and I found that Kim Dong-jun was the one who perfectly fulfilled military life as a drill sergeant. It matched well with his character. It seemed like it would be cathartic for the character of the Goryeo king to appear as a recruit.' He continued, 'Oh Dae-hwan has mostly played prominent roles in various works, and his upright image and skin tone fit the company commander perfectly. It was a very suitable match, but I felt he could blend well with the soldiers, so I decided to cast him.'
Kim Min-ho reprises his role as 'Park Min-seok,' a military spoon, at a sergeant rank. Encountering the 'national spoon' recruit Kook Min-soo, who threatens his position, raises the difficulty level of military life while making him reminiscent of his own rookie days.
Kim Min-ho remarked, 'In season 1, I felt the pressure of being the protagonist. It was my first time, and the original was popular, so I approached it aggressively, but I'm grateful that the audience showed it more love than I worried about. I relied on the other actors to the point where I no longer felt the pressure of being the protagonist. We all have the mindset that we're the protagonist, so we worked together without any burden or greed.' He added, 'As seasons 2 and 3 came along, my biggest concern was that my face showed more signs of age compared to season 1. I try to manage it, but the director often treats us to drinks, so aging is speeding up. Therefore, I heavily rely on the makeup team. Park Min-seok is now supposed to be 21, but I'm trying to play him dramatically younger, like a elementary school student.'
Kim Dong-jun plays the role of 'Jeon Se-gye,' a global star with remarkable charm, beauty, and personality, as well as sharp instincts. He captivates the senior enlisted soldiers with his charismatic allure, threatening the position of military spoon Park Min-seok.
Kim Dong-jun shared, 'It has only been 2 years since I was discharged, but I watched 'New Recruit 1' while in the military. It was so much fun that I wanted to participate in a work that deals with military stories when I got discharged. While filming 'Koryo-Goryeo Wars,' I happened to meet Kim Min-ho at a dinner gathering where I had no previous acquaintance but expressed that I was a big fan, just 6 months before the filming of 'New Recruit 3.' When the director asked me to join, it felt very surreal. I thought about how funny it was to work on a project I really wanted to be a part of. Since it has not long been since my discharge, I believed I could capture that sensation well. I aimed to return to my rookie mindset from when I was a private.'
In particular, Kim Dong-jun mentioned, 'Our work has more exposure than expected. While preparing for 'Koryo-Goryeo Wars,' I lost 7 kg, but once I received the 'New Recruit' script, I knew I had to be physically prepared. The director films so well and placed the characters in ways that highlight Jeon Se-gye. I benefited immensely from that. Kim Min-ho assured me, 'We'll support you. You don't have to work out,' while I prepared for it.'
Oh Dae-hwan is expected to deliver a passionate performance as the lovable and surprising company commander 'Jo Baek-ho,' newly assigned to the 2nd Company. He remarked, 'It has been 25 years since I was discharged. Back then, I was a soldier and a cook. Participating in this project as a company commander, I live a completely different life now, and I often confuse the living quarters and dormitory, leading to many NGs. The company commander from my military days is very different from Jo Baek-ho.'
Nam Tae-woo, still struggling even as a senior soldier, is alongside 'Choi Il-gu,' and the return of Kim Hyun-kyu, who played the villain 'Sung Yoon-mo' in season 1, is expected to be another point of interest. Nam Tae-woo commented, 'The various situations in the script don't allow me to just lie back. I'm going through challenges, yet I'm having a lot of fun filming. In particular, in season 1, Il-gu was supposed to become a recruit once he left the military, so I lost weight. Given his propensity for fast relationships, there are also dating appointments. In season 2, I had gained weight to give a comfortable vibe in the military. I need to get home quickly, but the world is making it complicated. Whether I can get home comfortably is likely to be a focal point of interest.'
Kim Hyun-kyu commented, 'I appeared as a stormy villain in season 1 and have returned to a peaceful unit. Watching the return of Sung Yoon-mo will be another point of interest.' He added, 'I am happy and joyful to be back. Reflecting on the past, it feels more comfortable than different. In season 1, there was a family-like atmosphere, helping one another and being supportive during holidays, and the current scene feels familiar. Yet, as the years have passed, I now feel that we understand each other just by exchanging glances, and I sense a good synergy.'
Lastly, director Min Jin-ki said, 'In an age that needs comedy, I believe we need works that can bring laughter. I hope you can watch our work and shake off the Monday blues, welcoming Tuesday with a good feeling. I'm making it with a sense of mission, and I didn't take it lightly. If you enjoy it even more, it would be greatly appreciated.'
Kim Min-ho stated, 'In season 1, we approached it thinking it was enough for us to do well, but by the time we reached season 3, we filmed considering the audience's feelings. I hope you view us with a comfortable mindset, rather than being overly critical.' Kim Dong-jun added, 'Although we talk about military life, I feel it represents the moments we live in. As natural as the charm of 'New Recruit' is, I'll strive to approach it naturally.'
Oh Dae-hwan remarked, 'While the protagonist is important, the surrounding characters should also be likable. I hope that everyone looks forward to the return of the strong characters in 'New Recruit 3.' Nam Tae-woo expressed, 'I think military life is similar to societal life. I believe viewers will empathize while watching it. Those in society should find this drama relatable, so I hope you enjoy it.' Kim Hyun-kyu concluded, 'As for points of interest? It's our lives, our scenery. It would be great if you observe that there are people like 'this' and 'that' in this scenery.'
The Genie TV original drama 'New Recruit 3' will first be aired on the 7th at 10 p.m. on ENA and will be exclusively available for free VOD on KT Genie TV right after the original broadcast every Monday and Tuesday at 10 p.m. It can also be watched on the OTT platform, Tving.
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