The emotional revenge drama 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun' unveils its veil.
On the 5th, a production presentation for MBC's new daily drama 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun' was held at Sangam MBC. The event was hosted by announcer Lim Hyun-joo, and actors Jang Shin-young, Seo Ha-joon, Yoon Ah-jung, Oh Chang-seok, Lee Ru-da, and Kim Jin-hyung, the director, attended.
The MBC new daily drama 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun' (planned by Jang Jae-hoon, directed by Kim Jin-hyung, written by Seol Kyung-eun, produced by MBC C&I), which is set to premiere on June 9 (Monday), depicts a woman's desperate quest for revenge against a conglomerate in the name of her only daughter in a world where the victim becomes the perpetrator.
On this day, director Kim Jin-hyung explained the work, saying, "If I had to describe it in one word, it would be 'emotional revenge drama.' Although maternal love is the theme of the drama, it develops into a story of revenge through the unfolding events." He continued, "'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun' means 'Baek Seol-hee.' A woman who can do everything for her daughter, enough to swallow the sun. In a way, she could lead herself to destruction by swallowing the sun, but there are reasons behind it."
Returning to daily drama direction after 'Heaven's Lover,' director Kim noted, "The difference from the previous work is that the intended concept of 'emotional revenge drama' resonates. It's not just a simple revenge story; I believe the difference between a mess and a classic lies in 'plausibility,' and this work has sufficient plausibility for revenge. Because of that, it can be viewed comfortably, and it is a work that can resonate well with the audience."
He also mentioned the behind-the-scenes of casting. He stated, "When casting this time, I wanted to choose characters that came to mind intuitively. Most of the people I cast are those I considered my first choice. Ever since I first received the script and read it, I have always thought about Jang Shin-young's acting. Even though there was a long break, every time I read the lines, her image kept coming to mind. Seo Ha-joon and Yoon Ah-jung are actors I have worked with before, which also helped with my associations. Among these, apart from Jang Shin-young and Oh Chang-seok, the others have all worked with me. (Overall) There were no difficulties regarding casting," he explained.
In the drama, Jang Shin-young plays Baek Seol-hee, a charming single mother who attracts people's attention with her kind words and bright, positive energy. She explained her character, saying, "I'm a character who is the mother of Lee Ru-da. I was living very happily, but I lose everything due to my daughter's unintended accident. My daughter, the victim, becomes the perpetrator, and I decide to go and fight against them for my daughter's revenge."
Regarding the synchronization with her character, she said, "Seol-hee is very humble, easily approachable, and always willing to help others in need. As a very kind person, she radiates energy when you are around her. If I were to compare myself, I'd say about 50%. I also strive to live positively. Meeting Seol-hee makes me think, 'I should also try to be like this.'"
Actor Kang Kyung-jun, Jang Shin-young's husband, was accused of being an extramarital partner in December 2023 and was sued for damages amounting to 50 million won. In the first trial held on July 24 last year at the Seoul Family Court, Kang Kyung-jun's side decided to settle the lawsuit by accepting the claims of the plaintiff. After the controversy arose, eight months later, in August of last year, Jang Shin-young announced via social media that she decided to forgive Kang Kyung-jun for the sake of the children, and subsequently returned to television.
With this work, Jang Shin-young returned as an actress after three years amid controversy. She said, "I feel very nervous and excited. First of all, I started with the pressure of 'I just need to do well.' But while filming, I began to get some energy gradually. I was very nervous and excited. I even thought, 'Can I really do this role well?' but as I read the script, I started to get more absorbed into it. This role is something I thought I could be satisfied with as an actor at least once. During the early filming outdoors, the director facilitated a lot to help me focus. As a result, I was able to lose the tense moments and immerse myself into Seol-hee," she shared, adding, "Honestly, I still feel nervous."
He also stated, "I am grateful to the director for giving me the opportunity to portray Baek Seol-hee. I was very thirsty for acting in that situation, and when this opportunity came, I thought, 'Let's do my best.' With every scene I shot, I thought, 'This is the last day of the drama' and 'This is the last of my acting,' so I put my heart into it. I believe that if the audience witnesses that, they will feel it. Because I am doing this with sincerity, I hope viewers can see me as just a character or part of the drama, rather than just a personal thing."
He shared about the chemistry with the actors: "When I first attended the script reading, I filmed bright parts with Seo Ha-joon. Our timing matched perfectly. Even though it was our first meeting and we hadn't rehearsed together, the atmosphere between the two characters was so good that I could act comfortably. In the case of Yoon Ah-jung, even though it was my first meeting with her, acting with her gives me more immersion and concentration. She has a consistent presence, both in acting and in real life. Some may perceive her as cold, but she keeps a center, which makes me dive into my role as well. As for Lee Ru-da, she is a new friend, but she feels like my daughter. She is so precious and cute. Therefore, we matched each other well."
Seo Ha-joon plays Moon Tae-kyung, a tragic man who returns to Korea after 25 years to seek revenge. He described his character, saying, "Tae-kyung loses his parents in a childhood accident, but learns that the accident was planned and decides to seek revenge. In the process, he meets Baek Seol-hee and experiences conflict between revenge and love."
He continued, "I have always been attracted to characters with family stories. I wanted to show diverse sides of a character who is not only driven by revenge but also experiences yearning through love by meeting another person. I felt a sense of challenge that I could show more than what I have done so far. I also wanted to play this character because I have worked with the director before."
Regarding the chemistry on set with the actors, he stated, "I have shared breathing with the director, and with the senior Yoon Ah-jung as well. This is my third project with Oh Chang-seok, with whom I have a deep connection. So when this project came in, I told myself not to be too comfortable, but they are all professionals and veterans, so I'm just following them as the younger one. I have no doubt about Jang Shin-young, who I grew up watching as a star. Lee Ru-da has also been a great atmosphere maker on set, so rather than me doing anything, I am enjoying filming in that atmosphere that she leads. The chemistry is the best!"
Yoon Ah-jung, playing the role of Min Kyung-chae, described her character as "a woman who chose the path of a businessperson after abandoning a love that was like her heart. She is an ambitious woman who, for the sake of the company, does not spare even her family, being cold and calculating."
Oh Chang-seok, playing the role of Kim Sun-jae, described his character as "the ex-lover of 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun.' I let her go decisively. Because I was filled with desire. He is a person who looks only at success and moves forward without hesitation."
He said, "Three years ago, when I was working on the drama 'The Witch's Game,' I had already let go of many things. I have tried letting go of girlfriends and wives. And actually, during that drama, I experienced playing a villain for the first time. I felt a lot of exhilaration being an incredibly evil character. I found that I could let myself go more freely in front of the camera. Villains have greater freedom because they can shout, fight, and rampage. Having already experienced the fun of being a villain in that work, I had to upgrade it here and express a different color of evil. With three years gone by, I am keeping in mind to become a more mature villain."
Lee Ru-da, playing Baek Mi-so, described her character as "Baek Mi-so is Seol-hee's only daughter and her happiness. She plays a role that is the start and cause of all the stories." Lee Ru-da, who will take on her first lead role in a terrestrial broadcast with this work, said, "I received a lot of help and guidance from the wonderful seniors on set, and I was able to film it well. The director and others have also guided us a lot. I felt nervous and Mi-so's emotional lines are deep. In fact, there are emotions in her character that I have never felt in my life, and I had a lot of worries about how to express them. However, strangely, when I entered the filming set and looked into Jang Shin-young's eyes, it just worked out. I believe it was thanks to my seniors that I was able to film well."
Hearing this, Jang Shin-young also responded, "Since Ru-da is my only daughter, I felt very comfortable even though it was our first meeting. I have so many emotional scenes where I breathe with Mi-so. In fact, just yesterday, we were filming while crying together all day long. I kept acting by looking into her eyes because Mi-so is a being that encompasses everything I have. It seems we both shared our sincerity through our gazes."
Lastly, Jang Shin-young added, "If you watch our work, you won't have a moment of boredom. I think it will become a drama that you will want to keep watching and searching for. We are all currently filming hard, and everyone is gathering their spirits for the shoot. Please watch us a lot and look forward to it."
[Photo] OSEN DB
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