Actor Kwon Han-sol transforms into the female lead 'Jo Eun-ae' in 'The First Night With the Duke' and delivers an impactful performance.
In KBS2's Wednesday-Thursday drama 'The First Night With the Duke' (written by Jeon Sun-young, directed by Lee Woong-hee and Kang Su-yeon), Kwon Han-sol perfectly embodies the innocent and delicate female character 'Jo Eun-ae', captivating viewers with her elegant and pure beauty. In the drama, 'Jo Eun-ae' is a character with a tear-jerking backstory, who could fall into a fateful love with 'Ibeon' (Ok Taecyeon) if 'Cha Seon-taek' (Seo Hyun) had not shown up. However, due to the sudden appearance of 'Cha Seon-taek', her meeting with 'Ibeon' is interrupted, raising anticipation for the alternate fate she may encounter in this disrupted romance.
In the last broadcast, 'Jo Eun-ae' went to 'Seonmunhoe' to commemorate becoming friends with 'Cha Seon-taek', attaining her first meeting with 'Ibeon', as 'Seon-taek' desired. The romantic atmosphere, with flowers blooming at their meeting, was true to the couple's charm in the original novel, but the tension escalated as 'Ibeon' turned his sword towards 'Jo Eun-ae'. As 'Jo Eun-ae' fell into the water while trying to avoid a sudden mouse, she said, "If the sword is damaged, I will compensate for it," to which he retorted, "This sword cannot be saved even with a fortune," glaring at 'Eun-ae' while brandishing his sword. In this process, Kwon Han-sol displayed her presence by skillfully portraying the subtle emotional changes of 'Eun-ae,' from her excitement at the blooming flowers to her shock at 'Ibeon's' coldness and her embarrassment and distress. At the end of the fourth episode, the supporting male character 'Jeong Soo-gyeom' (played by Seo Beom-jun) revealed his feelings for 'Jo Eun-ae' to 'Cha Seon-taek', foreshadowing a love square to come. Meanwhile, the collection of virgin applications for 'Ibeon's' marriage has begun throughout the capital, and under the suggestion of 'Jo Eun-ae's' father, 'Jo Byeong-mu' (played by Kim Young-woong), 'Jo Eun-ae' finds herself in a situation to submit her application, heightening viewers' curiosity about the changes that may ensue.
Kwon Han-sol, who has previously caught attention for her roles as the coffee-challenged secretary to the Deputy Director of the National Security Planning Division 'Min Yong-jun' (played by Moon Sung-keun) in Disney+'s 'Moving' and the delusional patient 'Jeong Ha-ram' who fell victim to an employment scam in Netflix's 'A New Day in the Psychiatric Ward', continues to be active, transitioning between the screen and OTT platforms. In the film 'The Song of the Sun,' released on Nov. 11, she plays 'Ok-gyeong', the close friend of 'Mi-sol' (Jung Ji-so), who has a rare syndrome that prevents her from seeing sunlight. Kwon showcased her excellent talent in a supporting role, using her charming Chungcheong dialect and quirky personality effectively. In the TVING original series 'I Am A Running Mate,' which premiered on Nov. 19, she takes on the character of the popular class president 'Jo Han-byul', warning her peers who undermine her authority, "In this classroom, I'm the one in power," while also striving to turn the student council elections to her advantage, displaying her vibrant demeanor and self-assuredness throughout her character's range.
Through 'The First Night With the Duke,' Kwon Han-sol is making her first foray into the historical drama genre. She expressed her eagerness to express the 'Eun-ae' character, who possesses an 'inner strength and outer softness,' by stating, "To ensure viewers connect with the subtle changes in 'Eun-ae's' expressions and emotions, I would always shoot video during filming to analyze my expressions and practice adjusting my gaze and tone of dialogue. Since this was my first historical drama, I watched many previous historical works and found it intriguing how the characters' feelings can change simply based on their hanbok attire and how they walk or position their hands, so I kept that in mind while acting as 'Eun-ae'. I hope viewers will keep an eye on the choices 'Eun-ae' makes moving forward," she said, raising expectations.
With each project, Kwon Han-sol showcases her unique acting skills and remarkable ability to embody diverse characters, thereby enhancing the immersion of the work, and as such, anticipation is growing for KBS2's new Wednesday-Thursday drama 'The First Night With the Duke', which airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:50 p.m.
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