Actress Um Ji-won shared her thoughts on the conclusion of 'For Eagle Brothers.'
On the 30th of last month, Um Ji-won met with reporters at the Vipo M Studio in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, for an interview regarding the conclusion of the KBS2 weekend drama 'For Eagle Brothers!' (written by Kwon Hyeon-suk, directed by Choi Sang-yeol).
'For Eagle Brothers' follows the story of the five eclectic brothers from the long-established brewery, Eagle Brewing, and how the eldest sister-in-law becomes the head of the family after her husband's sudden death just ten days into their marriage. The drama, which first aired in February, recorded a peak viewership rating of 21.9% (episode 40), leading to a decision for a four-episode extension, concluding with a total of 54 episodes on the 3rd.
Um Ji-won, who plays the role of the cheerful and candid postal worker Ma Gwang-sook, exudes charm with her bright features and fair skin. She convincingly captured the personality of her character, who often becomes enraged and uses colorful language, yet embodies a character filled with both laughter and tears.
First, after the grand journey of 54 episodes, Um Ji-won said, "It started last fall and concluded during the heatwave. We've been together for almost a year through the cold winter and hot summer, and I am thankful and happy to conclude it with the love of many people. Wishing for high ratings is a hopeful sentiment, and achieving them is another matter. I'm grateful that so many people have loved it. After creating a work, ratings and hits don't go as we wish, so when gifts come, we should accept them, and if not, we shouldn't feel hurt, but I am thankful to have received a good gift."
She added, "Especially, I am most grateful to the viewers; thanks to you, I was able to finish without getting exhausted. Thank you for your love, and I hope you stay healthy and happy. Gwang-sook will cheer for you."
In the drama, the character Gwang-sook, played by Um Ji-won, finds happiness after her husband passes away ten days after their marriage while running 'Eagle Brewing' with her remaining brothers-in-law. Um Ji-won noted about Gwang-sook, "Among all the characters I have acted, Gwang-sook shares the highest synchronization rate with me. I'm not as nosy or as fond of people as Gwang-sook, but I do share her spiritedness, ability to smile, loyalty, and warmth in many aspects. I do tend to be a bit nosy, but not as much as Gwang-sook. There were moments when I felt that Gwang-sook was draining my energy."
Um Ji-won particularly mentioned regarding Gwang-sook's commentary that her nosiness could be seen as a 'nuisance.' She said, "Initially, I read the eight episodes of the script, and the writer did a fantastic job. The setting of Gwang-sook, who gets married and becomes a widow just ten days later while running 'Eagle Brewing,' is very dramatic. So, I thought it might be hard for audiences to empathize with her, and it could easily become risky. However, I felt that if handled well, it would reveal a lovely character while accelerating the story development. When deciding on a project, we visualize how the story will unfold, and I think that image was well realized."
Additionally, she said, "I understood well the content about losing a husband ten days after marriage. I felt truly sad and genuinely wanted to stay close to my brothers-in-law. I acted with that feeling, so I wanted those emotions to resonate well with the viewers. There were physically limiting moments in such scenes, but since we filmed early, I tried to feel and convey those emotions. I believe we started off to a good response thanks to those emotions being well conveyed."
When asked how she would handle Gwang-sook's situation if experienced in real life, Um Ji-won laughed and said, "If I really lost my husband and had many brothers-in-law, I think I would part on good terms."
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