Actor Jo Seong-ha talked about his first acting collaboration with Go Hyun-jung.
Jo Seong-ha gave a powerful performance as Chief Inspector Choi Jung-ho, the detective who handled the 'The Mantis: Original Sin' serial murder case 20 years ago and who now leads the investigative team on the copycat murders in the SBS Fri.-Sat. drama The Mantis: Original Sin (written by Lee Young-jong, directed by Byun Young-joo, hereafter The Mantis: Original Sin).
The Mantis: Original Sin is a high-density crime thriller in which the brutal serial killer known as "The Mantis" was caught, and 20 years later copycat crimes occur, leading a detective to carry out an unexpected cooperative investigation with the detective's mother, who is the hated "The Mantis," to solve the case. The Mantis: Original Sin, which premiered on the 5th, received favorable reviews, recording a peak rating of 7.5% (episode 4), and concluded with episode 8, which aired on the 27th.
Jo Seong-ha played Chief Inspector Choi Jung-ho, the detective who handled the 'The Mantis: Original Sin' serial murder case 20 years ago and who now leads the investigative team on the copycat murders, and he steadily carried the drama's narrative. Keeping the secret that he once had to make a transaction with the serial killer Jung I-shin (Go Hyun-jung) for political reasons to downplay and conceal the case, Jo Seong-ha sensitively portrayed the character's struggle between anguish and sense of justice as he fought to prevent the tragedy that began anew, using his distinctive low voice and charismatic gaze to perfectly express veteran Detective Choi Jung-ho's complex inner life and increase immersion.
Jo Seong-ha, who is approaching his 30th anniversary since debut, met Go Hyun-jung in a project for the first time in The Mantis: Original Sin. Speaking about working with Go Hyun-jung, Jo Seong-ha said, "I met Go Hyun-jung in a project for the first time, but she is an actor who never loses her smile. From the moment she appears, she makes eye contact with staff and actors and opens her heart to them. Because she approached the set with that attitude, the The Mantis: Original Sin team could come together more comfortably."
Go Hyun-jung's hospitalization late last year caused concern for many people. The same was true for Jo Seong-ha. He said, "When we started filming, there was a time when Go Hyun-jung was sick, so she couldn't be with us at the beginning, and I hoped she would recover quickly and return to the set with a smiling face. I was grateful that she came back and filmed smiling, so I wondered if that feeling was conveyed well." He added, "And Go Hyun-jung gave so many gifts and took care of everyone. From group outerwear to denim jackets and cosmetics, she gave things whenever she had a chance, and I felt so warm that I wished Go Hyun-jung could be my mother."
While working with Go Hyun-jung was important in The Mantis: Original Sin, collaborating with Jang Dong-yoon was also a key element. About Jang Dong-yoon, Jo Seong-ha said, "People can form a preconceived notion because Jang Dong-yoon looks delicate. His delicate face could create a bias against a detective character, but haven't we moved past an era of judging people by their looks? The more I saw Jang Dong-yoon, the more of a tough guy he was. I think he is a new example of someone who is gentle on the outside and strong inside, and on top of that, he has a good personality. He works hard, and I think he's an actor who will do even better."
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