KBS daytime drama returned with a shocking premise that even surprised the actors.
The production presentation for KBS 1TV's new daytime drama "Marie and Her Three Daddies" (written by Kim Hong-ju, directed by Seo Yong-su) was streamed live online at 11 a.m. on the 13th. Attending the presentation were Ha Seung-ri, Hyun-woo, Park Eun-hye, Ryu Jin, Hwang Dong-joo, Gong Jung-hwan, Jung Ae-ri, Geum Bo-ra, Kang Shin-ee, and director Seo Yong-su.
"Marie and Her Three Daddies" follows Mari (played by Ha Seung-ri) on a chaotic search for her father. The drama depicts the birth of an unusual family whose bonds are stronger than blood and more persistent than sperm. Centered on Mari, the tense story unfolds among three fathers: Lee Poong-ju (played by Ryu Jin), Kang Min-bo (played by Hwang Dong-joo), and Jin Ki-sik (played by Gong Jung-hwan).
Director Seo Yong-su explained the casting of the lead actors: "When I met Hyun-woo, he loved dogs right away. He was so warm that I thought he fit Kang-se well, so I cast him immediately. I thought Ha Seung-ri was the actor who best fit the 'T' personality. Actually, she's different from an empathizer, but I thought she has great empathy and could portray the delicate role of Mari well, so I contacted her."
He added, "Regarding senior Park Eun-hye, to be slightly exaggerated, I think I called her 10 times. I thought Park Eun-hye was the only one who could play Joo Shi-ra, so I did that. I think you'll see when you watch."
Director Seo Yong-su also said, "I think daytime dramas play a very important role. I felt a great sense of responsibility and weight taking on such a drama, but I thought if I directed it like that the series wouldn't be fun, so I let go of the burden and have been trying to express everyday episodes in a relatable, entertaining way," and added, "The viewing points are fun, emotion and the joy of watching the acting," asking viewers to look forward to it.
Park Eun-hye said of director Seo Yong-su, "When I first met the director I asked, 'Aren't you a KBS director?' He was very handsome and neat. When I first read our script I thought, 'Is this really a KBS drama?' I wondered if this subject matter could be handled, but KBS is changing," adding with a laugh.
Ha Seung-ri plays Kang Mari, the girl who takes responsibility for her chaotic family and runs toward her dream of becoming a doctor. On the sync rate between her and the character Mari, Ha Seung-ri said, "I think it's about 90 percent. I'm half T and half F, but I hear I'm closer to T. So rather than feeling like I'm acting big, I approach it as if I'm bringing something out of myself," and added, "Mari appears competent and cold on the outside, but behind that she has great clumsiness, which I think is her cute point."
Hyun-woo plays Lee Kang-se, a first-year resident who always conveys bright energy and has a warm heart. Hyun-woo said, "Kang-se has pain in his heart and warmth coexisting. He is a character who grows through various situations with Mari. I want to capture the details of Kang-se's growth; I'm trying to express it delicately. I'm lacking, but I'm working hard, so I hope you'll look forward to it."
Playing lovers in the drama, Hyun-woo said of Ha Seung-ri, "Because Seung-ri does so well, the atmosphere on set is good. When she does well, I do better, so that's how it goes." In response Ha Seung-ri said, "He is very considerate on set. Thanks to him, we're enjoying filming and the set atmosphere is fun; we became comfortable more quickly, which brought out good chemistry, and we're enjoying the shoot."
Park Eun-hye, who plays Mari's reckless mother Joo Shi-ra, said, "If I put it nicely, the range of emotions is wide; she's a character with severe mood swings who says and does whatever she wants. In real life people suddenly laugh then cry, and cry then laugh, which is very relatable. I'm focusing on each moment to find justification. To make it believable I ask myself, 'What kind of feelings would she have?' while acting. There are some similar aspects to me."
Jung Ae-ri, who plays obstetrician-gynecologist Eom Gi-boon, whose role triggers the incident, said, "I thought the times have really changed if KBS will tell this story. I'm playing an obstetrician, and in my lines words like 'sperm' and 'sperm bank' appear a lot. Because of this work, those topics might become more approachable. Korea's population problem is severe anyway, so maybe people will think about those things together," asking for interest.
"Marie and Her Three Daddies" is expected to become a pleasant work that adds humor as well as a story about family. Ryu Jin said, "It's a very enjoyable and pleasant human drama. There's a saying about the love of the one who gave birth and the one who raised you; rather than trying to decide what's correct, if you watch with your heart I think you'll feel the warmth of the drama."
Hwang Dong-joo also said, "I think viewers will think once more about family love and meaning. If you follow along, you'll see what kind of ending comes; there are many incidents and accidents each episode, so it will be more enjoyable if you watch," asking viewers to look forward to it.
"Marie and Her Three Daddies" premieres today (the 13th) at 8:30 p.m.
[Photo] Provided by KBS.
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