As You Stood By, a thriller about the solidarity of two women, finds its audience.
On the 5th at Yongsan CGV in Seoul, a production presentation for the Netflix series As You Stood By was held. Director Lee Jung-rim, Jeon So-ni, Lee Yu-mi, Jang Seung-jo and Lee Mu-saeng attended the event.
As You Stood By is a story about two women who decide to commit murder in the face of a reality from which they can escape only by dying or killing, and who become involved in an unexpected incident.
That day director Lee Jung-rim introduced the work, saying, "It is a series that depicts two women with similar trauma who, in order to escape a hellish life from which they can get out only by dying or killing, decide to murder and form a bond, but continue to be drawn into incidents."
About adapting the Japanese novel Naomi and Kanako, the director explained, "Shortly after the novel came out, I read it because I am such a fan of the author, and I empathized with and felt sad for the lives of the two women. Even so, I felt many emotions at their attempts to move forward, and when I heard it was going to be adapted, I wished the opportunity would come to me. I loved the writing so much that I filmed with the thought that I had to make it well."
He also talked about the title. The director said, "Actually, I also really like the original title. A name can signify a person's story. Because ours is an eight-episode series, we used names as the episode subtitles, and after consulting with the writer the reason we chose the title is that it includes the meanings of you, me and us. It could really be 'you,' or it could be someone who stands by. After watching it all, I think everyone will think deeply about the title."
He also shared casting behind-the-scenes. The director said, "I felt very happy and pleased. Before and after casting, I talked a lot with the actors, and because the actors and the characters and the direction the story wanted to go were aligned, there were no big difficulties in filming. Not only me but the actors treated this drama with a special attitude. That's why we were able to work with so much enjoyment."
On directorial emphasis he said, "Because the two female leads make choices that require persuasion, I spent a lot of time considering how to convey them convincingly," and added cautiously, "From the start I kept in mind that violent scenes can be more stimulating when presented visually. I talked a lot with the director and put in only the montages that were necessary; you will see almost no direct contact between bodies. We showed the before and after situations to create a harrowing atmosphere and express things as much as possible. I thought I needed to study on my own, so I took classes on domestic violence and learned a lot. Since those people might watch our drama, I felt we really had to be careful."
He continued, "But because it centers on a subject, we could not avoid 'domestic violence.' When you look at Eun-soo or Hwi-soo, there are many scenes that might be difficult or uncomfortable to watch, but once you root for them, you will wonder what will happen to the two. Will they really be able to be happy? I thought viewers would become curious. Personally, I would be disappointed if many people didn't watch a difficult story. I worked hard to keep the drama from sagging. As it moves forward, So-baek's past comes out, and Jin-pyo's hidden sides appear. I wanted to drive the story well by using the surrounding characters."
Jeon So-ni, who plays Jo Eun-soo, described the character: "She is a competent employee who works on the VIP sales team at a department store and who has diligently built a life she must protect. She has always wanted to be a capable person, but after experiencing things herself and facing a friend who is trapped in a familiar pain, she decides she must save that friend."
On acting focus she said, "I hoped their choices would be somewhat persuasive to viewers. So I tried to understand Eun-soo, who can find the courage to act for someone else, and thought about what would move her. Eun-soo probably hesitated a lot longer. She must have felt frustrated with herself, but when she found herself in Hwi-soo, she probably thought there was no turning back."
Lee Yu-mi gave a passionate performance as Jo Hwi-soo. She introduced the character, saying, "Hwi-soo was an up-and-coming children's book author, but after meeting Jin-pyo she falls into a hellish marriage. At the moment she is about to give up a life she cannot escape or flee from, she meets Eun-soo and is saved; she shares many choices with Eun-soo and also makes many alone."
She also spoke about acting focus. Lee Yu-mi said, "My first goal was to make Hwi-soo standing in front of the camera look like a real person. I wanted to immerse myself in Hwi-soo's emotions. Although she is mentally fragile, I believed that strength can exist within that fragility, so I thought about how to express those two aspects well."
In the drama, Jeon So-ni and Lee Yu-mi play Jo Eun-soo and Jo Hwi-soo respectively and showed close chemistry. Regarding this, Jeon So-ni recalled, "Lee Yu-mi is a very healthy and positive person." She added, "Even when we first met, the atmosphere had a good effect on me, and I always felt supported. The feelings Eun-soo has for Hwi-soo meant I didn't have to force my emotions when looking at Yu-mi."
Lee Yu-mi responded, "From the first time I saw her I felt that my senior was a warm person and wanted to become close quickly. So I kept asking questions without stopping and continued talking with her. As we got to know each other, meeting on set was so fun, and the process of doing it together was enjoyable and built trust—a happy time." In particular Jeon So-ni said, "When I first saw Yu-mi with the director and the writer, the writer said Yu-mi and I resembled each other," boasting about their likeness and drawing attention.
Jang Seung-jo, who plays Noh Jin-pyo and Jang Kang, described the characters: "Noh Jin-pyo is Hwi-soo's husband. Socially he appears capable and successful, but at home he is obsessive and violent toward Hwi-soo. Jang Kang is a naive young employee favored by President Jin So-baek." He added, "There were many points where I could show external changes: hair, posture, voice, laugh—various elements to differentiate. The script was well crafted, so I stuck closely to it."
He also described the warm atmosphere on set. Jang Seung-jo said with a laugh, "Before coming in I was waiting outside and felt something. I thought the times working with these people were really good and it made me a bit emotional. I had wanted to say this if I had the chance, and I got to say it early."
Playing a powerful villain who shows violence, he joked about global reactions, "I'm also a bit afraid," and confessed, "Portraying a violent person. When I read the book, I wanted to save the two main characters. The desire to portray a violent person came before the burden of having to do so." He continued, "But expressing that character was necessary to show the drama's tension, so I think I approached it with passion."
Jang Seung-jo said, "It was strange to me too, but there was a time of day when I read the script and, while looking at Jin-pyo, I happened to check my smartwatch stress index and it was constantly close to 100. The next day and other days it was still high," and joked, "I'm sorry I couldn't spit on the script like Lee Kwang-soo in The Manipulated." Lee Mu-saeng also added, "When I see Jin-pyo I tend to close the script. I checked my pulse too. I thought I shouldn't look too long. But if you don't look, the story won't progress, right? That tension makes it impossible to stop reading."
Lee Mu-saeng, who plays Jin So-baek, explained, "Jin So-baek has a dark past that others don't know. He is the company's CEO and treats Jang Kang as his top employee. He meets Eun-soo by chance at a department store. After continuing these chance meetings, he also meets Hwi-soo, and something unusual happens to them, and he is a character who watches that from the sidelines."
He continued, "We decided on the hairstyle after many discussions with the director. More importantly, because he is trapped in a dark past, he has moments when fear wells up from the depths. I thought about how to express that effectively. In that situation, meeting the two characters gives Jin So-baek the courage to step away from his trauma. Ultimately, as an older figure in their lives, while working with them I thought a lot about how to express a distance that is neither too far nor too close."
He also described the set atmosphere. Lee Mu-saeng said, "The director rarely said 'let's do it again' once filming started. At first I wondered, 'Is this okay?' But as time went on I felt the efficiency deeply, and I think the production team felt it too. It suggested the director had his cuts well planned in his head. I understood why he became a trend-setting director. With that synergy, actors focused when it was time to perform. We had many prior discussions."
Finally, on viewing points, Jeon So-ni said, "After Hwi-soo and Eun-soo go through a big ordeal and think it's resolved, something starts again from the moment they think it is solved. The emotions these characters feel when that happens are complex. That timing will make viewers wonder, are they now free? and feel anxious at the same time, which will be interesting." Lee Yu-mi said, "The opening scene stays in my head. We shot that opening a lot; even a short moment contains many stories. Also, near the end when I get out of Eun-soo's car, my senior once said, 'You really were like Hwi-soo.' I'm looking forward to that scene."
Jang Seung-jo said, "It feels like the ending of each episode. It's an ending hotspot. It draws you into the next episode and you can't stop." Lee Mu-saeng said, "It's the final ending. I'm curious what viewers will feel about what ultimately happens to the two friends. Please look forward to their final expressions." The director added, "It's the moment that moves from the end of episode 3 into the opening of episode 4. It's also a moment with action. What I like most now is the fireworks scene that continues from the prologue. Because it's the moment when the whirlwind of events ends, watching it alone in the editing room made me feel strange. I'm curious what people will think when they see it."
Meanwhile, the Netflix series As You Stood By will be released on Nov. 7.
[photo] OSEN DB
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