'Made In Korea''s spectacular attractions are approaching.
On the 15th in the morning at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the Disney+ new series 'Made In Korea' held a production presentation. Director Woo Min-ho attended the production presentation along with actors Hyun Bin, Jung Woo-sung, Woo Do-hwan, Seo Eun-soo, Won Ji-an, Jung Sung-il, Kang Gil-woo, Noh Jae-won and Park Yong-woo.
'Made In Korea' is set in 1970s Korea, a time of both turmoil and leap forward, and tells the story of Baek Gi-tae (played by Hyun Bin), who seeks to make the state a revenue model to reach the pinnacle of wealth and power, and prosecutor Jang Geon-young (played by Jung Woo-sung), who pursues him with terrifying determination to the brink, confronting major events that span the era. It is composed of six episodes and will be released on the 24th.
Through 'Made In Korea' Hyun Bin is appearing in his first OTT work. He said, "First, I'm excited and thrilled that I have the opportunity to meet viewers around the world through an OTT platform. While working on the previous work Harbin with the director, there is a lot of trust," and added, "The director has an aspect of bringing out new sides of actors. The previous work 'Harbin' was about Korea's painful history and real people, so there was a sense of responsibility and pressure that came with that, but this time it was a fictional character and a fictional story, so I had anticipation about doing that kind of work with the director, and it was an enjoyable shoot," he recalled.
Director Woo Min-ho also expressed his feelings about reuniting with Hyun Bin, saying, "The work called 'Harbin' was really a difficult project. For me and for the actors. Maybe because we went through that difficult project, when we did the second work there was nothing to be self-conscious about. We talked very honestly and freely about this project and the set, and shot it enjoyably," he said.
Jung Woo-sung described his role as Jang Geon-young, saying, "He is a stubborn character. In a way, within his professional outlook he seems like a man of tenacious determination who insists on completing his duties to the end. When I read the script I thought this imagination was courageous and provocative." Jung Woo-sung added, "'Made In Korea' puts a fictional character into real events and carries the story with events that did not actually happen, within a complete imagination. That imagination seemed to give me as an actor enormous courage and creativity to design the character, so it was an interesting task."
Woo Do-hwan plays Baek Gi-hyun, the younger brother of Baek Gi-tae (played by Hyun Bin), a character with love-hate feelings toward his brother. Woo Do-hwan said, "He loves his brother very much, but he wants to surpass him and has his own desire to pioneer his own path. The main focus was, I think, that I consulted a lot with the director to properly express the love for his family. If he suffers too much he looks weak, and if he doesn't express it enough you can't understand Gi-hyun's psychological state. Since he is a soldier, I tried to make his manner of speaking stiff," he said.
In addition to these, Jo Yeo-jung, Seo Eun-soo, Won Ji-an, Jung Sung-il, Kang Gil-woo, Noh Jae-won, Park Yong-woo and Lily Franky also participated in the work. Director Woo Min-ho said about this casting, "It's luck. Gathering these actors in one work is not easy. I consider it luck. Fortunately a good opportunity came to me, and this was probably the most fun work I've ever filmed. I think it's the most fun among my works," he explained.
Director Woo Min-ho said about the direction, "Even now, that era was a time of upheaval and turmoil, and I think people will be able to feel directly and easily how similar it is to now. Watching that and comparing the past era with the present era and feeling it might be interesting," he said.
Hyun Bin reflected on Baek Gi-tae's desire and narrative, saying, "I wondered where Baek Gi-tae's desire came from, and I think it came from deficiencies, lack, and anxieties he had since childhood; having lived through a harsh world he didn't want to go back to or feel, so he chased wealth and power. I think his desire grew larger in the society where Gi-tae lived."
Recalling the set, Woo Do-hwan said, "First of all, I wanted to work on this project most because I wanted to breathe together with the seniors. When Jung Woo-sung first saw me and I said 'I'll work hard,' he said, 'Just have fun doing it,' and Hyun Bin always tries to find the direction of the character. I feel I always learn a lot from the seniors," and he shouted to the two seniors, "Thank you."
Regarding the project's keyword 'cinematic,' director Woo Min-ho said, "We shot it like a film. I hoped it would have as much or more completeness than works I previously shot. I think we shot it choosing and focusing more than a film," and added, "There are many excellent Korean dramas, but I have confidence in the quality. I dare to say that."
This work borrowed the 'Yodoho incident,' a subject similar to the recently Netflix-released film 'Good News.' Regarding what sets 'Made In Korea' apart, director Woo Min-ho said, "We are a six-episode drama and each episode deals with different incidents. I have heard many people say that director Byun Sung-hyun's 'Good News' is a good work, but I'm still filming season 2 so I haven't seen it yet. So it's a bit difficult for me to comment on the differences. I think it might be fun for those who have seen that work to compare," he explained. However, director Woo Min-ho added about the distinction, "I think episode 1 of 'Made In Korea' feels a bit more genre-oriented."
There was a reason this work was inevitably special for Jung Woo-sung and Hyun Bin. First, for Jung Woo-sung it was his first time on a domestic official stage since the 'out-of-wedlock child scandal' that erupted in November. He last year acknowledged that the son of model Moon Gabi was his biological child and was embroiled in a personal life controversy, and afterward it became a topic again when it was revealed that he had registered marriage with his long-term partner.
Regarding his personal life he answered, "I want it to reach viewers as an enjoyable work." Regarding questions about the scandal he briefly replied, "I understand the nature of the question you asked, but I ask for understanding that I cannot speak at length about my private reflections."
Hyun Bin is returning to drama for the first time in six years since the 2020 tvN series Crash Landing on You. In particular, Crash Landing on You was also released on OTT and gained tremendous popularity in Japan and was loved globally.
Asked whether he has expectations for 'Made In Korea,' Hyun Bin said, "I shouldn't have too high expectations, but I would like it to do as well as Crash Landing on You," revealing his own hopes. He continued, "And since you mentioned Japan, our episode 1 contains scenes where I perform in Japanese for the first time. So viewers may see me in a different light, but I'm not holding overly high expectations," he said.
About working with Jung Woo-sung, Hyun Bin recalled, "First, it seemed like a very fun shoot. I analyzed the character Baek Gi-tae in my own way, and when I met Jung Woo-sung senior on set with his preparation for the character Jang Geon-young, things beyond what each of us had prepared came out. He gave ideas, and my reactions to them also changed. Doing that kind of work made it continuously richer, I think," he recalled.
Jung Woo-sung also said, "I made a brief appearance in 'Harbin,' but this is the first time I've met with a long breath. I'm cautious. But Hyun Bin was a new challenge. It was great fun to observe how Hyun Bin would portray the character Baek Gi-tae," he said.
Meanwhile, Disney+ 'Made In Korea' will be released on Dec. 24.
[Photo] Reporter Lee Dae-seon
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