'Bloody Flower' prompted divided opinions among actors including Ryeoun, Seong Dong Il, and Keum Sae-rok about the serial killer.
On the morning of Jan. 27 at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Disney+ held a production press conference for 'Bloody Flower.' Director Han Yoon-seon attended the press conference along with actors Ryeoun, Seong Dong Il, Keum Sae-rok, Shin Seung-hwan, and Jung So-ri to talk about the project.
'Bloody Flower' is a mystery thriller about people surrounding a serial killer who has the ability to cure all incurable diseases, and it will be released on Feb. 4. Centered on Ryeoun as serial killer Lee Woo-gyeom, a genius with medical skills capable of saving the world, the story includes Seong Dong Il as lawyer Park Han-jun, who must defend the killer to save his sick daughter; Keum Sae-rok as prosecutor Cha I-yeon, who seeks to prove her existence through a death sentence; and Shin Seung-hwan and Jung So-ri, who play characters approaching another reality of the case, depicting clashing choices and beliefs.
The press conference began with talks organized by keywords. When the keyword 'judgment' appeared, Keum Sae-rok, who plays prosecutor Cha I-yeon, said, "In truth, I-yeon is a character who must straightforwardly pursue and uncover what she believes in and bring it to light. In some ways she can seem selfish, but she is someone who trusts her convictions and moves straight ahead. To convey a sharp image, I challenged myself with a short bob cut, and I was satisfied with the new feeling it left," noting she attempted a visual transformation for the prosecutor role.
Next, with the keyword 'confrontation,' Ryeoun said, "Overall it was not easy. Expressing the process of becoming a team from a confrontational stance with a senior actor, I tried to portray it a bit differently. That part felt somewhat difficult," he said. Asked about playing a character he had never played before in his filmography, Ryeoun added, "It was truly a character I had never done before, so I researched a lot. I prepared diligently."
When the keyword 'composition' appeared, Jung So-ri spoke about her supporting role, saying, "Min-gyeong is a character with a clear goal to help lawyer Han-jun. On the surface she looks simple and lively, but behind that she has a tenacity and drive toward her goal, so I think she carries the flow of the drama forward." Asked what label she wanted to gain from this role, she said, "an actor loved by Seong Dong Il senior," and Seong Dong Il quipped, "People might think I hit her," jokingly.
Regarding the fourth keyword 'pursuit,' Shin Seung-hwan, who plays reporter Jo Woo-chul, said, "From the planning stage it was a role I wanted. The script was so fun, and after talking with the director on a previous project, we did some groundwork in advance. When I saw the name Jo Woo-chul, I wondered if it was written with actor Jo Woo-jin in mind, but I changed it to a role with a larger build who could use force, hoping Jo Woo-jin would be busy."
When the keyword 'verdict' appeared, Seong Dong Il said, "I actually also played a judge, but right now my job is to care for my family as an actor. Here the profession only changed to a lawyer; it's still Seong Dong Il." He explained his character by saying, "For the family and children the job simply changed, and living for the family is the same. Whether people point fingers or risk their lives, this is the Seong Dong Il of now. There is right and wrong, but being a father is a big thing, so the child comes first. I think all fathers feel the same. Fathers are the same when it comes to their children."
With their 'passion' combined to complete 'Bloody Flower,' director Han Yoon-seon said, "To make characters who stand opposed between law and morality drive the drama well, and to effectively show immersion, tension, and the questions each character holds, we put effort into readings and rehearsals."
Seong Dong Il explained, "Usually people go to their resting places and shoot when the take is on, but in our production we set up a table right next to the set where we could read and analyze the script together. After a cut ended, we looked at the script and gathered, and the juniors worked passionately. They always came early to read and constantly did readings."
Shin Seung-hwan recalled, "In a way we prepared like a play led by Seong Dong Il senior and the director. To say in advance, we filmed a 20-page portion without cuts. Tempo between people is important, and Seong Dong Il senior would even memorize the other person's lines at the site. I think a breathing we haven't seen before will be shown on screen."
Seong Dong Il boasted, "For the courtroom scene the cinematographer carried the camera on his shoulder and shot it as a long take. He said it was the first time he'd shot so long. The juniors memorized it all."
The juniors also expressed gratitude to their seniors. Ryeoun said, "They said we prepared like a play, and the seniors continually worked hard. They helped me memorize lines well, learn them, and adjust so I could perform properly when the take started. Even when there were many line mistakes, they never got angry. They kept saying it was okay and gave us strength by saying we could do another take," expressing his thanks.
Keum Sae-rok also said, "I was impressed by how we also filmed like a play. Exchanging lines and reacting is not a frequent experience on a drama set. Memorizing 13 to 14 minutes of lines at once and going through them continuously—where else can you do that? The seniors adjusted to my acting and breathed with me, and I was truly grateful. Because the seniors prepared a lot on set, there were no line mistakes and we went through continuously. Since the seniors did that, we couldn't afford to make mistakes. So we prepared more diligently, and the set atmosphere was warm and friendly."
Jung So-ri, who had the most scenes with Seong Dong Il and Shin Seung-hun, said, "Seong Dong Il senior took care of me tremendously without needing to be told, and I fell for senior Seung-hwan. He has an irresistible charm and a warm presence, and going to set was very happy."
In 'Bloody Flower,' the comedy Seong Dong Il has shown in previous works does not appear at all. Seong Dong Il said, "When the drama opens you'll see, but this time there is not a bit of humor. Because it's a courtroom drama, we memorized lines down to the last particle. You might wonder why I'm posing this way, but I had to face a serial killer and save my daughter, so I lost more than 10 kg. I wanted to show a father's desperation for his child. The twist is simply a twist for Seong Dong Il as an actor, but for the drama there was one goal. I'll leave the judgment to the viewers."
Finally, when asked the most important question of the work—'A serial killer with the ability to cure incurable diseases: is he a murderer or a savior?'—the actors were asked for their choices. First, Seong Dong Il said, "Here I'm the lawyer, and my child is very sick. I am 100% sure Woo-gyeom is a murderer. He's a bad guy."
But Jung So-ri said, "I think I would save him. I'm always thinking only of lawyer Han-jun, and if I empathize with that, I would support the lawyer's choice and align with that heart. Family comes first," and Ryeoun also said, "Of course murder is extremely bad, but I would save him. The intent is to save Woo-gyeom because he can treat incurable disease patients," showing immersion in his role.
Keum Sae-rok countered, "I've always been the same. Wrong is wrong, isn't it? I think no life is more or less precious than another," and Shin Seung-hwan declared, "Even after reading the synopsis and shooting, I still ponder it. It's a story for anyone. I feel like I'm posing a question to viewers in reverse, and from the perspective of a father with a daughter, I'd try to save him first. There is murder, but it's murder with reasons... I'll save him!"
Meanwhile, Disney+'s 'Bloody Flower' will be released on Feb. 4.
[Photo] Reporter Jo Eun-jung
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