A stellar lineup, Mad Concrete Dreams is coming for viewers.
On the 9th at The Link Hotel in Sindorim, Seoul, tvN held a press conference for its new Saturday-Sunday drama Mad Concrete Dreams.
The event was simultaneously streamed online, and Ha Jung-woo, Lim Soojung, Kim Jun Han, Jung Soojung, Shim Eunkyung and director Im Pil-seong attended. The event was hosted by Park Kyung-lim.
Mad Concrete Dreams, which premieres on Sat., March 14 at 9:10 p.m., is a suspense drama about a livelihood landlord drowning in debt who joins a fake kidnapping to protect his family and building that are more precious than his life. Set against the backdrop of a real estate republic Korea, it promises an exciting story, unpredictable developments and dense acting from the cast, raising expectations.
Director Im Pil-seong described the work as a journey about a livelihood landlord who has pulled together his finances to own a small commercial building and, to protect that building and his family, teams up with his wife to do whatever it takes.
He also spoke about the actors' chemistry. Director Im said, It isn't easy to have so many top actors appear together in one work. First, I think the script had power. I can only interpret it as a stroke of luck that comes maybe once every 10 years. We were lucky with supporting and special appearances too. Compared with films, dramas have to be shot much faster and there is a lot of material, so it wasn't easy. Because the actors were so excellent, I think all the strengths of the work belong to the actors, and I am grateful.
He continued, For example, actor Ha and Lim Soojung appear here as a couple with a high school daughter; isn't that a first for them? Even so, I think they showed a new couple chemistry from day one. Jung Soojung and Kim Jun Han are not ordinary couples, either, but they showed surprising performances. Especially in the case of Shim Eunkyung, she debuted in my film Hansel and Gretel. I met her when she was in the first year of middle school and now again. It was a fresh and proud feeling.
Director Im added, I didn't think this would change my fate like a turning point. I felt my limits each day and thought I should make more effort. I got that strength entirely from the actors. Whenever I went to the set, I went with the expectation of what our actors would show today. Of course the work is important, but I did my best in the process.
Ha Jung-woo, who plays landlord Ki Soo-jong, described the character as, I think he's someone without a plan. He bought a building he can't handle, mostly with loans. He also borrows from private lenders personally. He has big dreams and ambitions but they seem detached from reality. So as the drama progresses, he suffers throughout and pays the price.
Asked about his return to the small screen after 19 years, Ha Jung-woo joked, But do people watch TV in the living room these days? He added, It doesn't feel real yet. I'm not used to being evaluated by ratings. Shooting wasn't different from film. There's still a part I haven't felt. I think once the broadcast starts, it'll feel real then. As for resolve, I already used that during filming. I'm waiting humbly for viewers' judgments.
There have been reports that Ha Jung-woo is actually a landlord and recently put a property on the market. Regarding that, Ha Jung-woo explained, As you know, the real estate market isn't good, so I put it up two years ago to cut losses early. That decision wasn't due to changes in feelings from filming this drama. He continued, While filming the landlord role and receiving the script, there were parts I empathized with. I also own buildings. Being a landlord doesn't mean a rosy life; I realized early on that it doesn't provide economic backing, so I related to that. I made mistakes when my economic and real estate knowledge was lacking. I identified with Soo-jong a lot through this drama. But that doesn't mean the property I put on the market has defects. It's not like that. I hope it's written well, he emphasized, drawing laughs.
Ha Jung-woo added, While filming I learned that becoming part of the FIRE movement too quickly is not good. It's great to use leverage wisely to buy buildings or real estate. But while using it, how much I can handle is the important part. I kept thinking during filming that you should only take on as much as you can handle. I think a key theme of this drama is that the path of vague hopes and get-rich-quick schemes brings consequences even if you gain something.
Ha Jung-woo recently confirmed a public relationship with actress Cha Jung-won, 11 years his junior. The two denied July marriage rumors and said they were not true. Asked about his feelings at his first official appearance since going public, Ha Jung-woo said simply, That friend always gives me messages and words of encouragement. Going public didn't make their voice louder. They have consistently shown affection and support, and I appreciate that.
Asked about the disappointing box office or ratings of his recent projects, Ha Jung-woo said, I know the results weren't good. But I didn't change tactics or devise new methods. I approached each work with the same mindset and even more resolve. I have no regrets about that. When a person does something for a lifetime, they naturally go through and must handle such periods. Just as there is morning and night, I hope the night passes and a brilliant sun rises through this work.
Lim Soojung, who plays the strong-willed wife Kim Seon, said, Kim Seon lives with the belief that family is more important than buildings. Normally she shows the everyday bickering of a real couple, but at some point she helps her husband and suddenly becomes involved in his business. The character changes and reveals a twist of charm.
She added, It's not just my character; none of the characters in the drama are stereotypical villains, but they change because of choices made in unexpected events. They show strange moral lines, and within an odd rhythm the genre fun and wit of our drama emerge. There are scenes that are chilling and desolate yet inevitably funny and well matched. Centered on Ki Soo-jong, all the characters encounter that side. Rather than one single character, the novel ensemble they create together will feel fresh.
He also spoke about reuniting with Jung Soojung after the film Gumi-jip. He said, We secretly hoped to meet again in a good project, and the opportunity came very quickly. When I heard attractive and excellent people were being cast, I definitely wanted to be part of this team. I hope viewers look forward to seeing the two Soojungs reunite in our drama.
Kim Jun Han, who plays Ki Soo-jong's close friend Min Hwal-seong, said, Hwal-seong has an unusually large dream size, so he keeps trying to fit his life into that dream. Since he can't do it by his own strength, he pulls his friend Soo-jong into it to grow the dream. Because of Hwal-seong, various incidents happen.
He continued, Hwal-seong acts on a wide scale and commits unexpected things without hesitation. So I prepared to think and act more freely. I thought things should go in an unforeseen way. He's not a character you can piece together like a puzzle. People aren't always consistent, right? I liked being able to act that. I didn't think the character was broken; I moved as much as Hwal-seong moves in the script.
Kim Jun Han, who pairs as a married couple with Jung Soojung following Suzy and Jang Nara, joked, I'm once again receiving harsh criticism and insults from people around me, and added, Personally I feel very lucky. I showed a great performance in Gumi-jip, and this time creating chemistry as a married couple made me excited even before the project. I think we made a good work together and enjoyed it.
Jung Soojung, who plays Min Hwal-seong's wife Jeon I-kyung, described her character as an only child raised by a mother who is a big real estate player. She didn't receive much love growing up; on the outside she seems bright and composed, but inside she is hollow and lonely. Various incidents occur in the story, and through them she experiences complex emotions.
On why she chose the role, she said, It may be too clichéd, but the script was so fun. The character felt like one I hadn't met before. There were many dynamic aspects. It felt like a character close to straight drama, so it seemed like a new challenge. On set, the director and actors helped a lot. I hope it turned out well.
She added, Later on, I-kyung will look quite different from the early scenes, so don't be too surprised. I remember letting go a lot during filming. I shared many concerns with the director. I acted so that viewers could naturally accept the change.
Shim Eunkyung, who plays villain Yona, said, Yona is a mysterious character whose exact origin is unclear despite being described as foreign-born. She's the worst and most unpleasant character I've played, which raises expectations. From the first episode she continuously pressures Ki Soo-jong (Ha Jung-woo) in various ways. Yona has desires that are twisted and inscrutable compared with the other characters. She has an innocent, childlike side, but that can make viewers feel eerie and frightened; I think she's a highly complex character.
Returning to Korean drama after six years through this project, Shim Eunkyung said she didn't actually feel burdened. If there was any burden, it was about portraying a personality she hadn't tried before and how to build that character before filming. She discussed the basic traits with the director before shooting. The director told her, 'I hope you just act like yourself' and 'approach it as a natural character with your presence,' which was a big hint. She focused on two keywords—innocence and a conscientious way of handling things—when acting.
She added, And because I had longed to play a villain, although I felt burdened at first, I gradually found great joy in performing as I did it. Honestly, going to the set became so enjoyable. Finally through this work I got to play a villain.
Saying she practiced for months for the action scenes, she said, Because Yona is a bad person, I hope viewers will watch and think, 'That character is really bad' or 'How mean.' In Money Game six years ago I played a very righteous character that people said they admired, but this time I hope viewers ask, 'What kind of person is she?' or 'What kind of human is she?'—comments that would feel like praise to me.
Finally, Shim Eunkyung said, Each character has underlying desires, and ironic situations and bittersweet scenes arise from those desires. I hope the work becomes one where viewers can, by watching each character, reflect with us on what would be a wise way to live.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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