Netflix's new series "Donggung" continues the K-shamanism craze.
On the 8th, at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, a production presentation was held for Netflix's new series "Donggung" (written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won, directed by Choi Jeong-gyu). Director Choi Jeong-gyu and actors Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo and Cho Seung-woo attended the event.
"Donggung" depicts the story that unfolds as Gu-cheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), who has the ability to cross into the world of ghosts (鬼), and palace maid Saenggang (Roh Yoon-seo), who holds a secret, answer the king's (Cho Seung-woo) summons and uncover the curse that haunts Donggung. Writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won, who built a distinctive Korean occult world through works such as Bulgasal: Immortal Souls and The Guest, and director Choi Jeong-gyu, who has demonstrated outstanding directing across genres in works including The Devil Judge and The Red Moon, Blue Sun, joined forces.
Director Choi Jeong-gyu described "Donggung" as "an occult horror fantasy action film in which, based on a fictional worldview, Gu-cheon and Saenggang investigate strange occurrences at the palace at the king's command," and said, "The script was fun. The more I talked with the writers, the more I felt it would be fun to make. There was a compelling world and characters, so I really wanted to do it."
Director Choi Jeong-gyu added, "I wanted the world of ghosts and the real world to be intuitively distinguishable, so we used color. Although it is the same location, we shot it in different seasons so we didn't rely solely on VFX. We worked to make them easily distinguishable," and said, "It must have been very difficult for actors to act opposite invisible counterparts. We referenced original sources and existing folklore at times, but while preserving the original characteristics, we thought about how to make it more concise and universal."
In particular, Director Choi Jeong-gyu said, "The script had a lot of worldbuilding, and the key was how to visualize it. During the concept phase we sketched various ideas and possibilities as we proceeded. As time passed and we discussed it, it converged in one direction," adding, "The most satisfying scenes and creatures were those filmed in real snow and cold, where the atmosphere was created and then enhanced in post-production; that was both anticipated and satisfying. The creature that had the most proposals was 'kkeomeoksal' and I was relieved that people liked it a lot."
Cho Seung-woo said of the finished post-production work, "Nam Joo-hyuk and Roh Yoon-seo filmed with at least 500 times more difficulty than I did. I did a 50-episode historical drama before, but it was harder than military service. Nam Joo-hyuk trained and filmed action for nearly a year, which I found admirable and praiseworthy. Although he is my junior, I learned a lot from him. Roh Yoon-seo likewise endured a lot, with many scenes involving entering the water."
Director Choi added, "I hope viewers respond by saying they enjoyed it. We tried to make it broadly appealing because we wanted many people to like it. We aimed to include many Korean sensibilities and visuals. Since the palace, costumes, color palette and props or structures are borrowed from traditional culture, I hope many will watch it. I believed that if the work is entertaining and the actors' performances are outstanding, many people would like it. The thing we paid most attention to was to incorporate Korean elements naturally. We focused on pacing and rhythm. Even if language and situations differ, I hoped many people would enjoy it."
Nam Joo-hyuk transforms into Gu-cheon, a character who crosses into the "world of ghosts (鬼)." Gu-cheon, who has the ability to cut and kill ghosts with a sword, infiltrates the palace to solve a mysterious incident that occurred in the royal household and confronts an unimaginable dark world. As his first project after military discharge, this work raises high expectations for Nam Joo-hyuk's acting transformation; he has expanded his acting range across diverse genres in works such as Vigilante, Twenty Five Twenty One, Start - Up, The Sound of Your Heart, The Light in Your Eyes and others.
It has been about three years since Nam Joo-hyuk last met viewers with the Disney+ series Vigilante, which aired in 2023. Returning after completing his military service, Nam Joo-hyuk said he chose "Donggung" as his first project because, "It was the first script I received in the military and it allowed me to imagine a lot. Military service offers much time to exercise imagination, so I read it very enjoyably. The palace mystery flows naturally, and I could read that flow smoothly. I wanted to portray Gu-cheon well even if it meant burning myself up."
Nam Joo-hyuk said, "Action was only answered by practice. I attended action school before and during filming to synchronize moves and also adjusted them on set. As it became familiar to my body, I could act more freely on set," adding, "Memorable action scenes include the fight with the 13 palace maids and the scene where a shaman conducts a gut in the real world while Gu-cheon goes into the world of ghosts."
Roh Yoon-seo plays Saenggang, a palace maid born with the ability to hear ghosts. Considering her ability a lifelong curse, Saenggang uses it to uncover palace secrets alongside Gu-cheon. Having drawn attention as a rising star through works such as Our Blues and Crash Course in Romance, Roh Yoon-seo received praise for capturing sparkling moments of youth in the Netflix films 20th Century Girl and Hear Me: Our Summer. Known for her excellent acting and distinctive aura that amplified a character's charm, it will be intriguing to see how she portrays Saenggang.
Roh Yoon-seo said, "To be honest, the historical genre and fantasy were unfamiliar to me, but just reading the story made me wonder how this would be depicted if it were actually realized. It stimulated my imagination and was intriguing," adding, "I thought the active and enterprising nature of the character was cool and wondered how I could present that. It was a challenging project for me, and although I had fears, I chose it because I thought there was much to learn."
Roh Yoon-seo continued, "To be honest, being my first historical drama was difficult. Maintaining vocalization and a rigid posture was hard. At first I wasn't accustomed to that style and my body stiffened, but over time it became natural. Still, it was fun," adding, "There is a combo play with Nam Joo-hyuk. When they first meet, the characters have led different lives and are at odds, but as time passes they come to need each other. They become indispensable to each other, and I hope viewers closely observe that process."
Cho Seung-woo is expected to firmly anchor the drama's center. The king played by Cho Seung-woo secretly summons Gu-cheon and Saenggang to lift the curse that haunts the palace. Although he carries out righteous governance, the king's complex side, shadowed by deep darkness, will be portrayed with intensity by Cho Seung-woo, drawing attention to his passionate performance.
Regarding the role of the king, Cho Seung-woo said, "The role was a king. He had no name. When the script arrived like that, I thought I could play the king. The script blends a variety of materials well, and the relationships between the king and the characters, along with drama, occult, action and fantasy, are well integrated. I was cast the latest, but since Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo and Jang Young-nam were doing it, there was no reason not to do it. I thought it would be nice to be among trending actors."
Cho Seung-woo said, "He is an especially lonely character. He has lost sons due to the palace curse and is on the verge of losing his last remaining son, so a sad and complicated inner turmoil swirls within him. Because he must care for the people as well as deal with the palace curse, it was not easy to express a figure consumed by anguish, torment, reflection and introspection. A person who did not believe in ghosts ultimately secretly summons Gu-cheon and Saenggang to the palace for the sake of his bloodline and royal authority. If you focus on that aspect, it will be interesting to watch."
Appearing in his first Netflix original, Cho Seung-woo said, "Netflix also has its own 'daughter' (Roh Yoon-seo). Although dramas I did before appeared on Netflix, this is my first original series, so I was very pleased. I expect it to offer a unique kind of fun." Especially since this is his third collaboration with Director Choi Jeong-gyu, Cho Seung-woo added with a laugh, "The director has a special nickname he calls me, saying, 'Has the king arrived?' which was very delightful. We are of the same generation, so we have common ground, and I teased him a lot by phone."
Director Choi Jeong-gyu said, "From the first time I saw Nam Joo-hyuk, he seemed like Gu-cheon. He seemed very reliable and strong-willed, and there was a glint in his eyes that fit Gu-cheon, so I cast him. On set, we said 'Saenggang is responsible for elegance' about Roh Yoon-seo; she delivers natural and honest acting and is a bold person, which worked well for our production. Cho Seung-woo is cool. It's embarrassing to say that working together again was a dream, but he seemed to suit the word 'secret' best."
On viewing points, Director Choi Jeong-gyu said, "This was a very earnest project, so I hope you enjoy it," and Cho Seung-woo said, "Donggung features a pond that looks calm at first glance, but within it is a sense of excitement like the eye of a typhoon." Roh Yoon-seo said, "The pleasure of watching speaks for itself, so please look forward to it," while Nam Joo-hyuk noted, "Some people say they saw the trailer and are too scared to watch, but it's neither not scary nor too scary. I am someone who has difficulty with frightening things, yet I watched it and filmed. The fear is convincing."
Netflix's new series "Donggung" will be released on the 17th.
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