EXCLUSIVE: Gong Hyo-jin and Jung Jun-won Talk Double Lives, Family and Twists in A Bona Fide Killer

What happens when a devoted working mother secretly lives as a legendary assassin? 

Viki’s ongoing action drama A Bona Fide Killer follows Yoo Bo-na (Gong Hyo-jin), a sales team manager and mother who returns to her secret life as “Kingfisher,” a professional sniper targeting criminals who escape justice. Meanwhile, her husband Kwon Tae-sung (Jung Jun-won), a social affairs reporter, begins investigating Kingfisher—unaware that the woman he is looking for is his own wife. 

Blending action, mystery, family and emotional drama, the series explores Bo-na’s struggle to protect her family while keeping her dangerous secret hidden.

We caught up with Gong Hyo-jin and Jung Jun-won to talk about their characters, their chemistry as a married couple, the challenges of portraying two sides of one person, and what viewers can expect from A Bona Fide Killer.

Q: What makes A Bona Fide Killer a must-watch for Malaysian viewers? 

Jung Jun-won: I believe the theme of "family" is a universal language that resonates with anyone, regardless of nationality. In that sense, I think international fans will be able to easily relate to and enjoy the journeys of the characters in our show. Since we poured our hearts into filming through both the winter cold and summer heat, I truly hope our passion and effort come through. Please give lots of love to A Bona Fide Killer, and I hope you enjoy watching it!

Gong Hyo-jin: The main highlight of the drama is the thrilling twist of trying to figure out which side of her is real—the working mother packing every minute of her day for her family, or the ruthless killer. On top of that, the story frequently unfolds in reverse sequences, creating an unpredictable narrative flow that keeps you hooked. I feel more excited than ever because I believe this series will truly satisfy fans who have been waiting. I am thrilled to greet everyone through a drama after a long time, and I often imagine a day when I can visit my Malaysian fans in person thanks to your love and support.

Q: A Bona Fide Killer blends action, mystery, family, and emotional drama. What was the most exciting element of this story that made you want to be part of the project?

Gong Hyo-jin: I received the offer to adapt this into a drama quite a long time ago, so I read the original webtoon first and was immediately intrigued. While it is a dark hero story, what appealed to me most was that the core of the drama focuses on Yoo Bo-na’s ordinary daily life as a married woman rather than being strictly case-driven.

Q: Your character lives an extraordinary double life—an ordinary working mother by day, but secretly the legendary sniper known as Kingfisher. If you had the chance to live a completely different double life in real life, what would it be, and why? 

Gong Hyo-jin: Everyone has probably dreamed at least once of living as a hero who fights evil. But after stepping into Bo-na’s shoes, I realized that living such a life is far harder than it sounds. In fact, I often confessed to the director and actor Jung Joon-won that "playing Bo-na is so difficult." There were many scenes where I had to converse with her husband, Taesung, while pretending not to know the truth I was secretly carrying, and it became increasingly challenging to convey those nuances as the story progressed toward the latter half. 

In a way, being an actor itself feels a bit like Cinderella—spending moments dressed up in glamour before returning to daily life and changing back into my own clothes. In that sense, the gap between my profession and my real self feels quite similar to Yoo Bo-na’s reality. If I ever had to choose between being a killer or a wife, it would be an agonizing decision, but ultimately my choice would always be to stay by the side of the people I love. 

Q: The bond between your character and your child feels very genuine. What was your secret to building such convincing mother-child chemistry? Were there any parenting tips or real-life stories from your co-stars that inspired your performance? 

Gong Hyo-jin: Over our long eight-month filming period, we naturally grew comfortable and came to understand each other's traits. Actor Hwang Bom-i, who plays Kwon Yul, was naturally very affectionate toward older sisters and aunts from the start, so she got along wonderfully with my staff as well. Now that filming has wrapped, I even worry she might feel sad or disappointed asking, 'Why can't we meet as often as we did during shooting?' On set, I wasn't just an endlessly lenient figure; I worked on building a deep bond by sometimes helping her focus and understand the scene, or comforting her when the hours grew late and tiring.

Q: Fans are curious about the chemistry between you and the co-star. Since this was your first project with Gong Hyo Jin, how did you build that comfortable and convincing connection as a married couple, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes? 

Jung Jun-won: We built our dynamic by having countless conversations. Because I don't have personal experience with married life, there were moments early on that felt a bit unfamiliar. However, Gong Hyo-jin sunbaenim and the director offered so much advice and spent time working through those scenes with me, which helped fill in those gaps. Thanks to their guidance, we were able to create a natural and convincing dynamic for Taesung and Bona on screen.

Q: Bo-na is a character torn between two lives. As an actress, how did you work to create her two personas, while maintaining coherence between them? Was that part of what attracted you to the role? 

Gong Hyo-jin: What drew me to A Bona Fide Killer was that the narrative centers on Yoo Bo-na’s ordinary daily routine as a working mother. In her everyday life, I portrayed Bo-na as kind and always wearing a smile; as a killer, I prepared a dry, unwavering demeanor unlike anything I’ve shown in previous roles. I tried to fluidly navigate that gap between two contrasting sides: the mother living every moment to the fullest for her family, and the cold-headed killer.

Q: Bo-na’s relationship with her husband is very loving, but at the same time filled with tension, especially as he starts investigating her. How did you work to build that with Jung Jun-won, and what do you think is the main point viewers should look for in that relationship? 

Gong Hyo-jin: Although her husband, Taesung, is hunting "Kingfisher," he never suspects for a moment that the figure could be his own wife. Rather than doubting each other directly, the dynamic stays tense as they remain wary of the threats surrounding them. Our drama feels uniquely fresh because it frequently uses reverse-chronology sequences to present and resolve its mysteries. Past Episodes 7 and 8, the backstories and long-awaited answers finally begin to surface. Friends who watched the early episodes with me kept asking "Why?", but I just kept telling them, "Keep watching a bit longer and everything will make sense." I heard the writer agonized deeply to craft the final resolution, so I hope everyone stays tuned with keen interest right until the very end.

Q: Please describe A Bona Fide Killer in three words. 

Jung Jun-won: I would choose "Family," "Unpredictable," and "Choices." I selected these three words because the drama contains the deep warmth of family devotion, a story full of unpredictable twists, and the meaningful choices each character makes to protect what matters most to them.

With its unusual combination of family life, mystery and action, A Bona Fide Killer offers viewers a different kind of hero story—one where the greatest challenge may not be taking down a criminal, but protecting the people you love while keeping your own secrets hidden. 

Catch Gong Hyo-jin and Jung Jun-won in A Bona Fide Killer, now streaming on Viki.

Photo credits: Viki