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[EXCLUSIVE] Park Eun Bin, Ro-woon & Nam Yoon Su Talk About Their Characters in 'The King's Affection'

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Are you into historical drama? In love with romance storyline but need a plot with twists and turns? Netflix ongoing K-drama 'The King's Affection' is your must-watch. This historical drama is based on novel of the same name, tells story of a princess who disguises herself as the crown prince when her twin brother Lee hwi is killed. She has to keep her identity and her affection towards her first love - the prince's teacher Jung Ji-woon

Over email, we spoke to the main cast Park Eun Bin, Ro-woon and Nam Yoon Su about the drama, characters and also their thoughts working with the co-stars.

Q: Do you find it difficult to portray the perfect prince character as Yi Hwi as it has 2 characters as a male and female?

Park Eun Bin: Even if the idea of a woman becoming king started from one’s imagination, I thought it was my responsibility as an actor to make the character believable. Rather than drawing a straight line between Hwi as a man and Hwi as a woman, I felt it was more important to make Hwi convincing as a person. So I’m trying not to pretend to be a guy, but to show how natural it was for Hwi to grow up as a man. I’m also trying to give off a genderless vibe. It’s very important for the narrative that no matter how hard she tries, she can’t hide her feminine qualities and that this leads to suspicion and danger. I hope that the audience will not focus on whether she’s a guy or a girl, but just naturally embrace ‘Hwi with this side to her, and also that side’. My hope is that me on-screen would really come across as ‘Hwi’ to the viewers.

Q: Just from the teaser itself, we can see great chemistry between you and Rowoon, So, any traits that you have discovered while working with him?

Park Eun Bin: He’s an actor who is very passionate and serious about acting, so we share a lot of conversations when we shoot together. I find this helpful because as we deepen our understanding of each other, we can add more depth to the characters’ emotions. Ji-woon has very pure eyes, which makes it even more sad when we film poignant scenes.

Q: Prince Lee Hwi is skilled at literary and martial arts, so do you face any challenges when shooting those ‘action’ scenes which require you to play swords, archery or do martial arts?

Park Eun Bin: Although her figure is small, Hwi excels in swords, archery, and martial arts. That meant that I also had to train a lot in order to become true king material. I practiced horseback riding and martial arts, and I’m trying hard to look like someone who was raised as a man. Sometimes it’s very physically draining, but Hwi is a person that has to overcome her limits every time, so I’m working to show you my best performance.

Q: How would you describe your character Jung Ji-woon in The King’s Affection?

Ro-woon: I play the Sikangwon instructor Jung Ji-woon, who is Hwi’s royal tutor, in the series.

Q: We heard that you’re the mood maker on set, so what do you normally do to lighten the shooting atmosphere? And would you think yourself is similar to the character Ji-woon?

Ro-woon: I’m not sure about me being the mood maker. Rather the overall on-set atmosphere was bright and cheery. So, no, it’s not me who’s the mood maker. As for Ji-woon, I’m not quite sure as to how similar I am with the character. I think I have various personalities, and some of them are shown via Ji-woon. So, I don’t think I can tell how similar I am to Ji-un.

Q: What was the most memorable scene about your character in the drama?

Ro-woon: It was when Ji-woon said, “Who says that certain things are just for women. What’s good should be shared by everyone,” because it demonstrates his thinking and philosophy.

Q: How would you describe your character Yi Hyun in The King’s Affection?

Nam Yoon Su: I play Yi Hyun in the series. Yi Hyun excels both in academics and martial arts. He’s always soft and gentle, but, at the same time, cannot stand injustice. He is a very reliable and thoughtful character, who knows humility and manners. In short, he’s a good man, who knows what’s right.

Q: How was it like to work with the co-star in The King’s Affection?

Nam Yoon Su: We’re still shooting the series, and the on-set atmosphere is so fun and comfortable to the extent that I want to work with the same cast and crew in the next project as well.

Park Eun Bin challenges herself to become a woman king in disguise, a character definitely not easy to come across, and is to portray a cold-hearted and charismatic monarch, putting aside her warm-hearted image from her previous works. Ro Woon, who had many hearts fluttering with his romance dramas set in schools and offices, will also challenge himself, starring in a historical drama for the very first time. The beautiful appearances of the two actors and the chemistry between them had fans waiting and waiting ever since the news of the cast got out.

Now we all can’t wait to see the heartbreaking romance that slowly blooms between the two actors, which will definitely touch our hearts in the middle of a sentimental autumn night.

photo credit to Netflix

K-drama

Binge-Watch Latest K-Dramas on Astro This October

Monday, October 18, 2021

My Name

A Star-Studded Lineup Drama 'My Name' Features Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Ahn Bo-hyun

Monday, October 18, 2021

Action noirs and stories of espionage are traditionally dominated by men, but My Name introduces a female lead to the classic revenge theme. It offers a refreshing mix of deftly carried out elements within the genre.

The cast consists of Han So-hee in the spotlight surrounded by powerful actors: Park Hee-soon, Ahn Bo-hyun, Kim Sang-ho, Lee Hak-ju, Jang Yull and Yun Gyeong-ho. With each actor holding their own in a well-orchestrated drama, My Name, according to Director Kim Jin-min, is a testament to the great things that happen when the actors give their all.

Han So-hee transforms herself in the lead role of Jiwoo, who witnesses her father die right before her eyes and joins the crime ring he belonged to for revenge. There, prodded by his best friend and the leader of the ring, Mujin (Park Hee-soon), she enters the police force as a mole under the alias Oh Hyejin. With each step Jiwoo takes to find her father’s killer, she must face brutal truths that harden her even more.

Park Hee-soon has earned audiences’ trust with solid performances in The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion, 1987: When the Day Comes and The Fortress. He plays Mujin, who heads the country’s largest drug ring, the Dongcheon cartel. After the death of his friend Donghoon (Yun Gyeong-ho) whom he trusted like a brother, Mujin accepts Donghoon’s daughter Jiwoo into the organization and leads her to go undercover into the police force. Although Mujin does everything in his power to protect Jiwoo from harm, he remains a veiled character who piques viewers’ curiosity more and more with each episode.

Ahn Bo-hyun plays the role of Pildo, Jiwoo’s partner who is the top cop in the narcotics division and a man of unbending principles. Ahn creates momentum for his character Pildo who becomes increasingly compelling and captivating as the storyline crosses into the latter half. He also creates convincing on-screen chemistry with Han So-hee as her partner. Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon and Ahn Bo-hyun, each playing a drug lord, an undercover mole and a cop respectively, come together as a formidable team of leads to bring the series to new heights.

Rounding out the cast are: Kim Sang-ho, who commands a presence with every role he undertakes, playing Giho, the chief of the Drug Investigation Unit; Lee Hak-ju plays Taeju, Mujin’s right-hand man and the second-in-command of the Dongcheon cartel; Jang Yull, who is building an impressive filmography in both plays and dramas, playing Gangjae, a member of the cartel who embroils Jiwoo in a major conflict; and Yun Gyeong-ho, whose character portrayals run a wide spectrum, playing Jiwoo’s father Donghoon.

To set the genre-appropriate ambiance, special care was taken with dark lighting and tones. Director Kim Jin-min is gifted in melding the ordinary with the extraordinary in creating a convincing reality. Distinguishing Korean cultural establishments such as bars, restaurants, singing joints, and gaming cafes line alleyways with glaring neon signs and dark corners. Such is the backdrop against which Han So-hee’s character Jiwoo shows off raw action moves. Uniquely Korean details incorporated into characteristic genre elements give My Name a breath of fresh air.

Watch My Name on Netflix now!

CL Shows Versatility in 'Lover Like Me'

Monday, October 18, 2021

International superstar and K-pop phenomenon, CL, has released her new single “Lover Like Me”, the second off of her forthcoming album 'ALPHA', set to release on 20 October. Following the explosive release of “SPICY”, the introductory track to the impending 'ALPHA' era, "Lover Like Me" serves as a continuation of CL’s road to 'ALPHA' and offers fans a further taste of her powerful new chapter.

As “SPICY” delivered a masterclass in performance ability, “Lover Like Me” seeks to showcase CL’s vocal prowess—in addition to her signature tight rapping. Evermore a symbol of independence, confidence and attitude with her artistry, CL’s “Lover Like Me” evokes a sense of passion and empowerment against a resounding pop beat.

“I just gotta let you know/if you’re gonna let me go/You will never, ever find another lover like me,” she sings, scorning a past partner who didn’t appreciate her worth. Just as she has exemplified in her journey and arrival as independent solo artist, “Lover Like Me” reflects CL’s ability go her own way and remain on top; in both love and in her music.

CL - Lover Like Me Music Video

Multi-faceted global superstar, fashion icon and pride of South Korea, Lee Chae-rin (“CL”), exploded onto the k-pop scene at 17, frontwoman to the biggest k-pop girl group in the world, 2NE1. As writer and co-producer of the group’s 2014 hit album 'Crush', CL quickly distinguished herself as a promising versatile crossover artist, as the album went on to become the highest-charting and best-selling Korean album in US Billboard 200 history. Several sold out world tours later, CL (reverently called the “Queen of K-Pop”) embarked on a long-speculated solo career in 2016, marked by the release of her first smash single, “Lifted”, off her debut solo album: the single garnered over 33 million YouTube views and landed CL her US TV debut The Late Late Show with James Corden.

After a three-year recording hiatus and show-stopping performance at the 2018 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, CL returned to the spotlight in 2019 with a gift for her eager fans: six new tracks under the title 'In the Name of Love', chronicling her more private years following the release of "Lifted". The 2019 People’s Choice Award winner for “The Most Inspiring Asian Woman,” CL is also a two-time nominee for TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World”, and tied Hilary Clinton in votes in 2016.

A genre-bending artist, she has collaborated with the American chart mainstays, the Black Eyed Peas and Lil Yachty, and performed with the likes of Skrillex and Diplo— electrifying their sets at Ultra Music Festival and Hard Summer. A creative mastermind and re-inventor by nature, a new CL returned to the American music scene with a powerful performance back where it all began: The Late Late Show with James Corden, ahead of the releases of two brand new singles “+H₩A+" and “+5-STAR”, which have amassed over 36 million combined worldwide streams to date.

Now fresh out of the studio, CL is set to release her next bilingual project, 'ALPHA', this October. Proudly wearing the trailblazer label, she continues to pave the way for Asian women in music, utilizing her platform (12M combined) to empower them to push past cultural and industry barriers. CL can also be seen in Season 2 of the popular FX series, DAVE, which premiered this June 2021.