"No Burden of Following 'Grand Duchess'": Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae, 'Acting Monsters at 50', Admire Each Other in '50 Percent' [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actors Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae have reunited for '50 Percent'.

On the afternoon of the 21st, a production presentation for the MBC Saturday-Sunday drama '50 Percent' (directed by Han Dong-hwa, written by Jang Won-seop) was held at the Golden Mouse Hall on Seongam-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Actors Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, Heo Sung-tae, Kim Sin-rok, Lee Hak-ju, and director Han Dong-hwa attended.

'50 Percent' tells the story of three men who appear ordinary but once had some fire—Jung Ho-myung (played by Shin Ha-kyun), Bong Je-soon (played by Oh Jung-se), and Kang Beom-ryong (played by Heo Sung-tae)—who are set in motion again by fate. An action comedy with a gritty edge about professionals who have run 50% of their lives, rusted in body but still alive in loyalty and instinct. Director Han Dong-hwa, who has directed 'Bad Guys', '38 Sagi-dongdae', 'Cheongil Electronics Mistry', and 'Navillera', is involved.

Shin Ha-kyun plays Jung Ho-myung, a kitchen chef at a National Intelligence Service hideout who has been on standby for 10 years while hiding his identity. Oh Jung-se plays Bong Je-soon, a special agent from North Korea who has lost her memory. Heo Sung-tae plays Kang Beom-ryong, a former legendary gangster who is now a convenience store owner earning no hourly wage. Kim Sin-rok plays Kang Young-ae, the 'Judge Gyeon-gae' who chases justice like a bulldozer. Lee Hak-ju plays Ma Gong-bok, an organization member who once followed Kang Beom-ryong and now works with him at the convenience store.

Director Han Dong-hwa introduced '50 Percent' as "a comeback project. It portrays the process of rising again amidst frustration and trials through romance, comedy, and humanism. We aimed for comedy with a twist, creating a B-grade sensibility that wasn't forced. It seems to be a fresh and pleasant work."

Regarding the charm unique to '50 Percent', the director said, "With these five actors, it's impossible not to be entertained. That's why we had high expectations. We tried to include restrained comedy, humanism, and action. It seems we managed to present a well-made B-grade comedy on terrestrial TV without feeling forced." He added, "No character is overly serious. You can watch it while laughing."

He explained, "Our drama is comic-book-like. There are positions like National Intelligence Service, a spy from North Korea, and a gangster, and we used comic-book imagination to create it." He continued, "Since the actors are older, focusing too much on action could lead to injuries. These actors are 'acting monsters,' so we focused on comedy."

'50 Percent' was written from the start with Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae as the core. Director Han revealed behind-the-scenes details: "In the pre-production stage, the story was written from the beginning around these three actors, and fortunately, the casting went well. I thought they were the right people for a gritty comedy."

Shin Ha-kyun revealed about his character Jung Ho-myung in '50 Percent': "He is a National Intelligence Service agent who has hidden his identity for 10 years and is looking for the object that framed him." Oh Jung-se stated, "She plays Bong Je-soon, a former human weapon who is now a spy living without knowing her own identity." Heo Sung-tae said, "I play Kang Beom-ryong, who has been in disguise as a convenience store owner for 10 years, constantly watching Jung Ho-myung." He added with a smile, "It feels like I'm returning to my role for the first time in a while."

Kim Sin-rok said, "She is 'Gyeon-gae', a former strong-crime detective. Once she bites on something, she doesn't let go and infiltrates major cases." Lee Hak-ju described his character Ma Gong-bok as "someone who was with Kang Beom-ryong in the organization but now lives as a convenience store employee, simmering with frustration." Kim Sin-rok added, "She shows the look of an otaku who loves investigations and a human side." Lee Hak-ju shared, "When I first read the script, I wanted to boldly try acting this time."

Shin Ha-kyun and Oh Jung-se previously acted together as a villain duo in the film 'Extreme Job'. Shin Ha-kyun, who is working with Oh Jung-se again in '50 Percent', said, "Their character relationship is not good, so it should be fun." Oh Jung-se stated, "We worked together briefly before, but this time we worked together for a longer period and had fun filming." Shin Ha-kyun and Heo Sung-tae had met in the film 'The Host'. Heo Sung-tae said, "In the past, we couldn't exchange lines well, but this time it was good to act with a long rhythm."

Shin Ha-kyun and Oh Jung-se previously acted together as a villain duo in the film 'Extreme Job'. Shin Ha-kyun, who is working with Oh Jung-se again in '50 Percent', said, "Their character relationship is not good, so it should be fun." Oh Jung-se stated, "We worked together briefly before, but this time we worked together for a longer period and had fun filming."

Shin Ha-kyun was born in 1974, while Oh Jung-se and Heo Sung-tae were born in 1977, presenting a combination of peers among 'acting monsters at 50'. When asked about the chemistry they felt for each other, Shin Ha-kyun said, "They are rivals and don't get along well, but the point is the process of them merging into one. It seems the comedy setting will come out well." Shin Ha-kyun added, "Oh Jung-se is always new. Every time I see her on set, she shows a new character. It's been a long time since we met, but I thought, 'This friend has this side too.' Heo Sung-tae doesn't talk much, but when he acts, he shows various performances, so I was very grateful."

Oh Jung-se said about the peer chemistry with Shin Ha-kyun and Heo Sung-tae, "Each has their own story, and at some point they come together, and I thought, 'I want to meet them soon.'" Oh Jung-se added, "There was a situation where muscles cramped while doing action, but it seems all the actors acted with that in mind. I am healthier than anyone now."

Heo Sung-tae said, "I didn't want to be a hindrance to the two of them (Shin Ha-kyun and Oh Jung-se). I watched their acting from behind and thought, 'Wow,' and wondered, 'How can they act so well?' Even while talking about acting, seeing them enjoy it themselves felt like a movie." Oh Jung-se laughed in response, "I wondered why Heo Sung-tae was looking at us like that."

'50 Percent' is the follow-up to '21st Century Grand Duchess'. While '21st Century Grand Duchess' ended amid controversy over historical distortion in its latter stages, accompanied by poor public opinion, '50 Percent' is immediately tasked with taking over the baton for MBC's weekend drama. When asked if there is any burden regarding this, Director Han said, "('21st Century Grand Duchess') is different in nature from us, and we believe we have our own charm." He continued, "Just as there are many dramas, our drama has its own color, so we would be grateful if you could focus only on that part."

What viewership ratings does the '50 Percent' team expect? Shin Ha-kyun said, "We hope the results will match our efforts." Director Han said, "The actors who appeared today are our 'Hero Team.' There is also a 'Villain Team.' Since the Hero Team is powerful, the Villain Team also features actors like Kim Sang-kyung and Hyun Bong-sik. We hope for double-digit ratings."

'50 Percent' will premiere on the 22nd at 9:50 PM.

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*This content was translated by AI.