"Heo Nam-jun, the art of pacing"... Deep trust from the author of 'Beautiful World'[Interview 2]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kang Hyun-ju, the writer of the script for 'Beautiful World', expressed satisfaction with the acting of actors Im Ji-yeon and Heo Nam-jun.

Recently, director Han Tae-seop and writer Kang Hyun-ju of the recent SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Beautiful World' shared various stories in a written interview with StarNews.

'Beautiful World', which concluded on the 20th, is a romance drama depicting a tense war between Shin Seo-ri (played by Im Ji-yeon), a nameless actress possessed by the soul of a notorious Joseon villainess and turned into a 'villain', and Cha Se-gye (played by Heo Nam-jun), a villainous chaebol called a monster of capitalism. The romantic comedy chemistry between Im Ji-yeon and Heo Nam-jun received high praise.

In particular, the final episode, episode 14, recorded a national viewership rating of 11.8%, marking its highest rating, and secured first place in the same time slot for 10 consecutive episodes. Additionally, it topped the TV drama buzz ranking for four consecutive weeks and ranked first in the June drama brand reputation survey, proving its intense popularity.

Writer Kang pointed to the 'One Moment' scene, a parody of 'The Age of the People', where Im Ji-yeon's intelligence shone, saying, "It was a challenging scene, and (Im Ji-yeon) did her best by practicing action separately despite a grueling shooting schedule."

She continued, "In the dropkick scene, the pinnacle of action, I couldn't help but give a standing ovation myself. I was surprised to later learn that it was Im Ji-yeon's suggestion. The role of Shin Seo-ri is extremely difficult, with much to do and much to show; from a writer's perspective, even the expression 'perfect' falls short. I felt grateful that Im Ji-yeon loved the character Seo-ri so much."

Heo Nam-jun, who took on his first romantic comedy with 'Beautiful World', proved another possibility and quickly rose to stardom. Regarding this, writer Kang said, "I was initially very surprised to see viewers enjoying Cha Se-gye's lines and scenes as memes. Since it was his debut work, this was a new and fascinating experience, and a very enjoyable one. In particular, it was fun that quotes and nicknames for Cha Se-gye, as portrayed by Heo Nam-jun, kept emerging."

She also stated, "Heo Nam-jun is an actor whose control of pacing is artistic. In comedy scenes, he charmingly exudes pretension and wit, while in melodic emotions, he intensely condenses the character's sincerity. The rhythm and temperature woven by Heo Nam-jun completed the charm of Cha Se-gye. I am grateful that he was able to fully blossom the skills he has diligently accumulated through the role of Cha Se-gye."

There were also mixed opinions on the premise itself that the independent Shin Seo-ri eventually falls in love with a chaebol. Regarding such opinions, writer Kang expressed her thoughts: "Since there is a deep narrative connecting the two across past and present lives, I hoped viewers would see their meeting not just as fantasy but as an inevitable fate."

She further explained, "I am usually interested in figures who historically failed or exist outside the mainstream. When thinking about who would be a meaningful figure from the current perspective, Jang Hee-bin came to mind. The symbolism of a figure known for over three hundred years as the archetypal villainess was attractive. I believed the male lead placed at the opposite pole must also possess a comparable character, so the villainous chaebol was created. Since Lee Hyun, corresponding to Cha Se-gye's past life, was a great general, I naturally thought that in the modern era, this would be translated into a power relationship equivalent to that of a chaebol."

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*This content was translated by AI.