"The urge to challenge surged"... Nam Joo-hyuk, Jo Seung-woo, and Noh Yun-seo to continue the K-shamanism box office boom with 'Donggung' [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actors Nam Joo-hyuk, Jo Seung-woo, and Noh Yun-seo will continue the K-shamanism box office fever with Netflix's new series 'Donggung'.

On the morning of the 8th, a press conference for the Netflix series 'Donggung' was held at the Fairmont Ambassador in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Director Choi Jeong-gyu and actors Nam Joo-hyuk, Noh Yun-seo, and Jo Seung-woo attended.

'Donggung' is a story about Gu-cheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), who has the ability to cross between the world of ghosts, and palace maid Saeng-gang (Noh Yun-seo), who keeps a secret, answering the king's (Jo Seung-woo) call to uncover the curse residing in Donggung. Director Choi Jeong-gyu, who directed 'The Devil Judge' and 'Red Moon Blue Sun', joined forces with writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won, known for 'Bulgasal' and 'Hand: The Guest'.

On this day, Director Choi stated, "I wanted to direct after seeing the script filled with a fascinating world and characters."

He further explained his reasons for casting each actor: "From the moment I first saw Nam Joo-hyuk, he seemed like Gu-cheon. He looked strong, but there was an underlying loneliness that felt like Gu-cheon. Noh Yun-seo is an actress who performs boldly and honestly, so I thought she would work well in this production. Jo Seung-woo is simply stylish. Since the king is a character with many secrets, he is the actor who best fits the word 'mystery'."

Nam Joo-hyuk plays Gu-cheon, who crosses between the world of ghosts; Noh Yun-seo plays palace maid Saeng-gang, who hears sounds from the ghost world; and Jo Seung-woo plays the king at the center of the curse that hangs over the palace.

Nam Joo-hyuk said, "I received the script for the first time while in the military. There were many moments to exercise my imagination in the military. Reading the script in such a space sparked a desire to take on a challenge. Mysterious events unfold within the palace as if flowing with water. I wanted to express the character of Gu-cheon well, even if it meant burning myself up." He revealed his reason for joining the project.

Noh Yun-seo said, "Fantasy historical dramas themselves were unfamiliar to me. I was curious about how the story would be realized and felt my imagination stimulated. I thought an active and progressive character was wonderful, so I wanted to act it out."

Noh Yun-seo is making her first foray into a historical drama with 'Donggung'. She expressed satisfaction, saying, "To be honest, it was a bit difficult. Pronunciation, maintaining an upright posture, and speaking were all challenging. The style wasn't familiar at first, so I felt stiff, but as time passed, it seemed to become more natural and fun."

Jo Seung-woo joked, "My role name was simply 'King.' It was a script where very diverse elements blended well. The relationship between the king and his counterpart also stood out. This is a work where drama, action, occult, and fantasy are exquisitely combined. I was cast the latest among them, but since Nam Joo-hyuk, Noh Yun-seo, and Jang Young-nam were cast first, there was no reason not to do it. Isn't it okay to stand alongside popular actors?" His remarks drew laughter.

At the photo session of the event, Jo Seung-woo drew attention by showing off a 'Geoje Yaho' pose. Regarding this, he revealed, "Nam Joo-hyuk and Noh Yun-seo taught me about 'Geoje Yaho,' so I practiced it at home." Noh Yun-seo then praised him, saying, "Originally, (Jo Seung-woo) is a trendsetter even more than us," which also brought laughter.

Nam Joo-hyuk, who was discharged from the military in September last year, will meet the public again for the first time in three years since Disney+'s 'Vigilante' was released in November 2023 with 'Donggung'. This marks his first appearance at a formal event for promotional purposes in over four years since tvN's 'Twenty-Five Twenty-One' in 2022.

Concerns also exist. Nam Joo-hyuk was engulfed in allegations of being a perpetrator in school violence (school bullying) in June 2022, and when the allegations were raised, he stated his position as "baseless." However, as accusers claiming to be victims and classmates refuting their claims continued to speak out, the controversy turned into a battle over the truth.

Meanwhile, Nam Joo-hyuk enlisted in the active duty of the Army in March 2023 and served his term, unable to participate in promotions for 'Vigilante' released that same year. Regarding the school bullying allegations, a summary judgment imposing a fine of 7 million won was issued against accusers A and B in 2024 on charges of defamation by spreading false facts. It is understood that Accuser A did not accept the verdict and requested a formal trial.

After returning from discharge, Nam Joo-hyuk shared his thoughts, saying, "The opening day is finally approaching." He added, "With just one sense of responsibility, I approached this work with the attitude of 'let's try not to cause trouble.' I tried my best to make it a pleasant set."

Jo Seung-woo returned after approximately three years since JTBC's 'Sacred Divorce' in 2023. He said, "Although it has been three years since my last drama, I haven't been idle during this time. I have also appeared on stage and filmed 'Donggung.' I never let go of the script so that I could love this work. Won't a good work only come out if we deeply trouble the director? I tried to blend into the set."

Secrets regarding post-production for 'Donggung' were also mentioned. Director Choi said, "Actors who acted with invisible counterparts must have had a hard time." He added, "To approach it in a universal and concise manner, we put effort into post-production. We tried to incorporate Korean sensibilities and visuals. Since there are many elements borrowed from traditional culture, I am confident that there will be plenty of things to enjoy."

Jo Seung-woo said, "Nam Joo-hyuk filmed with 500 times more hardship than me. Even when I filmed a 50-episode historical drama, it was harder than being in the military, but Nam Joo-hyuk endured immense hardship without saying 'it's hard.' Noh Yun-seo also suffered greatly. There were many scenes where both of them entered the water, but I cannot enter the water. I want to applaud them." He encouraged Nam Joo-hyuk and Noh Yun-seo.

Finally, they shared viewing points for 'Donggung'. Jo Seung-woo hinted, "'Donggung' features a pond. It may look calm on the surface, but you can feel excitement as if the eye of a typhoon is hidden within it." Nam Joo-hyuk added, "This is a work with many spectacular sights, so please look forward to it."

Meanwhile, 'Donggung' will be released on the 17th.

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*This content was translated by AI.