"Intelligence is the realm of God"... Lee Sung and Moon So-ri star in the cheerful rebellion of a fake family in "Apartment" [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actors Lee Sung and Ha Yoon-kyung, along with Park Byung-eun and Moon So-ri, portray the realistic yet heartwarming scenery of "Apartment."

On the morning of the 10th, a production presentation for JTBC's new Saturday-Sunday drama "Apartment" was held online, attended by director Cho Yong-won and actors Lee Sung, Ha Yoon-kyung, Park Byung-eun, and Moon So-ri.

"Apartment" is a slice-of-life human drama that tells the story of former Oasis Gang boss Park Hae-gang, who runs for president of the residents' council to collect hidden money within the apartment complex and works with residents to expose corruption.

On this day, Director Cho explained his reasons for casting the actors: "Park Hae-gang is a character at a turning point, and I believed Lee Sung would fill that process persuasively. For the role of Kang Ha-ri, Ha Yoon-kyung immediately came to mind, and she naturally fit in. Park Byung-eun's portrayal of Lee Chung-won was a villain who could go anywhere; he always seemed prepared for something new. When I first saw Moon So-ri as Jang Suk-jin with her elegant appearance, I thought, 'It's done, this is Jang Suk-jin.'"

Lee Sung plays former Oasis Gang boss Park Hae-gang in the drama, Ha Yoon-kyung plays law student Kang Ha-ri who becomes entangled as a fake family member, Park Byung-eun plays Lee Chung-won, a construction company representative and resident of The Penthouse, and Moon So-ri plays Jang Suk-jin, a well-known neighborhood informant.

Regarding his reason for choosing "Apartment" as his next project, Lee Sung stated, "I found the events happening in a large apartment complex interesting. I was drawn to its cheerful and refreshing tone rather than a serious one, and the sense of teamwork made me fall deeply for it."

Ha Yoon-kyung said, "I was filming an independent movie when So Sok-sa (CEO) handed me the 'Apartment' script and told me, 'The protagonist is Lee Sung.' I was so excited. After reading the script, I found it so fun that I even wondered if I was qualified for the role. Hearing that I would be working with Lee Sung made my parents say, 'Our daughter has become a celebrity,' and they celebrated." She expressed her deep respect for Lee Sung.

Park Byung-eun revealed his affection for the work, saying, "There have been many other dramas using apartments as a theme, but our drama's writer wrote the script with such detail. Every character contributes to this drama and is flavorful. I felt it was a script with a high probability of success." Moon So-ri added, "When I saw the casting lineup, I thought it would be a truly enjoyable set. I really wanted to be part of it."

Moon So-ri also drew attention by revealing details about her role: "As the character's self-esteem rises and her position grows, her pineapple hairstyle gets bigger and bigger. After filming ended, it took me an hour just to wash my hair at home. There were such difficulties, and as soon as the drama shooting finished, my hair was so damaged that I cut it all off."

Having previously shown outstanding acting in "Undercover Miss Hong," "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," and "Hospital Playlist 2," Ha Yoon-kyung took on her first title role with "Apartment." Regarding her feelings about her first lead role, she humbly said, "I thought I just needed to do well myself." Lee Sung praised her, saying, "She acted the best among all actors. She saved the drama." In response, Park Byung-eun and Moon So-ri, who were sitting nearby, shouted, "Thank you, (Ha) Yoon-kyung. We'll take care of it," eliciting laughter.

Lee Sung and Ha Yoon-kyung play a "fake couple" in the drama. Lee Sung said, "The role of Ha-ri was just like Ha Yoon-kyung herself, so I was so grateful. She played the fake wife role so well that I could rely on her. Our chemistry grew stronger with each episode. With Ha Yoon-kyung and other intermittent family members, there was a different feeling. By the time filming ended, it seemed we had grown so fond of each other that tears were coming. As I looked at Ha Yoon-kyung, I thought, 'This person just is Ha-ri.' I am grateful for her being with me," conveying his feelings on the final day of shooting.

In response to Lee Sung's words, Ha Yoon-kyung replied, "(Lee Sung) is a senior actor and famous as an angelic senior. All seniors are known to be kind. He made it easy for me to express my opinions without any discomfort. I always filmed with trust and reliance."

Park Byung-eun also spoke about his acting chemistry with Lee Sung. Park said, "Lee Sung is the best. He is in the realm of God. He is someone who has transcended one level further into a divine realm. Even while physically exhausted, he carefully took care of his own family members and looked after those around him whenever there was even a brief moment. He was the perfect image of an actor. There were many physical action scenes, and it must have been really hard, yet he never once frowned. Actually, I thought, 'There will be one moment (of irritation),' and watched closely, but he never did that," highly praising Lee Sung.

Regarding Park Byung-eun, Lee Sung expressed his admiration: "He may appear cold on the outside, but he is a very warm person. I am not good at starting conversations, yet he was the one who spoke to me first." Park Byung-eun jokingly replied, "He gave me his phone number first. It was thrilling," eliciting laughter.

Given the subject matter, were there moments during filming that resonated? Lee Sung said, "There are many things we encounter in reality, aren't there? I empathized with them and felt a sense of responsibility as an actor. Through 'Apartment,' I hope everyone can feel what true warmth is through stories that everyone might know."

Moon So-ri also shared her own interpretation of the drama. She said, "In reality, if you meet a resident in an apartment, you would probably greet them passively and walk away. However, after filming this drama, I thought it would be truly wonderful if there were people like that in real life. Since apartments are places where we live with neighbors, one might think someone's sacrifice is necessary, but I don't think I could do that."

Lee Sung also commented on changes he experienced after filming "Apartment": "I found myself thinking about picking up things that fall to the ground first, and it became my habit. I developed a desire for everyone to participate, enjoy, and be happy in this place."

Finally, they shared viewing points. Director Cho confidently stated, "Please look forward to the acting ensemble of the actors." Lee Sung urged viewers, "Please watch the process of the fake family becoming a real family."

Ha Yoon-kyung proudly said it would be a drama where you always see something new due to new events happening in each episode. Park Byung-eun remarked, "There will be considerable fun in watching what happens in the apartment. I want to say 'thank you for your hard work' to everyone who works in apartments." Moon So-ri cheerfully added, "In my opinion, it is perfect for a summer night when the whole family gathers together. We will meet expectations."

Meanwhile, "Apartment" will premiere on the 11th at 10:40 p.m.

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*This content was translated by AI.