A Legend Torn Apart by a 'Field Mouse': Ryu Jun-yeol Takes on Dual Roles for the First Time → Lee Kyu-hyung Loses 10 kg [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

The legend that "if a mouse eats a person's fingernail, it transforms into that person" has met reality in 2026. Actors Ryu Jun-yeol, Seol Kyeong-gu, and Lee Kyu-hyung have brought to life the intense world unique to "Field Mouse."

A press conference for the Netflix series "Field Mouse" was held on the 20th at Hotel Naru Seoul M Gallery in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Director Kim Hong-seon, along with actors Ryu Jun-yeol, Seol Kyeong-gu, and Lee Kyu-hyung, attended the event.

"Field Mouse" is a tracking thriller that follows novelist "Moon Jae," who has had his name, face, and entire life stolen by the mysterious entity "Field Mouse"; loan shark "No Ja," who seeks to recover lost money; and detective "Soon-yong," as they chase the true identity of Field Mouse.

Starting from the familiar legend that "if a mouse eats fingernails, it becomes human," "Field Mouse" has drawn high expectations with its powerful premise: "What if someone stole your entire life?"

This is the new work by director Kim Hong-seon, known for his sensory direction in works such as "Tanggeum," "The House: Shared Economy Zone," the drama "The Guest," and "Voice." He stated, "When reading the original webtoon, I felt a chilling horror. Writer Lee Jae-gon adapted the original into a very dynamic chase format."

He continued, "While reading the script, I became immersed in 'Moon Jae's' emotions, cheered for him, and even found myself wanting to see Field Mouse. There was absolutely no reason not to do this project."

Ryu Jun-yeol takes on the role of "Moon Jae," who chases the Field Mouse that stole his life, anchoring the drama. Ryu is set to delicately portray the confusion and obsession of a character who loses everything overnight and seeks the truth behind his stolen life.

He said, "First, I found the concept fascinating. The modern adaptation of the legend was particularly appealing. When I first read the script, it was unpredictable. However, I couldn't see the rest of the script unless we filmed it." He added, "Because the story was so intriguing that I voluntarily sought out the original webtoon just to find out what happens next, I decided to take on this role."

Ryu Jun-yeol, who is taking on dual roles for the first time in his filmography, stated, "We discussed this extensively with the director. We tried everything possible and ultimately chose the current outcome."

He continued, "Anyone can see it's a dual role, and since one actor portrays two characters, I worried about how to convince the audience. Rather than over-expressing many parts, I aimed to create differences in subtle areas such as personality and eye expressions."

In particular, Ryu Jun-yeol revealed that he used his voice as a device to distinguish between the two characters. He said, "In scenes where the characters converse with each other, we used the voice as the first distinguishing element. For other detailed aspects, viewers will find enjoyment in discovering them one by one while watching the work."

Regarding why he cast Ryu Jun-yeol, director Kim Hong-seon said, "'Moon Jae' is not a character you'd commonly encounter around us, but upon closer inspection, there might be one or two like him. 'Moon Jae' is neither a purely good protagonist nor a hero. Since the role required dual performances, I proposed it after seeing Ryu Jun-yeol's deep acting skills. We exchanged ideas and discussed extensively, and I felt he was an actor with many ideas and alternatives. He provided significant help from a directorial perspective."

Seol Kyeong-gu took on the role of "No Ja," a loan shark who stops at nothing to achieve his goals and secure money. Regarding his decision to join the project, he stated, "I chose this because it was the most interesting script I had read at the time."

He continued, "This work features no heroes and no supernatural powers. Many characters appear as if something is missing within them. The focus is on the anxiety, suspicion, and fear these characters feel. It was a deeply immersive work that allowed me to speculate alongside 'Moon Jae' about what is real."

Regarding the process of creating "No Ja," he said, "I am not inherently an idea-rich person, so like before filming, I studied my appearance extensively while doing costume fittings."

He added, "Through discussions with the director, makeup team, and costume team using various options, we developed his physical appearance. Once that was complete, I believed I could simply step into the story."

Furthermore, he noted, "I thought 'No Ja' would naturally emerge through interactions with each character. Therefore, rather than forcing it heavily, I entered the work comfortably."

Additionally, Seol Kyeong-gu is set to complete the thrilling genre pleasure unique to "Field Mouse" with his fearless movements and intense action. Regarding his action chemistry with Ryu Jun-yeol, he began by saying, "We engaged in intense action scenes together." He then revealed, "However, once the action started, Ryu Jun-yeol would immediately faint or get shot and end up in a corner. I had to handle everything else," which drew laughter from the audience.

He continued jokingly, "Whether he was unconscious or clocking out early, it was quite annoying. After finishing all the difficult action sequences, they said I had to carry Ryu Jun-yeol out."

In response, Ryu Jun-yeol admitted with a laugh, "It feels almost shameful for me to even answer questions about action. The senior actor handled everything."

He further revealed that he personally suggested the idea of his character being unconscious during action scenes. Ryu Jun-yeol said, "I asked the director to have my character faint instead, or remain as if dead."

He explained, "It was awkward for me to be awake while action was unfolding. Rather than continuing to act as if I were confused or in pain while observing the situation, it was better to simply disappear."

He added, "After coordinating well with the director, I enjoyed a luxury during the action scenes as the senior actor suggested. My brother worked hard on my behalf. On this occasion, I would like to express my apologies and gratitude to Seol Kyeong-gu."

Detective "Soon-yong," who relentlessly pursues the truth of the case to uncover the identity of "Field Mouse," is portrayed by Lee Kyu-hyung. Lee is set to vividly depict "Soon-yong," who becomes increasingly entangled in deep confusion as he tracks the case with his signature delicate emotional acting.

Regarding why he chose this work, Lee Kyu-hyung stated, "When I first read the script, I wondered, 'Why is the pacing so fast?' Before I knew it, I had already surpassed six episodes."

He continued, "In today's society, personal information is overflowing, and the thought that someone could steal my life gave me chills. At that moment, I felt compelled to do this project."

In particular, Lee Kyu-hyung drew attention by revealing that he lost approximately 10 kg for the role of "Soon-yong."

He explained, "In the initial script, the character was portrayed as someone who fights well and has rough, violent traits, so I initially gained weight. I did a bulk-up."

However, he noted that after meeting with the director shortly before filming began, the direction changed completely. Lee Kyu-hyung said, "When the director saw me, he asked, 'Why have you become like this? I wanted you to look sharper.' He told me to lose weight again, so from that point on, I had no choice but to shed weight rapidly."

He then joked, "It would have been better if he had mentioned it sooner," which drew laughter.

Lee Kyu-hyung candidly stated, "I relied on the power of modern medicine. It was an unavoidable situation. I tried everything—three-letter and four-letter methods." He added, "It hurt a lot. Now, I am maintaining my reduced weight."

Regarding Lee Kyu-hyung's character, director Kim Hong-seon explained, "He is a character full of anger, dissatisfaction, and sharpness, so naturally, I thought he would lose weight. Having seen the wide spectrum of acting Lee Kyu-hyung has demonstrated over the years, I believed he would excel in this role," expressing his confidence in the casting decision.

Meanwhile, "Field Mouse" consists of 10 episodes and will be released on Netflix at 5 p.m. on the 28th.

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*This content was translated by AI.