Can 'Wongyeong' succeed at the box office without concerns of historical distortion?
On the morning of the 6th, an online recording press conference for the tvN X TVING original drama 'Wongyeong' was held. Due to the cast's scheduling conflicts, the event was conducted as a pre-recorded session rather than a live broadcast, featuring edited footage prepared by the production team. Director Kim Sang-ho, and actors Cha Joo-young and Lee Hyun-wook attended the event.
'Wongyeong' centers around Queen Wongyeong (Cha Joo-young), who seized power alongside her husband King Taejong Lee Bang-won (Lee Hyun-wook), exploring the intense stories hidden between the king and queen, husband and wife.
Director Kim Sang-ho stated, "In the tumultuous period of the late Goryeo Dynasty, they were not destined to become king and queen, but it is well known that Wongyeong helped Bang-won become king. I imagined and crafted the relationship of a couple within that context." He added, "Bang-won was the first king to initiate the politics of concubines in Joseon. The number of concubines in Joseon is the second highest. Nevertheless, it feels like their love deepens even more. I hope you pay attention to that aspect. They actually had many children, including King Sejong. I tried to express the complex relationship of love and resentment between the king and queen, husband and wife. I hope you enjoy it."
Regarding the choice of Queen Wongyeong as the subject, he explained, "There have been many stories about King Taejong Lee Bang-won and King Sejong. When the writer first mentioned the subject of Wongyeong, I thought that everyone knows so little about the wife of Taejong and the mother of Sejong." He continued, "Taejong is widely known as 'Kill Bang-won', but the atmosphere of Heonneung, where Taejong and Wongyeong lie together, is very peaceful. I thought he was much more remarkable and a strong figure than I expected. I wanted to introduce the character of Wongyeong to the viewers."
Cha Joo-young plays the role of Wongyeong. She stated, "Wongyeong lived a fiery life," adding, "I worked hard to express Wongyeong."
Cha Joo-young, who is taking on a historical drama for the first time, said, "I wanted to challenge myself in acting. I felt that the story was very well written in a novelistic way. If someone were to depict the life of this woman, I thought I would like to do it."
Wongyeong is a historical figure. Cha Joo-young mentioned, "It was even more difficult because I had to portray a real person. While in other works I could create and ponder alone, I had to study hard and verify a lot. I think history has some unkind aspects. I boldly thought of Wongyeong and tried to fill in the gaps."
Lee Hyun-wook plays the role of Wongyeong's husband and the third king of Joseon, Taejong Lee Bang-won. He stated, "Lee Bang-won is a character who does not hesitate to create conflict even with the person he loves."
Many actors, including Yoo Dong-geun, Kim Young-chul, Baek Yoon-sik, Yoo Ah-in, Jang Hyuk, and Joo Sang-wook, have portrayed Taejong Lee Bang-won. Lee Hyun-wook reflected, "I thought about how this role came to me. Many seniors have shown great performances, but strangely, I didn't feel burdened. I thought I could show a different performance after seeing their great acting. I thought I could show a different side of Lee Bang-won. The work depicted from Wongyeong's perspective approached me anew, and I thought I could show a more human side, so I decided to participate without hesitation."
Lee Hyun-wook added, "The hardest part was expressing emotions as someone who has not lived in that era. I researched a lot, listened to the historical facts the director shared, and discussed with Cha Joo-young. I wanted to embody the background as if I were living in that time."
Regarding the casting of Cha Joo-young and Lee Hyun-wook, Director Kim Sang-ho said, "I wondered how we could create Wongyeong and Bang-won without these two. I felt charisma from Cha Joo-young's famous role Hye-jung in her previous work 'The Glory'. I felt the essence of Wongyeong. Lee Hyun-wook is not the 'Kill Bang-won' that seniors have portrayed, but rather the handsome and studious 'Hee Bang-won' from historical records. I was looking for that feeling, and he appeared before me."
Cha Joo-young expressed her gratitude for her chemistry with Lee Hyun-wook, saying, "I received so much help. By the end, it felt like I had lived a lifetime with him. I can't express how grateful I am." In response, Lee Hyun-wook said, "When the topic of concubines comes up, I can't lift my head," and added, "There were many surprising aspects. Although she is younger than me, she has great leadership, and I received help from her. I met an amazing actor and gained good energy."
There are concerns about 'Wongyeong' due to issues of historical distortion. Previously, an unreleased poster leaked, showing Cha Joo-young in a black halter-neck outfit, which sparked controversy. The 'Wongyeong' team explained through a logline, "We have newly created and interpreted the narrative of this couple, known as political partners, from Wongyeong's perspective," but it remains to be seen whether it can pass without the 'historical distortion controversy.'
The tvN X TVING original drama 'Wongyeong' will have its first two episodes pre-released on Tving at 2 PM on the 6th, followed by the first episode airing on tvN at 8:50 PM. The prequel series 'Wongyeong: The Connection of Dano', which contains the backstory of the drama, will be released as a Tving original on the 21st.
[Shin Young-eun, Star Today Reporter]
