“Kim Hye-soo is an excellent creative partner beyond just an actor and director relationship. I’m also proud to have been part of Jung Sung-il's new character challenge. Joo Jong-hyuk is a talented actor who came to mind like a light bulb turning on.”
Director Yoo Seon-dong (50), who directed the Disney+ original series 'Trigger', was solely focused on the actors. He approached the actors sincerely, and this was reflected on set. While the episodes in the drama are a series of serious events, the actual filming set was condensed into joy and comfort.
On the 19th, Director Yoo met with reporters at a café in Palpan-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, looking like a charming broadcast PD. He said, “I feel good that people around me have said they enjoyed the show after its release. Although I can’t feel it significantly since direct viewership ratings haven’t come out, it seems not bad since I’ve been receiving many contacts from acquaintances and industry people,” smiling at the question about his thoughts on the series ending.
'Trigger' is the work that opened the lineup for Disney+ this year. It tells the story of relentless investigative reporters who aim to expose the wrongdoings of bad guys by first pointing the camera at them. On this day, the last two episodes were released, concluding the 12-episode series.
Director Yoo expressed his feelings about being the first work released on Disney+ this year, saying, “I feel relieved and unburdened. Although the work was externally introduced as an 'office comedy' genre, the content actually deals with somewhat sensitive issues like collusion in politics and broadcasting. It could be sensitive, but I’m grateful to Disney+ for scheduling it.”
With the participation of actress Kim Hye-soo, who is doing her second OTT (Over-The-Top) project after the Netflix original series 'The Silent Sea', 'Trigger' garnered attention early on. Kim Hye-soo plays the role of 'Oh So-ryong', the team leader of the KNS broadcasting station's current affairs program 'Trigger'. Actor Jung Sung-il plays the role of PD 'Han Do' from the drama department, while Joo Jong-hyuk plays the role of non-regular assistant director 'Kang Gi-ho', delivering powerful performances.
Director Yoo stated, “I thought Kim Hye-soo was a perfect fit for the role of Oh So-ryong. I had no doubts about her acting. I had previously worked with Jung Sung-il. He is a very down-to-earth and humorous actor. I wanted to help him break away a bit from the image of his popular work 'The Glory'. I wanted to showcase his hidden charm,” explaining the casting reasons. He also mentioned Joo Jong-hyuk, saying, “I was impressed by his convincing performance in the drama 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo'. He was an actor who came to mind like a light bulb when I read the script for 'Trigger'.”
Director Yoo elaborated on Jung Sung-il, saying, “After talking with Jung Sung-il, I realized he had set a high barrier for the character Ha Do-young from 'The Glory'. I hoped he would become an actor who could overcome that barrier through 'Trigger', and I feel proud that he has somewhat succeeded.”
On the same day, Joo Jong-hyuk mentioned in the 'Trigger' ending interview that the filming set was very enjoyable and that there were no difficulties at all. Director Yoo confirmed this, stating, “I think I paid attention to what the actors were thinking and tried to ensure they could act comfortably without tension. I wanted to eliminate the unfamiliarity and strangeness that supporting actors might feel on set. I believe a comfortable filming environment leads to good results.”
Additionally, Director Yoo prioritized the safety and health of the actors. Regarding Kim Hye-soo's thigh injury during rehearsal just before filming, he said, “It broke my heart. My goal was to ensure that no actors got hurt in my work, so I felt bad about the unexpected injury. I prioritized her stability, so that day (Kim Hye-soo) did not film and focused on resting.”
Director Yoo carefully considered the opinions and attitudes of the actors regarding their performances. He said, “Jung Sung-il did the paragliding scene himself. I kept asking if he was okay, and he happily said he could do it, so I was grateful. I also asked for permission for the scene where he drops a rat on his head, and since Jung Sung-il said it was fine, we could shoot it more realistically.”
He also praised actress Choo Ja-hyun, who received acclaim for her role as 'Jo Hae-won', the key informant in the missing persons case. Director Yoo said, “I tend to cast based on the actor's ability to immerse themselves in the role. Choo Ja-hyun is an excellent actress I have been keeping an eye on since before she was active in China. I believe she is an actress with a captivating presence who can hold her own even when acting alongside Kim Hye-soo.”
Director Yoo experienced great success with his previous work, the tvN drama 'The Uncanny Counter'. 'The Uncanny Counter' is a hero story that incorporates fantasy elements to defeat evil spirits. In contrast, 'Trigger' is a hyper-realistic drama that deals with real events. Director Yoo explained, “Having done fantasy in my previous work, I wanted to tell a realistic story grounded in reality as a reaction. I tried to convey stories that happen in real life.”
'Trigger' primarily deals with socially significant crimes, such as the 'Cult Religious Organization Incident', 'Stray Cat Serial Death Incident', and '20-Year-Old Missing Persons Case'. Within this, Kim Hye-soo's team Trigger investigates the cases and looks into areas that the police could not resolve. Director Yoo stated, “I believe there will be aspects that the public can relate to in various ways. I didn’t want to just attribute the issues to the police system dealing with the cases. Through the drama, I wanted to provide a time for viewers and various characters in different positions to become aware and alert.”
Director Yoo was cautious about the possibility of producing a season 2 of 'Trigger', but he couldn’t hide his smile. He said, “I feel proud and grateful just to hear talks of season 2. I believe it is made possible through the love of the viewers. I hope more people will watch it with interest.”
A graduate of Hanyang University’s Department of Theater and Film, Director Yoo possesses writing skills beyond directing. He said, “Since the profession of a director is not stable, I have been writing, and my debut was as a film screenwriter,” adding, “This year, I am planning to adapt a novel I wrote into a webtoon. I am also considering further adaptation into a video format,” hinting at his future plans.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
