The mystery historical drama melodrama ‘Tangeum’ starring Jo Bo-ah and Lee Jae-wook is set to debut on screens.
On the 14th, a production presentation for the Netflix series ‘Tangeum’ was held at the Ramada Hotel in Sindorim, Seoul. Director Kim Hong-sun and actors Lee Jae-wook, Jo Bo-ah, Jung Ga-ram, Uhm Ji-won, and Park Byung-eun attended.
‘Tangeum’ tells the story of Hong-rang, the son of Joseon's largest merchant, who returns after 12 years with no memory, while his half-sister Jae-i doubts his true identity, depicting the mysterious emotions that blossom between them.
Director Kim Hong-sun, known for directing the Netflix series ‘Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area’, the occult drama ‘The Guest’, and the fresh setting of ‘Voice’, collaborates with writer Kim Jin-ah from Apple TV+ thriller ‘Dr. Brain’.
Director Kim Hong-sun stated, “‘Tangeum’ is based on a novel. I read the novel in one sitting. It talks about fate, but the characters in this book are those who have no intention of following their fate, and it has such a strong story that I took on the direction.” He added, “I heard that ‘Tangeum’ refers to an ancient Chinese punishment. It is a punishment where one swallows gold until death. The title fits perfectly with their fate.”
He continued, “The biggest theme seems to be longing. When a person is overwhelmed with longing, it can turn into resentment, hatred, or love. Such complex emotions arise. Our work has a lot of those emotions. Basically, I tried to place the mystery structure and historical drama action without damaging the emotional line.”
Lee Jae-wook plays Hong-rang, the son of the merchant who returns after 12 years, Jo Bo-ah plays his sister Jae-i, who suspects Hong-rang is a fake, and Jung Ga-ram plays the adopted son Mu-jin of the Min Merchant Group. Uhm Ji-won plays Min Yeon-hee, the mistress of the Min Merchant Group, and Park Byung-eun plays the head of the Min Merchant Group, Shim Yeol-guk.
Lee Jae-wook introduced, “The early part will be a point of interest. It’s the part where they doubt whether Hong-rang is real or not. More main characters will appear, so please think about why the children went missing and what their connection to Hong-rang is.”
Regarding his second challenge in historical action after ‘Alchemy of Souls’, he said, “The sequences the director created were stylish and had a lot of challenging action, and I remember each shot vividly.”
Lee Jae-wook commented on Jo Bo-ah, saying, “She is sincere on set. She loves her work, and her visible attitude and sharpness are often well conveyed. A single glance can change the relationship, and I tried to follow that in my performance.”
In response, Jo Bo-ah said, “Lee Jae-wook’s attitude on set is impressive. He is sincere about the work, acting, and character, and his passion is evident, which made me respect him and learn a lot during filming.”
She also explained about Jae-i, “The childhood Hong-rang and the Hong-rang who returns after 12 years had to be thoroughly separated. The feelings for my brother and the attraction to Hong-rang were difficult to manage, but I tried to clearly separate them.”
Jung Ga-ram, who is taking on his first historical drama, said, “Every actor has a desire to do historical dramas. It was an honor to work with a great director on ‘Tangeum’.”
About his character, he described, “He is a desperate character. As mentioned earlier, when Hong-rang returns, his life plan starts to fall apart. As the episodes progress, his emotions change, and I tried to express those emotions well.” He added, “Mu-jin is thorough and cold but warm towards Jae-i. That warmth will make Mu-jin more attractive.”
Uhm Ji-won stated, “I am Hong-rang’s biological mother and the actual owner of the Min Merchant Group. I lost Hong-rang, whom I cherished like my life, 12 years ago and believe the cause lies with Jae-i, so I hate her. As my precious son returns, I am a beautiful yet cruel, fascinating, and sad character who risks everything to protect my son.”
Park Byung-eun introduced his character Shim Yeol-guk, saying, “He is the head of the Min Merchant Group, who has power and wealth. In the story, he is the biological father of Hong-rang and Jae-i. This character is, in a way, a cold-blooded person who acts coldly for his desires, needs, and ambitions. He is someone who moves quietly but closely to achieve those goals.”
He continued, “When I see actors expressing ambition, they tend to express it more actively and explosively, but I wanted to show this character as calm on the outside. However, I tried to convey the fleeting glances and breaths more. That made it more challenging to act.”
He added, “Shim Yeol-guk and Min Yeon-hee (Uhm Ji-won) appear to be a couple on the outside, but Min Yeon-hee is a character who has wealth and power and is trying to achieve her ambitions. They appear like a show-window couple from the Joseon era. Their power struggles and mind games continue. I think that will be a significant point of interest for viewers, and they will be curious about it.”
Park Byung-eun shared, “I always work hard on every project, but I worked especially hard on this one. I met great juniors and good actors, so it will be memorable in my acting career. It was my first time working with Director Kim Hong-sun, and he guided me very well.”
Uhm Ji-won expressed, “It is a work that captures the beautiful aspects of Korea. I hope many people will love the beauty of Korea.” Jung Ga-ram confidently stated, “It will be sweet yet fierce, with a lot to see.” Jo Bo-ah urged, “All the characters have deep narratives. Please follow those narratives.”
‘Tangeum’ will be released on the 16th at 4 PM.
