Actors Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-sik, Choi Woo-sung, and Hong Hwa-yeon revealed the reasons for feeling burdened by the high teen political drama 'Running Mate', which was finally released after the declaration of a state of emergency, impeachment situation, and early presidential elections.
On the afternoon of the 24th, an interview with Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-sik, Choi Woo-sung, and Hong Hwa-yeon from the TVING original series 'Running Mate' took place at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
'Running Mate' is a cheerful political drama where No Se-hoon (played by Yoon Hyun-soo), who became the target of ridicule from the entire school due to an unexpected incident, is nominated as the vice-presidential candidate in the student council election and navigates through various schemes to win the election.
While armed with flashy visuals and charm, Kwak Sang-hyun (played by Lee Jung-sik) is full of pretense and artifice, and Yang Won-dae (played by Choi Woo-sung) is active and overflowing with leadership but harbors ambition and competitiveness within. Yoon Jeong-hee (played by Hong Hwa-yeon), the 'unlucky' top student focused on grades and titles, appears as the running mate of the protagonist No Se-hoon and Kwak Sang-hyun, playing a central role in the election campaign.
Regarding 'Running Mate', which had all episodes released on TVING on the 19th, the actors shared a common sentiment of feeling "bittersweet." They expressed their disappointment as it was a project that took a long time to shoot and even longer to release.
The actors, who filmed the key election campaign scene on the way to school during the summer, said, "It was very hot, but everyone worked hard and positively, so we even joked that our enthusiasm was captured better," and reminisced with shining eyes, "It still remains a good memory."
Since it was a set with many peers, the 'Running Mate' team continues to maintain their connections even after filming. Choi Woo-sung mentioned, "It took about two and a half years from the end of filming to the release," and added, "Until it was released, we kept gathering to watch the edited version, so I didn't feel like it was over, but now that it has been released, I feel both relieved and a bit sad as it has become a memory."
'Running Mate' was originally scheduled to be released in March but suddenly postponed indefinitely. At that time, TVING stated, "We are looking to change the release schedule as part of our programming strategy," but there were also speculations that they were being cautious due to the impending early presidential elections. Ultimately, 'Running Mate' chose to release all episodes after the presidential election.
Did the actors feel any pressure during this process? Lee Jung-sik candidly admitted, "It would be a lie to say there wasn't."
"The filming period was from late 2022 to 2023, and as the release kept getting postponed for a good timing, it ended up being after the presidential election. We couldn't help but be concerned. However, what we wanted to convey to the viewers was that it is a story that only teenagers can tell. I hoped that while watching, they would recall their childhood and the friendships that were close but have since faded away."
'Running Mate' is also famous for being the directorial debut of Han Jin-won, co-writer of the Oscar-winning film 'Parasite'. Was there an expectation to join the Bong Joon-ho team? The actors first responded, "It is an honor just to be part of Han Jin-won's team."
In addition, Hong Hwa-yeon said, "The positive influences that Director Han Jin-won gave us felt like the things he learned while working with Director Bong Joon-ho," and added, "Just receiving that influence was enough, so I didn't feel greedy."
Listening quietly to the other actors' responses about not being greedy, Choi Woo-sung revealed his hidden ambition, saying, "But if I get the chance, I would definitely want to work on a project with Director Bong Joon-ho."
In the drama, the four characters are obsessed with their positions as the student council president and vice president, employing various schemes. They frame their rival candidates, create public opinion, and use force, gradually becoming 'monsters'. The four actors, who revealed that it took time to detach from their characters who crumbled due to desire, shared what kind of desires they felt and what kind of growth they achieved through 'Running Mate'.
“I felt emotions I had never experienced before or even more while acting, realizing that 'I could express these things too.' There were many times when my true feelings came out, not just acting. Being the protagonist, I felt a sense of responsibility and pressure, so I think I tried hard not to get exhausted on set.” (Yoon Hyun-soo)
“It was the first time I felt the passion of my peers, actors in their 20s, up close. Thanks to that, I learned a lot, and I had a healthy desire to work hard together and hope to meet again in other projects.” (Hong Hwa-yeon)
“Until now, I haven't had a representative work in my acting career. The character Kwak Sang-hyun in 'Running Mate' contains the most emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, and since I filmed it joyfully with good friends without regrets, I hope that when people think of Lee Jung-sik, they remember me as 'Running Mate'.” (Lee Jung-sik)
“Before 'Running Mate', I often played roles like someone's younger brother or friend. I played many youthful characters, but here I took on the role of a reliable senior for the first time. I don't know how the viewers will perceive it, but I think this work has broadened the acting spectrum of the actor Choi Woo-sung.” (Choi Woo-sung) [Continued in Interview ②]
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
