Director Han Jin-won of ‘Running Mate’, along with young actors Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jeong-sik, Choi Woo-sung, Hong Hwa-yeon, Lee Bong-jun, and Kim Ji-woo, revealed their most relatable and impressive best scenes.
The TVING original ‘Running Mate’ (directed and written by Han Jin-won, produced by Billions Plus, Ace Maker Studio, Running Mate Cultural Industry Professional Limited Company, provided by TVING) was fully released on the 19th.
The painful awakening and growth that came after a ‘no-right-answer’ competition left a touching aftertaste along with laughter. Above all, the portrayal of youth's growth, friendship, and the fierce competition through the student council president election by Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jeong-sik, Choi Woo-sung, Hong Hwa-yeon, Lee Bong-jun, and Kim Ji-woo received high praise.
‘Running Mate’ has garnered significant attention as it is the first directorial work of Han Jin-won, who co-wrote ‘Parasite’ and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Director Han Jin-won selected “the scene in episode 7 where Byeong-joon leaves the deteriorating election scene, and Won-dae and Yu-kyung are left behind” as his favorite, explaining, “The solid performance of actress Kim Tae-hee, the lonely power portrayal by actor Choi Woo-sung, and the emotion conveyed by actress Kim Ji-woo without dialogue were perfect.”
Yoon Hyun-soo, who delicately unraveled the complex inner world of ‘No Se-hun’ after enduring harsh growing pains, chose “the explosive anger scene at the end of episode 5” as a memorable moment, adding, “It was a moment of acting growth where I expressed anger I had never experienced before.”
Lee Jeong-sik, who convincingly portrayed the two-faced ‘Kwak Sang-hyun’ from Youngjin High School, mentioned “the scene in episode 8 where Sang-hyun collapses,” saying, “I wanted to capture a side of Sang-hyun that had never been shown before. It’s my favorite scene because we took great care to maintain our breath while filming.”
Choi Woo-sung, who perfectly embodied the contrasting nature of ‘Yang Won-dae’, the representative face of Youngjin High and head of the choir, chose “the scene in episode 5 where he tells Kyung-tae, ‘You’re like my shadow’” and recalled, “The heightened emotions during the election period and the students' exhaustion were conveyed through Kyung-tae, and Won-dae comforting him was touching.”
Hong Hwa-yeon, who balanced the coldness and warmth of ‘Yoon Jeong-hee’, the top student, chose “the scene showcasing her English skills in episode 1,” stating, “It was a special scene as I prepared the English lines myself, creating Jeong-hee’s first impression.”
Lee Bong-jun, who enhanced the charm of ‘Park Ji-hoon’, the ‘in-crowd’ member of Youngjin High, remembered “the scene in episode 6 where Se-hun and Ji-hoon talk in the auditorium,” saying, “It was more poignant as it was the last moment before their friendship cracked.”
Kim Ji-woo, who effectively portrayed the smart and strategic side of vice president candidate ‘Ha Yu-kyung’, selected “the scene related to Yu-kyung’s first angry declaration of conscience” as a memorable moment, sharing, “It was impressive to see Yu-kyung, who doesn’t get angry often, express her emotions. The director wanted to avoid disrupting the actors' emotional lines, so we filmed it in one take without comments, which allowed for deeper immersion.”
All episodes of ‘Running Mate’ are available on TVING.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
