Actor Ok Taecyeon shared his thoughts on the conclusion of 'The Male Lead's First Night'.
In the KBS2 Wednesday-Thursday drama 'The Male Lead's First Night' (directed by Lee Woong-hee and Kang Soo-yeon, written by Jeon Seon-young), which ended on the 17th, Ok Taecyeon, who played the role of Gyeongseong-gun, left a strong impact and conveyed his heartfelt thoughts on the conclusion.
In 'The Male Lead's First Night', during a moment of life and death, he expressed the peak of emotions by saying, "I fear the sadness of my beloved more than death," which touched the hearts of viewers. He not only saved Cha Seon-taek (played by Seo Hyun) from the alternative plan of Seonghyeon-gun Lee Gyu (played by Lee Tae-sun) at a critical moment but also depicted the thrilling conclusion of rescuing Cha Seon-taek's family, who were imprisoned under the false accusation of being behind the Black Death faction, and taking down the traitor Seonghyeon-gun Lee Gyu and the Black Death faction, providing viewers with a refreshing catharsis.
When ordered by Seol Jong (played by Joo Seok-tae) to kill Lee Gyu, he put down his sword, saying, "That will only create another grudge," and expressed, "I know better than anyone that time stained with blood cannot be reversed." He told Lee Gyu, "Now, I have neither pity nor guilt. You have one more chance to turn your life around," completing the solid growth narrative and leaving a deep aftertaste. Through the apology from his uncle Seol Jong (played by Joo Seok-tae), he shed the old emotions and depicted a life of happiness with Cha Seon-taek instead of living as the royal family's hunting dog, providing viewers with a heartwarming ending.
Ok Taecyeon expressed his gratitude through his agency 51K, saying, "I was quickly drawn to the script after receiving the filming offer, and above all, I was strongly attracted to the character 'Ibeon'. Now that it's over, I feel bittersweet. I want to thank all the actors, staff, and viewers both domestically and internationally who watched and loved the show until the end."
Below is the Q&A with Ok Taecyeon released by his agency 51K
Q. What are your thoughts on finishing the drama 'The Male Lead's First Night'?
A. I feel bittersweet. It was a work I had a lot of affection for even before filming, and I had a really enjoyable time filming with the actors and staff for over six months. Above all, I feel very good to have wrapped up 'The Male Lead's First Night' well.
Q. Looking at your filmography, you seem to have made challenging choices regardless of genre and character. What was the decisive reason for choosing 'The Male Lead's First Night'?
A. After receiving the offer to appear, I read the script, and it was very engaging. Above all, I found the character 'Ibeon' to be cool and attractive, and after reading the script, I became curious about the original work and looked for the webtoon, which made me want to take on the role even more. I felt that I could perform in a way I hadn't done before in expressing the character 'Ibeon', and I thought viewers might enjoy seeing a new side of me as an actor.
Q. Gyeongseong-gun 'Ibeon' shows a 'fantastical man who does not exist in reality' as the male protagonist in the story. The character's appearance before and after meeting 'Cha Seon-taek' is 180 degrees different. What aspects did you focus on while portraying the character 'Ibeon', who is serious but also has unexpected wit?
A. While preparing for the character 'Ibeon', the part I focused on the most was expressing that he is a bulldozer-like straightforward man when facing love, but in reality, he is a clueless fool.
'Ibeon' is a character who possesses outstanding martial arts skills and handsome looks as a royal family member, but he has never experienced love and has lived a lonely life as the royal family's hunting dog. He meets 'Cha Seon-taek', the only person who recognizes his true self in a world where no one acknowledges him, and falls in love, rapidly growing as a character. Since he is not good at expressing his feelings verbally, I paid extra attention to his 'eyes' to convey 'Ibeon's' emotions.
Q. As the story progressed, 'Ibeon' was felt to have an 'internal weight' that takes responsibility for his words rather than being cold-blooded. While acting, were there moments when you thought 'Ibeon' was cooler?
A. I thought it was very cool that he has unwavering beliefs. No matter what actions 'Cha Seon-taek' takes, he responds with steadfast faith and love, and his ability to express his feelings fully to the woman he loves and pursue her is very attractive.
Q. Lines from 'Ibeon', such as "I just got the biggest treasure," "I went crazy. For Cha Seon-taek," "Show me your abilities as a female lead that suit me. I'll forgive anything to win, but I can't forgive getting hurt," require a certain level of emotional intensity and add another layer of fun to the drama. Since 'Ibeon' is not a talkative character, you must have thought a lot about how to convey his pure love for 'Cha Seon-taek'. What aspects did you focus on, such as voice tone, to deliver 'Ibeon's' lines effectively?
A. While acting as 'Ibeon', I was most worried about some lines that seemed like they could only come from a romantic fantasy, expressions that wouldn't be used in reality. There were many expressions that I would never use in my daily life, but for 'Ibeon' in the world of 'The Male Lead's First Night', they were words and expressions that came from the heart, so I hoped to approach the viewers as honestly as possible without exaggeration. Therefore, when expressing the lines, I discussed a lot with the director about subtle details like eye contact and voice tone, making fine adjustments.
Q. Is there a scene that stands out to you while filming?
A. Personally, I think 'Ibeon' is at his coolest during the ending. That's why I felt very excited and it left a strong impression every time we filmed the ending scene. Especially, I remember the ending of episode 6 when I jumped into the water to save 'Seon-taek'. It was an underwater shoot, and the staff worked hard, and when I watched the broadcast, I felt it was expressed very romantically and beautifully, which made me happy.
Q. I'm curious about the synchronization rate between Ok Taecyeon and 'Ibeon'. Do you think there are similarities between you and 'Ibeon'?
A. In fact, it's hard to find similarities between the real Ok Taecyeon and 'Ibeon'. 'Ibeon' expresses coldness and impulsiveness with an intuitive attitude at every moment, which is very different from me. Because it's so different, I had to think a lot and ponder more about how to express it.
Q. After 'The Tale of Nokdu' and the movie 'Hansan: Rising Dragon', you took on the historical drama genre again. What do you think is the charm of the historical drama genre that you felt through 'The Male Lead's First Night'?
A. I think the 'historical drama' genre has the charm of fulfilling the imagination of many people. Since 'The Male Lead's First Night' is based on an original work, there were moments when I clashed with my imagination while acting the character, but because of the nature of 'historical dramas', I think there was room to express it more flexibly and interestingly, which helped a lot.
Q. As soon as the drama was released, it achieved positive results by ranking high on major overseas OTT platforms as well as in Korea. Have you looked at the reactions from overseas fans who loved the drama? Also, if you have a message of thanks for overseas fans, please share it.
A. I heard that overseas fans also enjoyed and loved the drama, so I am genuinely happy. Since it is a 'fantasy romance' genre, I think it was easier for more people to enjoy it regardless of nationality. Although the language and culture are different, I want to thank everyone who watched and loved 'The Male Lead's First Night' until the end.
Q. How will you remember 'The Male Lead's First Night', and how do you hope viewers will remember it?
A. The atmosphere on set was energetic and very fun throughout the filming. It was a work that felt comfortable, like being with long-time friends. I hope 'The Male Lead's First Night' becomes a drama that allows viewers to temporarily set down their burdens and worries while watching, without stress.
Q. Many fans are waiting for the release of the Japanese Netflix series 'Soulmate'. If there are genres or characters you want to challenge in the future, what would they be?
A. Rather than wanting to play a specific character, I want to continue challenging myself with more three-dimensional and diverse characters. In the past, I rejected offers for characters in military uniforms because of the nickname 'Captain Korea'. However, now that I imagine myself in military uniform filming action scenes, I think it could be fun, and I have a desire to challenge the action genre.
I think I can show a new side of myself through the completed Japanese Netflix series 'Soulmate', so I hope you look forward to it.
Q. It's already mid-July, and half of 2025 has passed. What are your future activity plans, and how do you want to spend the remaining time this year?
A. For the time being, I plan to take some time to recharge. I have been active without rest, going back and forth between Korea and abroad from last year to this year, so I think I need time to catch my breath to run even more in the future. I will rest well and greet you again soon with a good appearance.
Q. Lastly, please say a word to the viewers who watched and loved the drama 'The Male Lead's First Night' until the end.
A. Thank you so much for loving 'The Male Lead's First Night'. I had so much fun watching it with you every Wednesday and Thursday, and I was happy to be with 'Ibeon'. I will continue to strive to approach you with good works like this in the future. Please continue to support and love the 'Buseon couple' until the end of the drama, and I would like to express my gratitude once again to the viewers who loved it. Thank you.
