Actor Kim Sung-jung shared behind-the-scenes stories from the popular tvN drama 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl' which recently concluded.
On the 1st, Kim Sung-jung conducted a commemorative interview with Maeil Business Star Today following the conclusion of the tvN drama 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl' (written by Yang Ji-hoon / directed by Kim Yong-wan).
In 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl', Kim Sung-jung played the role of Kim Jin-woong, who transforms from a rebellious youth to a loyal romantic man. Initially, he appeared as a villain tormenting Park Seong-ah (played by Jo Yi-hyun) and Bae Gyeon-woo (played by Choo Young-woo), but ultimately became friends with them, playing a significant role in the story.
Having successfully made his small-screen debut with 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl', which ended on the 26th of last month, Kim Sung-jung expressed, "It was my first time playing a character with a long arc, and during the 7 months of filming, I felt a lot of pressure and stress," adding, "Seeing the final product, I felt a mix of emotions, both happy and bittersweet."
Starting his career with musicals like 'Hadestown' and 'West Side Story', and moving on to the Netflix series 'Weak Hero Class 2', he remarked, "It definitely seems like more people watched it because it was on TV."
“My parents consider it an 'honor for the family' to see me on TV. They were really happy about it. Surprisingly, many older people watched this work, and I heard that my parents received a lot of calls. They said they received many compliments, which made me feel both embarrassed and grateful.”
Since 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl' is set in a school, there were many interactions with co-stars of the same age. Kim Sung-jung mentioned that he often met with the actors he worked with after filming, saying, “After the last broadcast, we shared our struggles in a group chat.”
Born in 1999, Kim Sung-jung is the same age as Choo Young-woo and Jo Yi-hyun. However, since they have already gained experience through various works, he learned a lot while filming.
“Young-woo and Yi-hyun filmed like true professionals. Since it was my first time acting in front of a camera, I thought I could just act naturally, but they advised me that 'if you do it that way, it might not come out as you expect.' I learned a lot while filming with them.”
Filming for 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl' began in October last year and wrapped up in April this year. During the filming, Choo Young-woo became a superstar with hits like 'Mrs. Ok's Story' and 'Severe Trauma Center', and Kim Sung-jung witnessed this transformation firsthand. He said, “Thanks to Young-woo, the atmosphere on set improved, and we had a lot of fun filming,” also sharing a positive story about Choo Young-woo.
“After Young-woo became a superstar, we went out to eat, and he treated us at a restaurant that served beef, pork, and duck. He ordered various side dishes for us to enjoy, and the kiosk even malfunctioned because of it. A friend who buys meat is the best, right? I was really grateful, and I thought it was really cool to see him using the kiosk.”
Kim Sung-jung originally auditioned for the role of Pyo Ji-ho, played by Cha Kang-yoon, but ended up receiving the role of Kim Jin-woong. When asked if he felt any regret, he waved his hand and said, “Cha Kang-yoon suited that role perfectly,” while sharing his efforts to portray the rebellious youth character Kim Jin-woong.
“I’m not a rebellious youth, and I’ve never smoked, so during filming, I used a non-smoking cigarette to act. It was really funny because all the older brothers who played rebellious youths with me were also non-smokers, which surprised the staff a lot.”
The character Kim Jin-woong received criticism from viewers for bullying Bae Gyeon-woo in the early episodes. Kim Sung-jung mentioned that there was a scene where he kicked Choo Young-woo, and he was very scared of hurting him at that time.
“I dared to kick Young-woo. At first, I kicked lightly, and Young-woo said, 'It's okay,' and 'You can kick harder.' I thought it would be better to finish it with one strong kick, and fortunately, it was approved in one take. I realized that if I didn’t stay focused in such scenes, I could get hurt, but I also felt like I learned another aspect of acting.” ([Continued in Interview ②])
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
