‘Twelve’ is set to write a new history for Eastern superhero stories, led by the ‘guaranteed success’ of Ma Dong-seok.
On the 20th, a production presentation for KBS2's new weekend mini-series ‘Twelve’ was held at the Ambassador Pullman Seoul located in Jung-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by Ma Dong-seok, Park Hyung-sik, Seo In-guk, Lee Joo-bin, Kang Mina, Seong Yu-bin, Ahn Ji-hye, Taiwanese Regina Lei, director Kang Dae-kyu, and director Han Yoon-sun. Go Gyu-pil, who was scheduled to attend, was absent due to health reasons.
The series ‘Twelve’, inspired by the Eastern zodiac, depicts a battle between 12 angels who live in human form to protect humanity against evil forces. It aims to set a new milestone in the K-action hero genre.
Ma Dong-seok has been actively involved in the early stages of the production, helping to shape the story. He stated, “I collaborated with director Han Yoon-sun from the beginning, exchanging ideas while writing. We aimed to create an action hero story inspired by the Eastern zodiac,” adding, “I have wanted to create a hero story with Eastern elements for a long time, and I wanted to capture the charm of Korea.”
He continued, “I thought it was an original concept. Based on this, I believed that creating a superhero story could resonate globally while being distinctly Korean.” Director Kang also explained, “It was important to provide coherence to the story centered around the 12 zodiac signs. We focused on balancing the action of all the characters in the drama.”
In the drama, Ma Dong-seok plays Taesan, the leader of the 12 angels, who possesses the strength of a tiger. He is a character who quietly lives in the human world, carrying the pain of losing a comrade who was like family in a battle against evil forces long ago, embodying deep loss and a sense of responsibility beneath his strong exterior.
Although Ma Dong-seok is a leader in the drama, he mentioned that he was not in that role on set. He said, “Everyone's character is excellent, and they act well, making the set very enjoyable. Filming the drama could have been tough, but it was so much fun. I hope there will be more opportunities for these actors to gather together.”
Park Hyung-sik expressed, “The material was interesting and fresh. I felt that the cast was perfectly suited, which made me very eager to take on the challenge.” Seo In-guk also shared, “I was happy to work with Ma Dong-seok again after a long time, and the material was intriguing. I expected that the characters based on the 12 zodiac signs and animal forms would showcase unique action scenes that are hard to find.” Lee Joo-bin added, “I love fantasy hero stories, and I was excited to film. Especially since Ma Dong-seok sunbaenim invited me to join.”
Thousands of years ago, the 8 angels lost 4 in a grand battle but ultimately sealed the gates of hell, bringing peace to the world. Since that day, the angels who remained on Earth in human form, sealed with special powers, have silently endured countless storms over the years, standing by humanity. Despite the endless selfishness of humans and the guilt of losing comrades, their resolve to protect the world remained unshaken.
In the peaceful human world, they run ‘Angel Capital’, living a life protecting the good from evil humans. They vowed never to interfere in human affairs again, but as the forces of evil rise once more, they make a decision to stand up. Curiosity grows about how they will navigate this massive crisis.
Thus, the drama is filled with a variety of story elements. It promises to be a powerful and emotionally charged work that will enhance viewer enjoyment.
In this regard, the role of music in the drama is significant. Seo In-guk revealed that he participated as the music director, stating, “This is my first time participating as a music director for a drama. I went to the studio of the overall music director and discussed together. I thought this scene would fit this music, and I made adjustments based on internal feedback.”
He added, “There was something I wanted to try with the director. Since it’s about the 12 zodiac signs and there are interesting characters, I wanted to incorporate grand music. Also, since the characters are quick, I added a cyberpunk feel. You can expect to see various music genres in the drama.”
Additionally, Seo In-guk caught attention by revealing that he learned parkour to embody his character. He said, “Since each member has a designated animal character, I wanted to show actions that reflect the animal form. I wanted to create unique actions for the monkey character I play.”
Seo In-guk plays the monkey angel Wonseung in the drama. Wonseung is the most agile and nimble angel among the 12 angels, harboring grand dreams of becoming the leader after Taesan. Although he may seem simple, he is a character with a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility.
Ma Dong-seok mentioned, “With so many characters, it took a long time to create the narrative. When we said we would take a long breath, we simulated a lot about when the action should come in.” He continued, “It has been a long time since we planned fantasy, and we have been revising it to fit the times. I believe it will feel more fantasy-like as we move into the latter half.”
Ma Dong-seok is returning to dramas for the first time in about 10 years since the OCN drama ‘38 Task Force’ aired in 2016. When asked about the reason for his long-awaited return to the drama scene, he simply replied, “The timing just happened to be right now; there’s no particular reason.”
He humorously added regarding the drama's viewership goals, “I hope you watch it nicely.” Seo In-guk, who worked with him in ‘38 Task Force’, also expressed, “The chemistry was so good back then, and I wanted to feel that again, but it took 10 years. I think viewers will also watch it nicely.”
Finally, the production team stated, “There are many thrilling and intense actions. This summer, you will feel a refreshing catharsis. I hope it becomes a cool memory.”
The action hero series ‘Twelve’, depicting the greatest battle between good and evil for the peace of the world, will premiere on the 23rd at 9:20 PM on KBS2's weekend mini-series. It will also be available to viewers worldwide on Disney+ right after airing.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
