Lee Si-ah and Lee Il-hwa have claimed that ‘Intimate Ripley’ has a “fun script,” and it will premiere today (22nd) on home television.
On the afternoon of the 22nd, the online production presentation for KBS2's new daily drama ‘Intimate Ripley’ was released. Director Son Seok-jin and actors Lee Si-ah, Lee Il-hwa, Lee Seung-yeon, Choi Jong-hwan, Seol Jung-hwan, Han Gi-woong, and Lee Hyo-na participated.
‘Intimate Ripley’ depicts a bold yet tearful story of a mother and daughter, who, having met through a mother-in-law relationship, engage in a war of lies to claim the Kanghyang family.
Director Son Seok-jin, known for the drama special ‘Find the Handsome,’ collaborated with writer Lee Do-hyun, who has worked on ‘The Witch's Game,’ ‘Secrets and Lies,’ and ‘Family's Secret.’
Director Son Seok-jin stated, “The script has a fast pace and is not frustrating. Daily dramas often have long arcs, which can lead to stagnation in the story. While that is unavoidable, our writer breaks through that with a sense of speed. We deal with the Ripley syndrome and lies, and there are no righteous characters in our work. Everyone pretends not to lie while doing so. It gets tangled, and I think that aspect will be interesting.”
Lee Si-ah plays Cha Jung-won, who dives into a false life and decides on a fierce revenge as a daughter-in-law of a chaebol family, while Lee Il-hwa portrays Han Hye-ra, Cha Jung-won's biological mother and mother-in-law, who abandons her family for her desires. Lee Seung-yeon plays Gong Nan-sook, the mother of the realistic Ju Young-chae (Lee Hyo-na), who prioritizes money over love, and Choi Jong-hwan takes on the role of Jin Tae-seok, Han Hye-ra's husband, who hides a cold personality behind a smart businessman facade.
Seol Jung-hwan plays Joo Ha-neul, a reliable supporter who has questions about his father's death in childhood but tries to protect his first love, Cha Jung-won, while Han Gi-woong portrays Jin Se-hoon, the heir of the Kanghyang Group, who wavers between love and family fate after falling in love with Cha Jung-won. Lee Hyo-na takes on the role of Ju Young-chae, who makes Cha Jung-won's false life possible because she must have what she desires.
Lee Si-ah shared, “The first thought I had after reading the script for ‘Intimate Ripley’ was ‘This is going to be a hit. It’s so interesting. Who is the writer?’ The relationships between the characters are tangled, but interestingly, they are plausible, and it was a script that made me look forward to the next episode. The script is fun, and Cha Jung-won goes from being despised and looked down upon to entering the life of a chaebol family. I think I can show various performances in that process.”
Lee Il-hwa also explained, “I liked the title. This is my third collaboration with the writer. There was trust and faith from the writer. I thought that if that trust met with Director Son Seok-jin's freshness, it would become a wonderful work.”
Lee Il-hwa revealed, “I have abandoned a child three times since coming to KBS. I was worried about being branded as a mother who abandons her children. I approached this drama with that mindset. I wanted to show performances that could provide comfort and healing to those who have been hurt by separation in this world.”
She added, “I hope the viewers find healing. There are many events in the drama, but I hope they feel comforted and healed. I will do my best to act until the very last scene. I am approaching this with the mindset that this is my last daily drama.”
Lee Seung-yeon expressed, “I was unsure if I could do well since it’s a role I’ve never done before, but I read the script from start to finish without going to the bathroom, all the way to episode 20. It was so interesting. Meeting Director Son Seok-jin made me feel like I would only walk a flower path in the future. With actors like Lee Il-hwa, Lee Si-ah, and Choi Jong-hwan, I felt like I could contribute even if I couldn’t do well, and I could work happily with their help.”
Regarding her character, she said, “She is bold and gets everything she wants, which can be seen as vulgar in some ways. I have been raising my children with a twisted maternal instinct, but experiencing that life through acting makes me think I should raise my own children properly. I am learning a lot while filming, and the feelings are good. I feel supported. I am acting with a happy heart,” and joked, “I’m not like this, but people say I fit the role perfectly, which confuses me.”
Choi Jong-hwan also expressed confidence, saying, “It feels like a rollercoaster of emotions with secrets, twists, and revenge, so I am sure it will do well,” and added, “We are really working hard. ‘Intimate Ripley’ will become ‘Intimate Jinplie’.” Seol Jung-hwan also encouraged viewers to watch, saying, “It will be a really fun drama.”
Han Gi-woong mentioned, “There are really many interesting points,” and Lee Hyo-na also asked for attention, saying, “We are filming hard. Please give us a lot of love.”
‘Intimate Ripley’ will premiere on the 22nd at 7:50 PM.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
