Solid of “Crimson Swan” (from left): Website positioning Yi-sook, Rain aka Jung Ji-hoon, Kim Ha-neul, Ki Eun-sae and Jung Gyu-woon —PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISNEY+
The Philippine setting within the opening episode of “Crimson Swan” doesn’t simply deliver its gripping narrative development nearer to residence, it additionally finally ends up using the system that made the Kevin Costner-Whitney Houston romantic thriller “The Bodyguard” a blockbuster hit in 1992.
Within the 10-episode revenge drama, which started streaming with a two-part rollout on Disney+ final Wednesday and can drop two new episodes each week, the story follows the occasions that result in a budding romance.
It’s this stunning flip of occasions that transpires after former {golfing} wunderkind-turned-billionaire’s spouse Oh Wan-soo (Kim Ha-neul) is rescued by former cop Website positioning Do-yoon (Rain aka Jung Ji-hoon) throughout an assassination try by terrorists. Do-yoon whisks Wan-soo off to a secluded hideaway within the suburbs earlier than dropping her off to security within the South Korean embassy in Manila.
However there’s good cause behind Do-yoon’s gung ho perspective. He’s raring to resolve the violent demise of his bosom buddy. Thereafter, he manages to get himself employed as Wan-soo’s bodyguard and sees the susceptible lady behind her hardened exterior. However the state of affairs takes an sudden flip when the unlikely pair begins to acknowledge the sparks that fly each time they’re collectively.
In the course of the press con that occurred in wet Seoul final week, Ha-neul (“Blind,” “18 Once more”) admitted that a part of what attracted her to “Crimson Swan’s” story is the romance that blossoms between Do-yoon and Wan-soo.
“I beloved the movie ‘The Bodyguard’ once I noticed it again within the day as a result of I grew up in that day and age,” Ha-neul shared. “So it was a pleasing shock to see this idea being delivered to life once more. I additionally suppose that each single episode right here is fascinating because it embodies totally different themes from one episode to the subsequent.
“On this collection, I play a goodwill ambassador and head of our basis. So I monitored lots of what goodwill ambassadors do in public—they’re very assured, very swish. I attempted to study from their gestures, how they stand earlier than an viewers and browse into their mindset. It was additionally essential how I regarded, so I targeted on the best way to gown up for each event.
Difficult half
“However probably the most difficult half for me was … the best way to look convincing as a golf champion! I did play a little bit of golf prior to now, however I needed to study to appear to be I used to be the most effective golfer on this planet, proper? And regardless of how onerous I practiced my pose and posture, I couldn’t fairly pull it off 100% (laughs). However at the very least director Park did his greatest to seize her essence fantastically on digicam.”
Rain, the singer-actor who has carved out a distinct segment for himself within the Ok-drama collection “Full Home,” in Park Chan-wook’s Berlin fest-winning rom-com “I’m a Cyborg , However That’s OK,” and the Hollywood actioners “Velocity Racer” and “Ninja Murderer,” mentioned that he’s at all times wished to work with Ha-neul, director Park Hong-kyun (“Heat and Cozy”), and veteran actress Website positioning Yi-sook (“The World of the Married,” “Begin-Up”).
Within the episodes’ Dorina Pineda and Lavinia Arguelles-channeling confrontation scenes between Ha-neul and Website positioning Yi-sook (Wan-soo’s abusive and perpetually high-strung mother-in-law), the latter embraces each likelihood she’s given to chew up the surroundings, though Ha-neul rapidly demonstrates she’s no damsel in misery both.
“I’ve at all times dreamed of appearing alongside Ha-neul,” Rain admitted. “Ha-neul, Yi-sook, Jung Gyu-woon (who performs Wan-soo’s dishonest husband, Kim Yong-guk) and Ki Eun-sae (as Jang Tae-ra) have been solid earlier than me. When the script got here alongside, I assumed that nothing a lot was required of me as a result of I didn’t have many traces as Ha-neul’s bodyguard.
“Nonetheless, my character Do-yoon is meant to exude robust presence, so it did require some effort to construct that up and seize his vibe. I had an teacher serving to me execute that. However I did put in lots of thought into the best way to precisely put this character collectively. I attempted actually onerous to regulate my tone of voice and add different useful particulars [to create a full character].”
“Within the case of the action-packed stunts right here, I felt like I actually needed to come clean with every part I did. I at all times really feel higher and extra snug pulling off the motion sequences myself and simply fill within the void in between my improvisations. After all, if the scenes are very harmful, I’ve to step out and let the professionals do it themselves.
“In contrast to something you’ve seen earlier than, I wished to do one thing that regarded actually impactful, so I had lots of conversations with the director. And reasonably than doing lots of cuts, we wished to do longer takes this time so we might present each motion scene in its full glory.
Eyeball appearing
“I didn’t have many traces, so it was harder for me as a result of I needed to categorical feelings with out saying them out loud. It needed to be finished with my eyes. In reality, within the script, it might say, ‘Do-yoon seems at Wan-soo as if he understands every part …’
“It’s lots of eyeball appearing, however my eyes aren’t actually the most important pair of eyes there’s. So I wanted to be as expressive as doable. As preparation, I might additionally do morning runs earlier than going to the set. That’s how passionate I used to be with this character.”
As for Ha-neul, Rain thought his 46-year-old costar was oozing with charisma even when she claimed to have struggled with Wan-soo’s physicality as a golfer.
He defined, “I assumed she was actually an expert as a result of the quantity of traces she needed to ship required nearly robotic ability. Additionally, the best way Yi-sook and Ha-neul acted in opposition to one another onscreen was actually gripping! Their verbal tussle and banter … have been actually wonderful to see—to the purpose the place I needed to cease watching sooner or later. I informed the director I wanted to depart.”
However, Yi-sook was simply as thrilled to go mano a mano with Ha-neul and Rain in entrance of the digicam.
The 57-year-old veteran quipped, “They’re such nice actors! They actually lived as much as their popularity. As an actor, you robotically really feel reassured when there’s good chemistry amongst members of the solid.”
Nervous
For his half, when director Park was requested what the story was about, he mentioned, “It’s about Oh Wan-soo, a former golfer who’s a nationally beloved hero. She turns into the daughter-in-law of the matriarch of the chaebol household behind the Hwain group. “Wan-soo turns into the director of their basis, doing good deeds around the globe. However following a terrorist assault that threatens her life, she meets her bodyguard Do-yoon, who comes into the household with a private agenda—he desires to avenge the demise of a good friend he owes his life to.”
Even Gyu-woon manages to carry his personal as Ha-neul’s handsome however faithless “lesser-half,” Yong-guk.
On the press con, the 42-year-old award-winning actor (“Signal,” “Dr. Champ”) admitted that he was nervous coming into the set, particularly as a result of the final time he was seen in a TV collection was through 2017’s “You Are Too A lot.”
“I’m blown away to have been solid on this present as a result of, as you recognize, I took a while off from appearing,” Gyu-woon disclosed. “So I actually went after this engaging function. I satisfied director Park that I might actually match his expectations and set this character aside from those that I performed prior to now.
Scene from “Crimson Swan”
“To be trustworthy, my character actually loves his spouse, however she’s at all times pushing me away. And from that perspective, it’s a really lonely life, particularly for the reason that mom I’m at all times combating with is somebody who rabidly dislikes my spouse. He’s at all times at a loss for what to do along with his state of affairs.”
As for Eun-sae, the beautiful younger actress said, “Effectively, I didn’t select the challenge—the challenge, and our director particularly, selected me (laughs). So when this collection got here alongside, I didn’t hesitate and simply jumped proper in! It was an honor and a blessing to work with this wonderful solid.
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please attempt once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
“The trailer solely focuses on my character, Tae-ra, being a really provocative lady. However whereas she is villainous, I targeted on not wanting to seem solely as a villain in order that she wouldn’t be perceived as somebody predictable.” INQ
