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MASTERLIST

I update this list everytime I watch and review a show.

Disclaimer: These reviews are subjective and only reflect my opinions. There are no drama on that list that I’ve turned off and all are worthy of a watch.

Recs welcome!

#1 Crash landing on you

(사랑의 불시착)

Grade: A++

Genre: Modern, Star-Crossed lovers

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Son Ye-jin (who plays Yoon Se-ri) and Hyun Bin (Ri Jeong-hyeok) have amazing chemistry and every episode plays out like the chapters of an excellent fanfiction. Classic romantic tropes, humour, angst, action, CLOY has it all. Moreover, if you’ve never watched a Kdrama in your life, CLOY is a great starting point—not only will it introduce you to Korean culture but also to popular tropes and codes of the genre.

#2 Rookie historian Goo Hae-ryung

(신입사관 구해령)

Grade: A++

Genre: Historical, Age gap

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Delightful from end to end, with lots of humour and an engaging story. The romance between Goo Hae-ryung and himbo-prince Dowon will make your heart go soft, especially if you’re into reverse gender dynamics (she’s older and kisses him first *le gasp*)

#k-drama #kdrama

fyleejoongi

actor_jg: 설렁탕에넣어서 맛있게 먹었습니다 👍역시 마늘맛 다음에 파맛 🤙💝

I put it in seolleongtang (*Korean ox bone soup) and it was delicious 👍 Green onion flavor is second best next to garlic flavor 🤙💝️

Translation by gunman

(Note: Original video posted here.) [2020.12.24 Instagram Story]

allaboutjoongi

Lee Joon Gi was named one of the ‘2020 Icons’ by Korean culture & art magazine ‘CULTURA’ in its December 2020 issue. It has two essays on Lee Joon Gi’s acting and his character Do Hyunsoo in Flower of Evil. And here’s my English translation.

2020 ICON – Drama Category, Actor Lee Joon Gi

Lee Joon Gi: Unexpected Charm, Hybrid Genre

by Joo Chan Ok (drama writer)

It’s been said that, although <King and the Clown> drew an audience of 10 million, the number is overhyped. The reasoning behind this is that many moviegoers watched it over 10 times to just see Lee Joon Gi and, when you take out the repeat viewings, it simply does not amount to 10 million. In a similar vein, there is this kind of gossip going around: Of those ’10-million audience’ movies, some are genuinely 10-million audience movies because there is no way anyone would have watched those pieces of **** more than once; that those were truly watched by 10 million individuals. I will not say what movies ‘those’ refer to.

For my part, I only watched <King and the Clown> once. Since it has been quite a long time, I do not remember with whom I went to watch it. My only recollection is that I was impressed by the unexpected baritone voice of that beautiful man Gong-gil the moment he opened his mouth.

The charm of Lee Joon Gi lies in that unexpectedness.

First of all, he has mysterious eyes. He has monolids, which lends his slanted eyes sharpness. Most beautiful men are just beautiful, whether when they smile or when they keep their mouths closed. But Lee Joon Gi has many different feels to him.

When he smiles, he looks like an innocent pretty boy who is prettier than any woman. But when he keeps his mouth closed and becomes expressionless, he comes off as cold and heartless. That expression on his face can make him look like an assassin or even a murderer. Or should I say that he can not only be many different things but he can also swing back and forth between extremes?

In <King and the Clown>, <My Girl> and the pomegranate drink commercial, Lee Joon Gi projected a feminine or androgynous image. When you search ‘Lee Joon Gi cigarette’ on YouTube, it shows videos of Lee Joon Gi smoking a cigarette where he looks incredibly sexy. They do not look like scenes from a movie or a drama, but those of his everyday life.

On the other hand, in <Iljimae>, <Gunman in Joseon>, <Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo>, and <Lawless Lawyer>, he pulls off action performances in his outbursts of masculine energy. Then, finally, in <Flower of Evil>, his facial expressions blossom into a hybrid of different genres, as he switches from happy and loving husband and father to cold-hearted psychopath that sends chills down your spine.

Drama <Flower of Evil> aired on tvN from July through September this year.

In it, Lee Joon Gi plays a psychopath whose real name is Do Hyun Soo but who lives under the false identity of Baek Hee Seong. A psychopath!

Psychopaths, or sociopaths, have become commonplace in Korean dramas. At first, they took root as serial killers in police procedurals; recently, they have evolved into ‘psychopathic protagonists.’ Among them is Cho Seung Woo, who can’t feel emotions in <Stranger>; another recent example is Joo Won in <Alice> – although, unbelievably, Joo Won’s character bursts into violent sobs when his mother dies.

When those psychopaths actually commit crimes, it becomes simple for the actors. Because, then, it all comes down to how cruel they should make their characters look. Of course, ‘simple’ acting does not mean it is easy. Actors say, while it depends on the person, shooting such scenes [committing crimes] is so demanding they even suffer a mental breakdown.

The protagonist of <Flower of Evil> is such a difficult psychopath for an actor to play. Lee Joon Gi [as Do Hyun Soo] practices smiling naturally while looking in the mirror and puts on the mask of a caring father and husband. At least that is what he believes himself to be – appearing caring while feigning happiness. He believes himself to be a psychopath because his father was a real psychopath.

However, it does not sum up easily as: “It turns out, he is in fact a nice guy.” For a long time, Do Hyun Soo has hidden or repressed emotions and lived a life of lies, which has rendered him emotionally dead inside. That’s why he has become a ‘psychopath.’ This character has several layers of consciousness like an onion, or a pie with its layers coming off softly. In Episodes 15 and 16, in particular, he gets portrayed in even more diverse ways – by none other than actor Lee Joon Gi, through his incredibly rich performance.

In Episode 15, Do Hyun Soo mistakenly believes his wife is dead because the real psychopath, played by Kim Ji Hun, says he killed Hyun Soo’s wife. From that point on, he turns into something akin to his psychopathic father. The actor ramps up the tension in his depiction of the moment when the murderer gene – which Hyun Soo has long been afraid he has in him – wakes up.

When Hyun Soo is about to kill Baek Hee Seong (Kim Ji Hun), he hears his wife calling his name – the wife he thinks is dead. This is when Lee Joon Gi exhibits an emotional variation that unfolds like a panorama: In moments of disbelief and shock, he doubts if his wife is really alive, and if he is seeing his dead wife (Cha Ji Won, played by Moon Chae Won) just as he sees his dead father, and then in a moment of relief, he finally starts walking towards Cha Ji Won and cries. He cries, just like a child, completely disarmed after having turned evil. It is a tremendous feat of concentration and such a riveting performance.

Episode 16 is so equally impressive it’s worth mentioning. Since we already saw an explosion of emotions in Episode 15, what follows could have been a relatively lackluster ending. Viewers have been disappointed time and again by dramas, whose tension-filled stories culminate in far-fetched endings of reconciliation, forgiveness, and life lessons of sorts.

Initially, I was a bit worried when the amnesia cliché appeared [in the last episode], but I was soon to put those worries to rest. The finale has just the right amount of time [Hyun Soo needed] to restore what makes us human in him, and it is a good enough ending for us to look deep into the human condition. The script is solidly written like a piece of literature, and the actor’s performance is such a rich and delicate manifestation of that writing.

Even With his memories coming back little by little, and with the people around him telling him about his relationships [to his loved ones], Do Hyun Soo still cannot trust himself. That’s because of the confusion he’s in – because, all his life, he has kept his true feelings deeply tucked away, and because he has never lived freely as himself, just the way he is. That is exactly what Lee Joon Gi has been showing. Finally, Hyun Soo accepts the fact that he was genuinely in love and happy when he was with his family. And it is the actor’s brilliant depiction of that moment when Hyun Soo starts to believe in himself that brings the drama to an end.

It has been 15 years since <King and the Clown> was released.

Maybe it is lucky for an actor to have such a career-defining character, but it can also be a trap. Yet, Lee Joon Gi seems to have already grown out of this impactful character Gong-gil, and he did it brilliantly. So now, why don’t we renew our expectations for this actor, Lee Joon Gi? What will he be look like when he gets older? How far could he possibly go?

Monthly Drama Review

Various Faces in Drama <Emotionless>

A Flower Named Lee Joon Gi

by Kim Min Jung (drama critic, professor at Chung-Ang University)

In 2017, <Stranger> received considerable attention for the birth of a new type of character in prosecutor Hwang Si Mok. A protagonist who dares to be ‘emotionless’ in Korean drama, a medium characterized by human bonding and humanism! It was indeed an astonishing event that caused a seismic shift in K-drama characters. Now, four years later, what’s happening in 2020 Korea? Four dramas, which aired around the same time, tout ‘emotionless’ characters as their protagonists.

This small ball of seeds that Hwang Si Mok in <Stranger> started rolling gathers more momentum through Go Moon Young, from <It’s Okay to Not Be Okay>, and finally turns into an attractive, fully-bloomed flower through Do Hyun Soo in <Flower of Evil>. Although the latest addition to this trend, Park Jin Gyeom in <Alice>, seems to have veered off course, there seems to be a consensus that 2020 has been the year of ‘emotionless’ characters. These ‘emotionless’ characters continue to broaden their spectrum as they draw viewers in with their respective idiosyncrasies and charms spanning across diverse genres, from police procedurals to romance, thriller, and science fiction.

Hwang Si Mok, from <Stranger>

By now, in 2020, it’s safe to say there are about four ways to defeat evil in Korean dramas: First is the classic strategy of pitting ‘good’ against evil. Second is the dialectical strategy of turning to a character who has become an evil monster for the sake of good. Prosecutor Lee Chang Joon, who basically carried Season 1 of <Stranger>, is the quintessential example of this ‘dialectical’ character that deliberately puts himself in harm’s way by walking into the den of evil to fight government-business collusion and corruption. He’s the scapegoat of our era and the product of our collective tragic view of reality: that good alone cannot defeat evil. Now, third is the last resort you use when you really have no other choice. That is, the “fight fire with fire” strategy of using another villain that’s even more powerful than your main villain. You can find a great example in drama <Bad Guys> (2014).

But it ain’t over till it’s over. We have another creation that’s given birth to by those creators who carefully reasoned that evil cannot possibly be defeated by humanity – hence the emergence of the ‘emotionless’ character. This is an AI-esque character created to deliver justice; a non-human human who is completely deprived of all human qualities. The first three character types exist on the boundaries between good and evil, have beating hearts, and do as their hearts tell them. On the other hand, this fourth ‘emotionless’ character cannot feel emotions and lacks empathy. Hwang Si Mok, who underwent a surgery that left him emotionless, works to serve justice by diligently performing the duties assigned to him. He represents a ‘cold’ type of justice, which he tries to deliver, not out of some sense of duty, but because it’s his job. The kind of justice he seeks exists outside of the system of dualistic good/evil thinking.

Since he can’t feel emotions, he isn’t afraid of anything. For him, there is no sacred ground he can’t step on when it comes to fighting injustice. In Season 2, in 2020, his notion of ‘cold’ justice extends to the inside of the system, namely, the prosecutors and the police responsible for crime investigations. With the government and police at loggerheads over investigative authority, Hwang Si Mok aims his gun at both the police and prosecutors that both employ unlawful methods to achieve their goals. To defend the prosecutors’ power, elite prosecutor Woo Tae Ha tampers with an investigation and tries to stop Si Mok, saying because of Si Mok’s dogged pursuit of justice, prosecutor Lee Chang Joon committed suicide. Still, Si Mok won’t budge but pushes ahead with his investigations. At this point, I think we might as well call Hwang Si Mok a living AI robot.

Go Moon Young, from <It’s Okay to Not Be Okay>

If Hwang Si Mok’s emotionless character is the sort of strong-willed ‘hero’ about to save Korean society from the evil of corruption, then Go Moon Young in <It’s Okay to Not Be Okay> is only a pitiful ‘grown child,’ who grew up in the hands of her overbearing psychopathic mother and hearing curses from her father that she would become a monster like her mother.

While living in solitude as an “empty can with no emotions,” without knowing what love or friendship is, Go Moon Young meets brothers Moon Gang Tae and Moon Sang Tae, ends up living with them, and learns how to connect with other people. Living with her new family of sorts, she manages to get rid of the negative self-concept that her parents planted in her, find her own identity, and grow up to be a real grownup. In the drama, her emotionless character represents not an absence, i.e. lack of emotion, but a blank space to be filled with possibilities – in other words, she symbolizes hope and dreams as a ‘recovering human being.’

Go Moon Young asks Moon Gang Tae: “What do you mean, I’m a child?” Moon Gang Tae looks right into her eyes, as if the answer is obvious, saying: “Of course you are. It’s so obvious you’re seeking people’s approval.” Moon Gang Tae, who warmly embraces Go Moon Young, isn’t just a caretaker at a psychiatric ward for nothing. Who hasn’t experienced psychological pain? Who doesn’t want to be loved? Through this sad, aching soul Go Moon Young, the ‘emotionless character’ transforms from an extraordinary hero into an ordinary face that we have, from an agent of catharsis into an ‘aching soul’ persona that leaves us with lingering feelings. Oh, we are so in need of romance.

Do Hyun Soo, from <Flower of Evil>

Owing to actor Lee Joon Gi’s otherworldly performance, Do Hyun Soo in <Flower of Evil> exhibits such an amazing character growth that starts with ‘nothingness,’ as in, his lack of emotion, and expands into ‘infinity’ in which that space of ‘nothingness’ can be filled with anything precisely because it’s been empty of emotion. Those variations of the ‘emotionless character’ – from Hwang Si Mok to Go Moon Young, and to Do Hyun Soo – are all packed in this one person, Do Hyun Soo.

Falsely accused and wronged, Do Hyun Soo is relentless and unstoppable in his search for the real killer with his characteristically expressionless face, as prosecutor Hwang Si Mok does. At one moment, he breaks into a journalist’s home and the next, he’s hanging precariously from an apartment balcony. He even negotiates with human traffickers and puts his own life on the line to meet this real serial killer. His recklessness in executing his plans, though, helps him successfully catch the serial killer before the police do.

He also identifies his feelings and learns to love all the while chasing the real killer. What Moon Gang Tae is to Go Moon Young is exactly what his wife Cha Ji Won is to Do Hyun Soo. Seeing Ji Won embrace all of Hyun Soo’s wounds, he confides in her about his past and confesses his love in his heartwarming way: “I love you. You are an even weirder person than I am. Jiwon, you are the most inexplicable part of my life. So unreal.” Do Hyun Soo resembles Go Moon Young in that, even though he was raised by a psychopathic parent to be an emotionless person lacking empathy, he restores that ‘humanness’ in him by emotionally connecting with his lover.

In <Flower of Evil>, Do Hyun Soo even goes beyond that ‘cold justice’ in Hwang Si Mok and ‘aching soul’ in Go Moon Young, and becomes the ‘lone martyr’ in this age of barbarity and inhumanity. Early in the drama, he is depicted as a cunning psychopath who exploits people’s kind nature for his own advantage. But it turns out, it is actually Hyun Soo who has been exploited. The village head spreads the malicious rumor that he is a psychopath, and steals the money Hyun Soo’s father left behind. Emotionless, Hyun Soo does not feel wronged nor he gets angry. Rather, he accepts his fate, calm and unperturbed. He takes the blame for his sister’s killing of the village head, and comforts his sister who’s trembling in fear: “It’s Okay, because I don’t know how it feels.”

Hyun Soo does not become coldhearted and cruel because he is emotionless; instead, he willingly sacrifices himself. Watching him makes me reflect on myself and wonder if those emotions and empathy we have always talked about, as well as that customary expression “humane,” are probably much more based on self-centeredness and self-interest than we think. I wonder if Do Hyun Soo, who seems detached and free from all those joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures, isn’t the ‘noble martyr’ who can sacrifice himself for others and society. A metal craft artist, Do Hyun Soo runs his workshop named “Where the Morning Star Stays.” In Greek mythology, there is an ugly god of metalworking. Everyone hates him, but he has a wife he loves. The place where his Venus, Morning Star, and loving wife stays. When Cha Ji Won takes Do Hyun Soo, who’s been hurt and persecuted because of the sins he didn’t even commit, and holds him in her warm embrace, she reminds me of the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Christ after his crucifixion. If this isn’t your Michelangelo’s Pietà, then I don’t know what is.

I wondered if Lee Joon Gi’s remarkable acting talent has been underrated all these years because of his gorgeous looks, just as Do Hyun Soo’s innocent heart has been hidden beneath his expressionless face. Every single eye expression, every hand gesture, and every breath of his are so restrained, yet contain all of life’s joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures. As I watch this marvelous irony of life – in which ‘nothingness’ expands into ‘infinity’ – come into bloom on his little face, I realize when and how our exhausting and shabby daily life can be elevated into art. Following the finale of the drama, actor Lee Joon Gi went live on Instagram, and fans from about 30 countries joined in, hoping to cherish the deep, lingering feelings that the drama left with them. Among them was this Korean, Kim Min Jung. Oh, Lee Joon Gi.

end.

allaboutjoongi

Lee Joon Gi’s post-Flower of Evil interview (2020/09/29) - Part 1

Thoughts on finishing Flower of Evil

I always get mixed feelings when I finish a project, but now even more so after finishing ‘Flower of Evil.’ I feel relieved that I finished this race well; fulfilled that I took the weight I initially felt and channeled it into bringing [the drama] to a successful conclusion; and empty after saying goodbye to everyone I worked with on set through thick and thin. On top of that, doing this wrap-up interview, I start feeling a longing for everything again, which makes the feelings I have even more complicated. I feel so lonely, but I’m also grateful for so many things right now.

Why did you choose this drama?

When I first read the script for ‘Flower of Evil,’ I thought, ‘I am not capable enough to handle this project.’ This character is equal parts a loving father, a devoted husband, and a man who’s hiding a sad and brutal past. So before I made my decision, I kept asking myself, ‘Is actor Lee Joon Gi capable enough to handle this role now?’ I wondered if I could convince viewers, and what if the ‘colors’ so unique to actor Lee Joon Gi that people had seen in my previous works came out too strong, upsetting the overall balance of the drama? I worried so much.

Fortunately, I had about two weeks before I had to make the decision. I read the script over and over again, picturing in my head how this was going to turn out. Then it occurred to me, ‘Maybe it’s destiny that sent this drama my way.’ I also wanted to make this drama a turning point in my acting career.

Before we got started, Chaewon and I said things like, ‘If we do a good job on this project, we can probably pioneer this new genre ‘suspense melodrama’ by bringing into it emotions that are unique to us.’ The talk we had further convinced me that I should do this drama.

In the end, for me, choosing Flower of Evil was a bold decision to make. I was so curious about this future yet to be painted and imagined what it’d be like. I was so inspired by the curiosity and imagination I had that I could barely contain myself.

Before the shoot began, I met writer Yoo Jung-hee and we talked a lot. She was so passionate about the drama and explained all the hints, clues, and emotions contained in each scene. This helped me a lot in building my character. I saw how immensely dedicated she was to this project, so I wanted to reciprocate by giving a really good performance. I am deeply grateful to the writer for having complete faith in me and giving me the chance to live as my character Do Hyun Soo.

(On the concern that Flower of Evil might remind people of his role in Two Weeks)

Actually, after I made my decision, the thing that concerned the director, the writer, and the production staff most was, ‘What if Flower of Evil reminds people of Two Weeks and feels familiar?’ In the latter, I also depicted a desperate father’s love. There my character gets pushed to the very edge and I had such a tough time while immersed in my role. But everyone told me, ‘No, this [Flower of Evil] is different.’

Despite all that, I don’t even remember how many times I went over the script, over and over again. Of course, there weren’t any scenes that felt too familiar. On the contrary, the unique and originally-written situations in Flower of Evil captured my imagination, and I found them so appealing.

Then I started to define the overall ‘tone and manner’ of the drama based on two words, ‘Truth’ and ‘Love.’ That way, I was able to get rid of the worries I initially had. Focusing on the original storyline of Flower of Evil and the narrative revolving around this character Do Hyun Soo, I could create my character that’s so different.

What did you focus particularly on in your portrayal of Baek Hee Seong and Do Hyun Soo?

In portraying these two characters, I put a great deal of effort into creating the reactions they show in their interactions with various other characters. Since Do Hyunsoo cannot feel emotions, I thought every small expression and reaction mattered and it would make each scene powerful and convincing. Of course, it wasn’t something I could do alone just by doing research and lots of thinking. That’s why I kept sharing ideas with the director, the writer, and even the director of photography (cinematographer) who stayed nearest to me and watched me, as well as every single one of the cast. If poorly done, Do Hyunsoo could have easily been a cliché and a simple, emotionless psychopath. So I paid attention to and focused on small details.

It was so hard, but it was the director who worked the hardest. Hahaha. He really went out of his way to communicate with his actors and kept all the emotions in balance, keeping them perfectly under control. For my part, I focused particularly on looking back and going over the previous scenes we did through rehearsals and, by working with my co-stars, finding the emotional flows (continuity) and emotional highs and lows that would look convincing. Personally, I am very grateful to Chaewon for helping me react in more diverse ways than I could have. Without the hard work put in by all these actors, who together delivered such an amazing ensemble performance, the synergy that enabled those explosive emotions in the latter half would not have been possible.

Instead of monitoring how I acted on set, I tried to watch the drama from viewers’ point of view. I put a lot of thought into how I should convey the variations of the emotions Hyunsoo feels so they’d feel even more painful and heartbreaking. I tried to make those emotions look not far-fetched, but convincing. So I put lots of thought into each and every single thing I created. Of course, it was really hard. Hahaha.

I actually had a bit of trouble understanding the bouts of hyperventilation Hyunsoo experiences until I read the scripts for the later episodes. I even jokingly said, ‘Since when did Hyunsoo have this chronic disease?’ It wasn’t clear to me so I had trouble getting the details right. I could only guess ‘Hyunsoo is going through some changes,’ ‘Maybe he’s experiencing physical changes as the emotions he’s feeling in his brain start to unlock.’ I think, in the end, those [physical symptoms] allowed me to effectively express the emotional changes in Hyunsoo. In fact, during the filming, I came up with different versions of those scenes of him hyperventilating. I even thought of seizures, but decided it’d be too much so didn’t end up using them.

How did you prepare to create this multifaceted character Do Hyun Soo?

Baek Hee Seong had to look natural as a metal craft artist. Before the shoot started, I pictured in my head how he should look by watching some metalworking videos on YouTube that might be helpful for my performance. I also met a real-life metal craft artist and learned some details in person, so I could use them to make me look like a real metal craft artist.

In portraying a warm, loving father, I actually improvised a lot. The director left it up to me to try out many different things. So I created a lot of things with Eunha from scratch, for instance, by playing with her. On days when I had scenes with Eunha, I showed up early to work and tried to stay close to her as much as possible. Sometimes, I was exhausted more from having so much fun with Eunha than from working on set. Hahaha.

In portraying a husband, I worked with Chaewon and we exchanged all kinds of ideas in building our characters. Chaewon is so detail-oriented and great at focusing on her emotions. So she helped me fill in a lot of the gaps I left and could have missed. Because of this, as we neared the end of the filming, just thinking about Cha Jiwon alone brought a lump to my throat.

In depicting the life of Do Hyunsoo, I owe my co-stars a lot for the help they gave me. With Seo Hyunwoo, who played Moojin, in particular, we have similar personalities so from the very outset, he helped me a lot in forming my own image of Do Hyunsoo, who lives the life of Baek Heeseong. He’s so great at reacting. I’d been really looking forward to working with him before the shoot began. It turned out, the chemistry between us was even better than I’d expected, so we ended up creating these ‘bromance’ scenes although we didn’t mean to. Hahaha.

Every bit part of the narrative centering on Hyunsoo derives from his relationships with the other characters. That’s why I focused on how to depict those things [relationships] to set my character apart.

How did you approach your role Do Hyun Soo (Baek Hee Seong), and what was your first impression of him?

I actually worried a lot about the scenes where I practice facial expressions in front of the mirror because there are similar scenes in the film ‘Joker.’ So I decided to approach it differently, and it occurred to me, ‘What if I make it look like an AI preparing for the day with a certain purpose in mind?’ It would make the character look a bit creepy as well. But at the same time, I wanted viewers to notice the innocence in this AI that wants to understand human emotions. So a lot of preparation went into those scenes.

My first impression of Do Hyunsoo was that I felt sorry for him. He had an unfortunate upbringing, grew up without getting any love, and suffered mentally from his relationship with his father. Ultimately, what he needed was love. But everyone around him was prejudiced in the way they treated him and those circumstances made Hyunsoo want to escape reality. In the end, Hyunsoo abandoned everything and ran away to protect his sister, the only person who treated him with love. But again, he’s betrayed and hurt by people. To Hyunsoo, living as Baek Heeseong was probably the sweetest offer he’d ever received; the hope that he could live a new life like a human being. After that, he meets Cha Jiwon and, for the first time in his life, he has his own people he wants to protect. Every step of the journey captured my imagination. As an actor, I was so inspired by the thrills coming from all the little emotions Do Hyunsoo feels and the different relationships he has. On top of that, I had so much fun thinking about the tightrope of this new life Do Hyunsoo is walking and my own interpretations of the different situations that can arise from it. Of course, it was pretty stressful, though. Hahaha.

Was there anything you watched for inspiration in preparing for this two-faced character? What did you do to set Do Hyunsoo apart from other emotionless characters?

I did watch films like Joker and No Country for Old Men for inspiration in order to portray this emotionless character. But in the end, the situations Do Hyunsoo is in are very different from those the others are in. Hyunsoo may be lacking empathy, but he’s innocent at heart. Early into the drama, I kind of based Heeseong’s expressionless face when he talks to others on some of the expressions I watched in No Country for Old Men. However, those are vastly different situations and emotions, so I just focused on the emotions I felt on set.

From the very beginning, Do Hyunsoo had to look mysterious, hiding those inner thorns in him. So I talked a lot with the director and discussed with Seo Hyunwoo the kinds of reactions that would make Hyunsoo look colder. But seeing viewers feel sympathy for Hyunsoo way earlier than I’d expected, I wondered if I should have made the character look even harsher. Hahaha. Sure, Hyunsoo lacks emotional empathy, but he’s innocent at heart, which sets him apart from the other emotionless characters.

Another thing that sets Do Hyunsoo apart from other emotionless characters is the fact that he has Jiwon and Eunha. This is how I approached it: He’s been living a lackluster life. Then he meets Jiwon, she gives him endless love, Eunha is born, and he starts learning new emotions without even realizing it.

Hyunsoo’s brain has already started to change so it can feel those things. Yet he needed this strong stimulus – a fear that he might lose someone so precious to him – to recognize the change in himself. That Hyunsoo is such a multifaceted character truly sets him apart. So I factored into my performance the moments at which he feels emotions and the fine details of the situations he’s in. All of those things came together making Hyunsoo an even more multifaceted character.

Any difficulty filming demanding action scenes, such as the apartment balcony scene and the fishing spot torture scene?

As many of you know, I enjoy working out regularly, so I didn’t find anything particularly physically demanding. I didn’t feel tired or exhausted. Instead, I was a lot more concerned about how much movement I had to make, or how much action I had to take, to help viewers relate to certain emotions and feelings coming from certain scenes.

Actually, before I got started on this project, I made up my mind to cut down action scenes (fights), which I normally love, to about one tenth of what I normally do. To do the kinds of action scenes I normally did, a lot of work goes into matching movements. So they are very eye-catching yet rough. But for this project, I thought such action scenes would not be helpful. This time, I focused more on emotions than action.

As for the scenes where I get brutally pushed around, I didn’t use a stunt double but actually knocked and threw myself around so viewers could get more immersed in them.

How did you prepare for emotional scenes, especially in terms of using your eyes and tone of voice? How happy are you with the result? Any regrets?

This is the first project ever where I did not monitor each and every one of the shots I filmed. I knew so well what my strengths were, but I thought it might distract me from creating details for my character. So this time, I decided to let go, shared ideas and rehearsed with the others, and focused on what I had in a given situation. Above all, the director made sure everything is in balance, so I just left it all to the director giving me directions, while concentrating solely on building my own character.

In terms of using my eyes and tone of voice, I tried to not go overboard but tone it down. I guess that helped viewers focus more on the little details. I think I received positive feedback on my performance, because of the hard work put in by the director, who helped polish things up, the cinematographer, and all the staff members. I think everyone worked hard and contributed towards this. Thank you very much for the appreciation.

Working on this drama, I wanted to make beautiful yet sad melodramatic scenes. So Chaewon, the director, and I had a lot of talk. The only thing I probably regret a little bit is that we ended up focusing more heavily on deep, desperate melodramatic scenes than we’d expected. I wanted to show you more different sides of me. Of course, though, I got to act out such a rich variety of emotions and enjoyed the creative process working with so many fellow actors on this drama, so I have no regrets.

Thoughts on working with your co-stars: Moon Chaewon, Seo Hyunwoo, Jang Heejin, Kim Jihun, and Jung Seoyeon.

As for Moon Chaewon, we actually saw each other a few times even before we were offered Flower of Evil and talked about what projects we’d been considering and what was going on in our lives. When I had so much trouble making my decision on Flower of Evil, Chaewon made me feel confident by saying, ‘You are more than capable enough to make this character attractive.’ On set, as an actor, Chaewon is very detail-oriented and focused. She does a lot of thinking until she feels she can interpret any given emotion. That’s why when we put our scenes together, I was so inspired and got a lot of help from her in terms of emotions. Without Cha Jiwon, Do Hyunsoo’s emotions would not have felt so desperate. She’s the kind of actor who excels at drawing people further into the drama. It must have been so tough for her expressing those emotions Cha Jiwon feels in this drama. She worked so hard. I think I should buy her something delicious so she can get her energy back up. Hahah.

How did you benefit from working with her again? What was different this time?

The big difference is that this time, we did a melodrama together. Moon Chaewon’s melodrama is different from any other. It’s lovely, poignant, and sometimes so heartbreaking it makes you feel so sad. That’s why as an actor I had always wanted to do a melodrama with Chaewon because I wanted to see what we could make together. Thankfully, we were finally able to make a melodrama together through this project.

But I wonder if in real life, it would be possible for any couple to have a marriage like Hyunsoo and Jiwon’s. If this is a real-life story about a couple overcoming whatever comes between them to protect their love despite such a brutal past, then I think it’d be so sad and painful.

I wish we could have shot more scenes of ordinary and happier everyday moments, like the ones where we were dating. Because the drama was too heavy on the desperate melodrama. Haha. But I’m so satisfied with the melodramatic scenes we created together. I think we had great chemistry, complementing each other.

As for Seo Hyunwoo, I had already heard that he is such a committed and passionate actor. Even before we got started, the people around me kept telling me I should stay on my toes. So I remember looking forward to meeting him for the first time, half excited, half worried. But in person, he’s so kind, hard-working, and above all, has his own principles as an actor. He’s also similar to me in that we both enjoy being on set. So we constantly shared ideas and created our scenes in many different ways. I am particularly grateful for the help he gave me early in the drama in my creation of this character Do Hyunsoo. We became such good friends that we said let’s work together again on other projects. I love him even more because he can handle as much alcohol as I can.

This was my second time working with Jang Heejin. She hasn’t changed at all; she’s always cheerful and energetic. Also, she’s very considerate of the people around her. As an actor, she’s great at both conveying deep emotions and staying focused. So when I heard she’d been cast in the drama, I personally felt so relieved, thinking, ‘There we go.’ On set, she is just as playful as I am, having fun with me. But when she acts, she instantly gets into character, acting out new emotional details. Every time I saw her like that, I was so impressed by the skills this actor Jang Heejin possessed that I would call her ‘Pro Jang’ (*pro = professional). She’s a great friend and co-star who made being on set even more fun.

I’ve known Kim Jihun for seven to eight years. But this was my first time acting alongside him, so I was so looking forward to it. We nearly worked together once on another project. This time, we finally got to work together and we both found it amazing, saying, ‘We were meant to work together.’ It was probably very difficult for him working on this drama. He played the villain who made his first appearance at the midpoint, ramping up the tension in the drama. He had to wait for a long time to start filming his parts. But once his character was revealed, I thought ‘Wow, he really has been waiting for this moment.’ He’s such a great inspiration. He has a great personality and enjoys being on set, so we really had lots of fun together. We even have similar approaches to analyzing scenes and working them out. We once spent almost an hour just discussing ideas on the phone and my voice got hoarse after that. Haha. Personally, I think he gave a really wonderful performance, so I hope he finds an even greater project where he shines brighter. To me, he’s such a great co-star and a great bro. I am truly grateful to him for doing his best working with me.

As for Eunha, I’m tearing up just thinking about her. In fact, I cried all night before my last day of filming with Eunha. I guess I immersed myself so deeply in this role throughout. From the moment I met Seoyeon (Eunha), I never really stayed away from her on set because I wanted to help her relax and get close to her. So during the filming week when I couldn’t see her as often, I even felt depressed. I guess I got really attached to her. Seoyeon is such a kind-hearted child who’s like a snowflake (that looks like a flower). She once said she’d tear up just thinking about me (Dad). I felt so grateful, proud, and deeply touched. She is a very dedicated actor, so she would get really disappointed when she couldn’t give the performance she’d prepared until the day before. As viewers know, she really delivered a stellar performance, so I can’t wait to see what the future holds in store for her. In the future, she will shine even brighter in even greater projects. Daddy will keep cheering you on from afar. I just want to say thank you so so much for being my beautiful daughter.

On working with the director

Director Kim Chulgyu is the person I am most thankful to on this project. He had complete faith in me and always set milestones in my long journey of portraying Do Hyunsoo who lives as Baek Heeseong. He always came to the set with a plan for how to put scenes together in his head, which he put lots of thought into. It helped me a lot when I acted on set. I didn’t have an iota of doubt about him so I could rely on him and focus on my own work.

I think all these hard-working and great staff members have worked with him because he’s a very gentle and warm person. I think we owe him a lot for bringing the drama to a successful conclusion. So I am truly grateful to him. I’d love to work with him on other projects as well if he offers to do so.

coldties-deactivated20230429

First date

dramapic

Awww, Mr Heart provided tonight's much needed serotonin boost ☺ Gimme all the fluffy BL stories where being gay isn't a source of angst.

#MrHeart

fyleejoongi

seoyeon_mother: #Ending part 1. . . Thank you so much for giving Eunha so much love and support. There are so many people we want to thank. You will always be remembered♥️ . . You did a great job. Goodbye~ Eunha 😭 . . ✔ On the last day of filing, these beautiful balloon bouquets were made for Eunha with Eunha’s messages on them👍 #partydalkomm 👉👉👉 @ partydalkomm . . #정서연 #은하 #jungseoyeon . #악의꽃 #flowerofevil #tvN #tvndrama #kdrama #director_kimchulgyu #writer_yoojunghee #leejoongi #moonchaewon #배우마당 #임나윤대표님 #thankyou #youdidgreatjob ♥️

[Balloon Message] I want to become a great actor like Daddy Heeseong Thank you for always holding Eunha’s hand Flower of Evil, Jung Seoyeon ️

[Balloon Message] Eunha was so happy to be daughter of Mommy Jiwon who’s prettier than flowers Flower of Evil, Jung Seoyeon ️

[Balloon Message] Director Kim Chulgyu Eunha was so happy and wants to thank you with all her heart Flower of Evil, Jung Seoyeon️

↪ actor_jg: My beloved daughter, the new flower of love that has come into bloom in her. You did such an amazing job.️

↪ actor_jg: ❤️️

↪ seoyeon_mother: The best of the best Daddy 👍😍 Seoyeon was really so so happy as the daughter of actor Lee Joon Gi for the past 7 months and we thank you. I hope you get good rest and recharge yourself. You have our full support for your healthy move forward❤️❤️❤️ Actor #LeeJoonGi is the best 👍👍👍️

Translation by gunman

[2020.09.24 Instagram]

ofkilljoysandslytherins

Basically the entire fandom throughout this entire drama

#Flower of evil #spoilers

8111o6

[4차 티저] 이동욱x조보아, 모든 것을 초월한 인연이 시작된다! #구미호뎐 | TALE OF THE NINE TAILED EP.0

dramapic

I feel attacked by this trailer. 🔥

#tale of the nine tailed

soft-sunflower

Awww I feel sad for all of them. 😭😭😭💔💔💔 Don’t cry little sweetie! You did such a wonderful job!! A very talented little angel with a big, bright future ahead! ~

Repost from @jg_k_drama on Instagram

•

감사합니다.❤️🙏 #Repost @ seoyeon_mother—

[trans]

#Lastdayoffilming

Eunha is sad to finish the filming 😭 ( but she doesn’t forget to give a finger heart ♡ ㅋㅋㅋ )

And her manager Mom cries too 😭

As of today, we finished all the filming for Flower of Evil. We only have the last episode left next week.. Everyone who’s give us love and support, please stay with us until the end~^^ 😊

👉 September 23 (Wed) at 10:50 pm #Finale

✔ Photo with Dad and Mom at our happy home📷

[original]

막촬이 아쉬운 은하 😭 ( 그 와중에 손하트 ♡ ㅋㅋㅋ )

매니저 맘도 울고 😭

오늘로 악의꽃 모든 촬영을 무사히 마쳤습니다. 다음주 최종화만 남겨두고 있는데요.. 사랑해주시고 응원해주신 분들 끝까지 함께 해주세요~^^ ☺️

👉 9월 23일(수), 밤10시50분 #최종화

✔ 아빠, 엄마와 행복한 우리집에서 기념📷

dramapic

My heart 😭 This cast 💖

#flower of evil

lalazhiii

Based on this post

allaboutjoongi

‘Flower of Evil’: Lee Joongi tops buzzworthy chart for 3 straight weeks, living up to his reputation

[뉴스엔 박아름 기자] 이준기가 드라마 출연자 화제성 3주 연속 1위의 위엄을 과시했다. tvN 수목드라마 '악의 꽃'에 출연 중인 배우 이준기의 촬영 비하인드 스틸이 9월6일 공개됐다. 공개된 비하인드 스틸에서는

Lee Joongi tops the Most Buzzworthy Drama Actors chart for three straight weeks.

On September 6, the behind-the-scenes stills were released of Lee Joongi in tvN’s Wed/Thu drama ‘Flower of Evil.’

The unveiled stills reveal both Lee Joongi’s dazzling visuals, which continue to shine even during breaks, and the serious look on his face as he instantly gets into character.

Before the shoot begins, Lee Joongi rehearses lines with his co-stars, with the look of ‘Do Hyunsoo’ in his eyes. After that, he goes back to being the ‘On-Set Energizer,’ flashing a mischievous smile that makes everyone smile after him.

Furthermore, as soon as the shoot begins, he instantly becomes Do Hyunsoo, completely immersed in his performance. On set, he leaves people around him in awe in a different way from the way he does on the screen, dominating the atmosphere.

The behind-the-scenes stills alone demonstrate Lee Joongi’s unparalleled presence. Through ‘Flower of Evil,’ the actor has lived up to his name by presenting an entirely new side of him that he’s never shown us before. In Episode 11, in particular, his acting ranged from a top-notch action performance, where he goes all out, to an emotional performance that left viewers sobbing, drawing such enthusiastic responses as “Lee Joongi is a genre in and of himself.”

Lee Joongi’s superb performance has led to an increasing interest in not only the drama but the actor himself, reminding us of his undying popularity as an original hallyu star. In Korea, Lee Joongi topped the ‘Most Buzzworthy Drama Actors’ chart for three straight weeks, from the 2nd to 4th weeks of August, according to Good Data Corporation. Lee has also demonstrated his far-reaching influence overseas by ranking in the top positions in search keywords, on renowned platforms and portals, such as Weibo, TikTok, and Baidu.

Through ‘Flower of Evil,’ actor Lee Joongi has transformed each and every genre, from suspense to action and to melodrama, into a ‘Lee Joon Gi’ genre, and made viewers feel like getting a present from him for each episode that airs. In the upcoming episodes, fans around the world are looking forward to a performance from Lee Joongi that he has not shown them before.

#he so pretty

8111o6

dramapic

🔥🔥🔥

#lee dong wook #Tale of the Nine Tailed #jo bo ah

I have now officially renounced trying to keep my expectations in check. All aboard the hype train choo choo.

#lee dong wook #tale of the nine tailed #jo bo ah #kdrama

8111o6

[2차 티저] 구미호 이동욱, 추격자 조보아가 찾던 바로 ′그것′ ?! #구미호뎐 | TALE OF THE NINE TAILED …

dramapic

*Trying to keep my expectations low but also flapping my arms in the air*

#lee dong wook #Tale of the Nine Tailed

fyleejoongi

2020.09.06 Flower of Evil Various BTS Stills | Lee Joon Gi as Baek Hee Seong/Do Hyun Soo

dramapic

The first picture is my mood for 2020

#flower of evil

Drama Masterlist Entry #50

It’s Okay to not be okay / Psycho but it’s okay

(사이코지만 괜찮아)

Grade: A

Genre: Modern

Episodes: 16

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Netflix (FR)

Found family.

In spite of one ridiculous plot twist (that I was aware of when I started the show) this show has made me feel all the feelz. The three main actors all did a phenomenal job portraying their characters in all their complexity and fragility and I ended up crying so many cathartic tears in the second to last & the last episodes.The relationship between Sang-tae and Gang-tae is one of the best sibling relationships I’ve seen on-screen in a long time while the romance between Moon-yeong and Gang-tae blends perfectly elements of comedy and melodrama. Mental illness isn’t treated as something to be ashamed of, whilst showing that you can grow and recover from trauma and finding your own happiness.

PSA from my boyfriend, who dropped the show before the end:

The plot twist is so stupid that it takes away from the rest of the series. In my opinion it negated the positive portrayal of mental illness built up until then. They completely lost me.

^ We discussed a lot about it which is why I wanted to share his POV to balance my own review.

Complete Masterlist: [X]

#kdrama #k-drama #It’s Okay to not be okay #Kim Soo-hyun #seo ye-ji

Drama Masterlist Entry #49

Sungkyunkwan Scandal (성균관 스캔들)

Grade: A

Genre: Historical, Posing as the opposite gender

Episodes: 20

Happy Ending: Yes

Watched on: Viki

Hana zakari no kimi tachi he with gats.

This show checks so many boxes when it comes to my favourite tropes story-wise and character-wise that I instantly fell in love with it. It might feel a little dated for a younger audience and it definitely suffers from the second male lead syndrome (who wants unseasoned boiled chicken when there are not just one but two juicy rotisserie chickens on the table next to you?!) but it’s still very much enjoyable. Also, they don’t shy away from using the word “homosexuality” and having one of the second lead confessing to being bisexual and having romantic feelings for his friend (I’ll take any scrap of bi-representation, okay?)

Complete Masterlist: [X]

#kdrama #Sungkyunkwan Scandal #song joong ki #yoo ah-in #park min-young

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