AO EXCLUSIVE: Star-studded cast members talk about their roles and journey behind the making of “Gyeongseong Creature”

Ready your hearts for this thrilling drama that will surely keep you on the edge of your seats.

Gyeongseong Creature is set in 1945. In Seoul’s grim era under colonial rule, an entrepreneur and a sleuth fight for survival and face a monster born out of human greed.

Ahead of the release of the series, a global press conference was held last December 19 with the presence of the star-studded cast members namely, Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee, Claudia Kim, Kim Hae Sook, and Cho Han Cheul along with Director Chung Dong Yoon. They talked about their roles and their journey behind the making of the most anticipated series.

According to Director Yoon, he’s very intrigued by the Gyeongseong era so when he talked to writer Kang about the show, he said that he wanted to tackle this era. He shared that when he was talking to writer Kang, he suggested making a story that’s not just about them but a story that people around the world can all enjoy, that made him think of a creature genre where he can not only talk about their history but also creatures which can be more intriguing to a lot of global fans. “This is my first time trying to mashup two different genres, this is a challenge for me too, which I like.”

The Cast and Their Roles

Park Seo Joon as Jang Tae Sang

Park Seo Joon plays the role of Jang Tae Sang, the master of Gyeongseong’s biggest money house and the number one source of information. He is a man who is more true to his money than to his country or justice.

When asked about what made him join the drama, he said that he always looks for the story first and this series is very intriguing his role as Tae Sang, is a type of role where he can show different facets of himself. Aside from that, he also mentioned that Writer Kang Eun Kyung, Director Chung Dong Yoon, and Han So Hee were the other reasons why he chose the drama.

Seo Joon shared about his charismatic look in the series, he said that they studied a lot and did a lot of research to make his character look that way. They came up with this look after many discussions, so he hopes that the viewers will love it because they tried their best.

His first shoot was the scene where he is being tortured and it was extremely cold too, as he was so drenched in water. He said it was quite tough but because of that scene, he got immediately immersed in the role.

Han So Hee as Yoon Chae Ok

Han So Hee transforms into a famous sleuth named Yoon Chae Ok who can find anyone, dead or alive.

She said she is a big fan of Hot Stove League where Director Chung Dong Yoon worked and a fan of the dramas where Seo Joon started that’s why she accepted the role. “I love that this was set in the 1940s and it’s about a creature so it’s a fun mix of creature genre and a period drama,” she added. She thought that this genre would be a big help for her as an actress going forward.

So Hee mentioned that Chae Ok’s personality and her personality don’t match but she said she only focuses on the historical background, the era, the influence she got from the cast including Tae Sang, and the determination of Chae Ok. Portraying her character wasn’t that difficult.

Han So Hee also shared her struggle with her ultra-high-speed scenes where she had to bang her head about 20 times. She said it was like Seo Joon’s torture scene, it was her first scene as well. She said her neck was hurt and the next day, she wasn’t able to turn her head because it was so stiffed.

Claudia Kim as Yukiko Maeda

Yukiko Maeda is portrayed by Claudia Kim, a Japanese noblewoman who runs the show in Gyeongseong. She is the most powerful woman in Gyeongseong.

According to Claudia, she hasn’t been in the show for quite some time so she’s very lucky that she met this kind of show. She shared that when she first met with Director Jung, she thought that this drama had a very enticing narrative. She said that she accepted the role thinking that this drama would help her grow as an actress as the drama is a grand big genre.

Claudia mentioned that it was very difficult to learn Japanese but did her best and because of that, her language skills improved a lot. She said she’s a very expressive person not like her character in the series, Maeda is a restrained and reserved person so it was very difficult for her to take out the expressions in that manner.

Kim Hae Sook as Na Wol Daek

Kim Hae Sook plays the role of Na Wol Daek, the head of the housekeeper of the House of a Golden Treasure. She is the right-hand companion of Tae Sang and is like a family to him.

About choosing this drama, she stated that she is very intrigued by the fact that this is a mash-up of a period drama and a creature drama. “I have big trust for the director and writer so there’s no reason to say ‘no’ to it and we have a very star-studded cast, veteran actors, those actors that I wanted to work alongside, so I was really happy to be in the show” she added.

She said it was fun working on the set, but it was very competitive, everyone was trying their hardest and very passionate about the show. She mentioned as well that the set is very cool and was amazed by how the House of Golden Treasure was perfectly designed.

Cho Han Cheul as Yoon Joong Won

Cho Han Cheul turns into a Sleuth named, Yoon Joong Won, the father of Chae Ok, they came from Manchuria to Gyeongseong to search for his wife who went missing a decade ago.

When asked about the reason why he accepted the role, he answered, “I love the script and I love Director Jung, I am a big fan of his works.” He added that he likes to take on his role, Joong Won who has a melodramatic character. He also mentioned that he loves to work together with the cast.

Han Cheul said that Joong Won is the coolest guy he portrayed out of all the characters he played so far so he does feel a little pressure to make him look cool.

Park Seo Joon and Han So Hee’s chemistry

Seo Joon said that there are circumstances that helped him to show Tae Sang’s restrained romance with Chae Ok. He said he just focused on different moments in time and trusted his counterpart, “I trusted So Hee this time around and I relied on her a lot and she helped me out a lot”, Seo Joon shared.

So Hee mentioned that the emotions should be restrained because Tae Sang and Chae Ok both have something to protect. “This is not just about a romance between a girl and a boy but it’s a camaraderie about banding together to fight the creature. So I hope the viewers don’t just focus on the romance part of the show but the entire circumstances and how they band together to struggle to survive together.”

Message to the viewers

Director Chung Dong Yoon hopes that everyone enjoys and has a lot of fun watching it.

Seo Joon said that he’s been waiting for the release of the show so he also hopes that the viewers enjoy the show together with him.

“The cast and crew, we all poured our hearts and souls into this show and we really worked together on it, so I hope you guys stay tuned for the show and enjoy it.” So Hee’s message to everyone.

Claudia Kim said that this is such a great story and all the cast and crew worked hard every single day on set. So she also hopes that everyone enjoys the show.

“You’re going to be in for a period drama that you never have seen before together with a creature genre and I am proud that this is a Korean show. It’s going to be the grand finale of 2023 so I hope you stay tuned and we’re not gonna let you down”, Kim Hae Sook said.

Han Cheul shared that throughout their filming it was hot, it was cold, and it was very difficult for all of them and emotionally it was very intense for them as well. When he saw the final cut, everything had all turned out great. “I promise that it won’t let you down so I hope you enjoy the show.”

Gyeongseong Creature is now streaming on Netflix! Enjoy watching mga bes!

Watch the trailer here:

Photos are courtesy of Netflix