AO EXCLUSIVE: “Nine Puzzles” cast members talk about their roles and their chemistry on set

Another crime thriller series is coming to our small screens that will surely blow your mind!

Nine Puzzles tells the story of a serial murder case that begins with a mysterious puzzle piece. Yoon Ena discovers the body of her murdered uncle next to a single puzzle piece. Uncertain of how she got to the scene of the crime and unable to answer any of the police’s questions, Detective Kim Han Saem is suspicious of her and believes she is the prime suspect. A decade later, a series of murders takes place, and they will try to uncover the truth behind the serial murder puzzle case.

To connect the puzzle pieces of information behind the drama, an exclusive press conference was held on May 14 with the presence of Kim Dami, Son Sok Ku, Kim Sung Kyun, and Hyun Bong Sik alongside director Yoon Jong Bin.

Director Yoon Jong Bin

In directing Nine Puzzles, director Yoon Jong Bin shared that he focused on trying to express the theme of the work through props, spaces, and such, putting meaning into them. The characters have unique aspects and personalities, so he tried to express them in a “cartoonish” way.

The Cast Members and their Roles

Kim Da Mi as Yoon Ena

Kim Da Mi plays the role of Yoon Ena, the murder witness who turned into a criminal profiler. When asked about the reason why she chose the project, Da Mi responded, “When I first read the script, I was really curious about what happens next. I kept reading without stopping, wondering, “Who’s the killer?” It had a lot of that kind of fun. And the idea of playing a slightly unconventional profiler seemed like a new challenge for me, so I took it on.”

She mentioned that she wanted to express the feeling of a child frozen in that time and portray a character with vulnerability and pain in Yoon Ena’s headstrong personality.

Son Sok Ku as Kim Han Saem

Son Suk Ku transforms into a very persistent detective named Kim Han Saem. According to him, aside from the script, he’s been a huge fan of Director Yoon Jong Bin for a long time. So, when he received an offer to play the role, he felt honored and accepted it. “That was the key factor: the director himself,” he pointed out.

He said he focused on how to express not just light and cute emotions, but something unexpected. He said he wanted to show a different reaction than what would be expected in a given situation.

Kim Sung Kyun as Yang Jung Ho

Kim Sung Kyun portrays the role of Yang Jung Ho, the head of the Violent Crimes Unit 2 at Hangang Police Station. About taking the role, Sung Kyun said, “Director Yoon and I are reconnecting after about 13 years. He gave me my debut with Nameless Gangster, and although we worked on Kundo too, I wasn’t on set as much back then. So, this was our first real reunion in over a decade, and it meant a lot. It was emotional. Plus, the script was so good. He gave me a big role, and I’m just very thankful for that.”

Hyun Bong Sik as Choi San

Hyun Bong Sik is the youngest member of the Violent Crimes Unit 2, named Choi San in the series. He mentioned that when he first read the script for the series, he thought that it was a kind of new project that he’d never done before, so it made him curious and excited. Although he had just done a series and wasn’t planning to do another one immediately, this was fresh and interesting enough to make him reconsider. “I’ve always wanted to try things I’ve never done before, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. So, I chose this project with that mindset,” he said.

Kim Da Mi and Son Suk Ku Chemistry

This is the first time Kim Da Mi and Son Suk Ku have worked together. When asked about what they felt about it, Kim Da Mi said that when they first met, Suk Ku approached her comfortably, so they talked a lot about the project. She also mentioned that Suk Ku initiated the conversation, so she naturally came to rely on him and talked a lot. She said she had fun filming with him.

Son Suk Ku said that since this was his first time acting in a genre-heavy project and he was very nervous during filming, he needed someone to lean on, and he received a lot of help from Kim Da Mi. He thinks that they have similar personalities and that they could be a good partner.

Moreover, Hyun Bong Sik shared that the atmosphere on set was enjoyable and fun.

Message from the Cast Members

To wrap up the event, Kim Da Mi first took the floor and said, “I think the series has a lot of visual elements and tension that never lets up. Please look forward to it, and I hope you all watch it. Thank you so much.”

Son Suk Ku thanked everyone and suggested that, before watching it, viewers should try their best to avoid spoilers because he thinks it’ll be really fun to guess who the culprit is from episode 1 all the way to the end. “Watch it with your friends, family, and loved ones. That kind of shared mystery-solving experience is a lot of fun. We worked hard to bring that to you, so I’d appreciate it if you watched and enjoyed it,” his closing remarks.

Kim Sung Kyun said that Nine Puzzles will definitely offer viewers an escape into a new world of mystery, something thrilling and different from daily life. “Please give it lots of interest and love,” he added.

“I believe this will be a mystery series that’s clearly different from the usual ones—and even more fun. Please give it your attention.” Hyun Bong Sik’s parting message.

Director Yoon hopes that the viewers all find ways to avoid spoilers and enjoy the series in one sitting. “That’s the best way to fully enjoy ‘Nine Puzzles,'” he added.

The first 6 episodes of Nine Puzzles will be released on May 21, then 3 more episodes on May 28, and the final 2 episodes on June 4. Make sure to catch all episodes on Disney+.

Photos courtesy of Disney+ Philippines