AO EXCLUSIVE: “The Manipulated” stars share thoughts about the drama, their roles, and synergy on the set

The most anticipated high-octane and dopamine-fueled Korean action series has finally arrived on Disney+!

The Manipulated tells the story of a man named Tae Joong who is suddenly sent to prison for the rape and murder of a woman he claims to have never met. When he discovers that someone is framing innocent people like him, Tae Joong vows to find the perpetrators and hold them accountable.

Ahead of the release of the first four episodes of the series, an exclusive press conference was held on November 3. Ji Chang Wook, Doh Kyung Soo, Kim Jong Soo, Jo Yoon Soo, and Lee Kwang Soo were present, along with director Park Shin Woo, to talk more about the series and to dive deeper into their roles.

The Cast Members and their Roles

Ji Chang Wook as Park Tae Joong

Ji Chang Wook portrays Park Tae Joong, a model citizen who works diligently to make his dream come true. According to him, when he first read the script, he thought that this would offer a lot of diverse sights to see. He explained, “Also, the diverse and attractive characters and the relationships between them were very interesting. Personally, I felt a little greedy. I had the desire and the confidence to really do this well. That’s why I chose to do it.”

He also shared that his goal was more to express the situation the character was in and the emotions that came with it, rather than the character himself. Instead of trying to make Tae Joong three-dimensional or creating a new, attractive character, the biggest task was to fully express the emotions of Tae Joong being placed in this situation, and to ensure the viewers could follow that journey well. With his action scenes, he said he talked a lot with the martial arts director, and he had a lot of fun doing it.

Doh Kyung Soo as An Yohan

Doh Kyung Soo is playing his first villain role as An Yohan. He said when he received the script, he thought it was very interesting, but the thing he was most curious about was the car racing scene, which is a really huge sequence. “I wondered how that would be translated on screen. Also, since this is my first time playing a villain, I was very curious about what kind of feeling the character would have and what kind of performance would come out,” he added.

Kyung Soo shared his preparation for his role and said that Yohan’s job is a master manipulator and a very evil person who designs incidents and manipulates people. He thought a lot about how to make his character look more chilling, so he dyed his hair and permed it, and then dyed it black again. It took him about four hours to do it, and he also talked a lot with the costume team about wearing clean, very flashy suits to properly show Yohan’s character.

Kim Jong Soo as Noh Yong Sik

Noh Yong Sik’s role is portrayed by actor Kim Jong Soo. When asked about what he felt when he first read the script, he said that there are multiple genres built into one in the show, and because he heard that Ji Chang Wook was doing it, whom he had worked with in a previous project. He knows that Chang Wook works hard, and he trusts him, so he decided to take the role.

Since Jong Soo and Chang Wook both starred together in the film, Revolver, he knows that Ji Chang Wook works so hard and must have had a lot of worries. So, when he was having a hard time, he just listened to him a lot. Jong Soo’s character helps Chang Wook’s character heal in the process and makes him not give up on life either.

Jo Yoon Soo as Noh Eun Bi

Following her Disney+ series, The Tyrant, Jo Yoon Soo takes on another Disney+ series and plays the role of No Eun Bi here. She shared that she auditioned for this role, and from the moment she first read the script, it was immersive, captivating, and the story was fast-paced, so she enjoyed it a lot. Specifically, she found the role of Eun Bi so attractive that she really wanted to join. “I especially wanted to work with the senior actors. So, I’m very happy to be a part of it,” she pointed out.

With regards to the thing she focused on while portraying her role, she said that it was the flow of emotions. Eun Bi meets her father, Noh Yong Sik, after a long time. Especially after meeting Tae Joong, a person who was initially very prickly, gradually softens and becomes gentle and mild. She was worried a lot about how to capture that transformation.

Lee Kwang Soo as Baek Do Kyung

Lee Kwang Soo plays the role of Baek Do Kyung, Yohan’s VIP Client. Kwang Soo said when he first read the script, “The screenplay was really, truly fascinating. There were so many elements and action sequences that I had never seen before. I was very curious how it would be translated on screen, and I really wanted to be part of that project,” he described his role as the worst person in the series.

Kwang Soo said he had a strong desire to properly convey and express those things he felt while reading the script—the points that made him hate the character and feel annoyed or angry every time he saw Do Kyung. He shared that he focused more on portraying someone who looks down on others and has a very high sense of self-esteem, rather than just the expression of being rich.

Doh Kyung Soo said he learned a lot just by watching Kwang Soo. He has learned a lot from him since they did It’s Okay, That’s Love. He learned a lot from his acting on set and his attitude toward the people around him. “I really relied on Kwang Soo hyung a lot during filming,” Kyung Soo mentioned.

The Cast Synergy on Set

The cast members talked about their chemistry on set. Kim Jong Soo said, “More than being enjoyable, each of our characters had so much to do. So, although we were laughing, everyone, including the director, must have been very anxious because of the tight schedule and other factors.”

Yoon Soo said that she just had a lot of fun and mostly filmed with her senior actors, Chang Wook and Jong Soo. She shared that actors took care of her so much on set, and she learned so much from them. She mentioned, “As the youngest ‘Soo’, I had an amazing time.”

Moreover, Kwang Soo gave their chemistry score 100 million points and added, “The atmosphere on set was so heated and fierce that I think viewers will feel that heat. So, I would really like it if they watched it and thought that it’s such a hot, heated project. I hope that’s how they respond.”

On the other hand, Director Shin Woo mentioned that the series has a lot of action with various concepts. They consulted well with the martial arts director and the actors, and they used diverse types of cameras to ensure a realistic feel could be captured. Especially with Tae Joong’s character, because he fully committed himself and performed many of the actions personally, the action looks much more real. “So, I believe you will see and enjoy new action sequences in every chapter and every episode,” the director remarked.

The press conference wrapped up with the cast members thanking everyone. Chang Wook, Kyung Soo, Jong Soo, Yoon Soo, and Kwang Soo hope that the viewers give The Manipulated a lot of interest and love. Kyung Soo said it is a refreshing drama that can relieve your stress away, in addition to that, Kwang Soo’s remarked, “I personally am sure that once you start watching, you won’t be able to stop.“

Catch the first four episodes now on Disney+. Two episodes will be released every Wednesday.

All photos are courtesy of Disney+