omonatheydid | Dongwan in Liberation Day Special Drama "Zenith"

Kim Dongwan, "Became Lee Yuksa at the great script"

The singer and actor Kim Dongwan has been cast in the MBC Liberation Day special drama 'Zenith' (Written by Hwang Jinyoung, Directed by Lee Sangyeop).

'Zenith' tells the life story of poet and liberation fighter Lee Yuksa, who left behind more than 40 poems such as 'Open Field,' 'Green Grape,' and 'Zenith.' Its 2 episodes will be broadcast consecutively for 140 minutes on the 15th starting from 10:50 AM.

Kim Dongwan was cast for the role of Lee Yuksa, whose real name is Lee Wonrok but started to use his inmate number '264' as his name. This will be Kim Dongwan's first attempt at a historical drama. The director, PD Lee Sangyeop, revealed that "there were a lot of people who could act as the liberation fighter Lee Yuksa, but Kim Dongwan was the only person who could act as the 'pure poet' Lee Yuksa."

Kim Dongwan will be acting as a liberation fighter and intellectual who could not help but hide his opinions of the times as it was an era of darkness, bringing Lee Yuksa completely back to life. Kim Dongwan stated that he "read the script through and thought it was fun and touching," and that "the great script made me become Lee Yuksa."

The role of Ahn Ilyang, Lee Yuksa's wife, is to be played by Seo Hyunjin from the drama 'Duo,' showing a persevering wife who stays by Lee Yuksa's side to the end even when he is locked up in prison. Yoon Sejoo, the important figure who leads Lee Yuksa to become not only a poet but a liberation fighter, is played by Lee Seunghyo, trying out a new kind of role. Roh Yoonhee, Lee Yuksa's secret lover, will be played by Yoon Jihye, Lee Man, a high-level detective at the Seodaemun Police Station who tortures Lee Yuksa, will be played by Kang Shinil, and Heo Kil, Lee Yuksa's mother, will be played by Ko Dushim.

PICTURES

INTERVIEW

This is actor Kim Dongwan's first try at a historical drama. PD Lee Sangyeop, the director of , confessed that the reason why he cast Kim Dongwan for the role was because "There were many who could play the role of liberation fighter Lee Yuksa. However, the only person who could play the pure poet Lee Yuksa was Kim Dongwan. Only him." On the 7th, we visited the Gyeonggi-do Yangju Open Set and met Kim Dongwan reborn as 'Lee Yuksa.'

Q: What does it feel like to become the poet and liberation fighter 'Lee Yuksa?'

A: As soon as I was offered the role I took it and decided to become 'Lee Yuksa' without hesitation. I didn't even need to concentrate on the great script; it just pulled me in. I thought a lot about it and I tried my best, but I think I could have done better so I am very sorry towards him.

Q: How did the shooting go?

A: This drama really is made up of everyone's sweat and blood. With the unending heat waves and rain, it wasn't easy to keep shooting and we had a difficult time. But I think that shooting outdoors fits me better. The staff liked shooting indoors better because the set wasn't so hot, but I felt closed in. It was more hard going because we had to film everything in Korea, even for those scenes when we should have gone overseas.

Q: Did you coordinate well with Ilyang (Seo Hyunjin) and Seijoo (Lee Seunghyo)?

A: Hyunjin can act very well. The same goes for Seunghyo. I've learned a lot from the two. I was the husband of Ilyang in the drama, and I adjusted my acting tone to be like Hyunjin-ssi, and I think it was good. Seunghyo says little and is very serious, but he can tell jokes and he's the one who brightens up the atmosphere at the set. When I had to look into his eyes when shooting a scene I kept bursting out laughing, making NGs.

Q: What did you concentrate on while acting as 'Lee Yuksa?'

A: Lee Yuksa wasn't a strong liberation fighter from the start. He was born in a rich family, and he was a person who was brought up sheltered and just wanted to enjoy life, enjoying small airs. I concentrated on the fact that it was not his will that made him be involved in the liberation movement, but the times around him. It may seem like there is no internal strife, but he was a person who thought about it more passionately than any other, so I concentrated on balancing the intensity of my acting between the paradoxical reality and personal strife.

Q: Which scene do you think is the best scene in this piece?

A: The last scene when I ride on a white horse. In this scene, the poem by Yuksa makes an appearance. I don't know how to ride horses, but I learned how for exactly 10 minutes before I mounted the horse. It was an old horse, so it kept me on its back very well even though I was a beginner. I believe that the scene and the poem wraps up Yuksa's life and his spirit very well. I hope the viewers look forward to that scene.

Q: is a drama which is so-and-so! A word to your viewers, please

A: is a drama with more to see than a blockbuster movie. It was filmed 100% domestically in a short time span, and with CG more devotedly worked on than the CG in , you can see in one drama the four seasons, and the scenery from 3 North Eastern Asia countries including Japan and China. It will be a precious moment where we will be able to feel together how Yuksa's poems, which we underlined and memorized from our textbooks, were written.

PREVIEW

Source: Mydaily, JKStars.com, shinhwa.biz (1 & 2)
Translation: orisic @ shinhwa.biz (1 & 2)
Video: chzhivon@ YT

Mods, the translator didn't link to the original articles and I couldn't find them using my fail Korean on Naver.