SEOUL, South Korea - “Island,” the upcoming action-fantasy Korean drama that will stream globally on Prime Video, has already created a buzz ahead of its premiere on Dec. 30.
During a press conference in Seoul on Dec. 22, “Island” stars Kim Nam-gil, Lee Da-hee, Cha Eun-woo and Sung Jun talked about their roles together with director Bae Jong.
Here are the five reasons why “Island’ is a must-see Korean drama:
Perfect cast
“The casting process was really different from my previous projects,” according to Bae Jong but said it was “relatively easy” since the casting choices were clear.
Kim Nam-gil said that he “ actually rejected the offer twice” as he “was worried about disappointing fans.”
Lee Da-hee said, “I was actually very eager to be in this project”while Cha Eun-woo revealed that he“spoke with the director and Kim Nam-gil and was persuaded to join the cast. Sung Jun said he “was worried because the character is really different from the characters” he’s played in the past, but Kim Nam-gil encouraged him.
Stars have great dedication to their roles
The four stars of “Island” have put great effort into playing their roles.
“This is the first time I played a character with a supernatural power,” said Kim Nam-gil who added that he used his imagination in portraying Van, the half human, half monster character. Lee Da-hee said, “I was really desperate and wanted to take on the challenge of portraying this character.”
Director Bae Jong commended Cha Eun-woo on his efforts to improve his Italian and Latin pronunciation saying, “He worked really hard and caught on really fast.”
Sung Jun bleached his hair seven times to maintain his silver hair for seven months. Kim Nam-gil praised his dedication saying, “I’ve dyed my hair before for another project and after bleaching once or twice” it’s really harsh on the scalp. He added, “Sung Jun went as far as to damage his scalp,” but didn’t mind because he was focused on his role.
Popular original story
“Island” is based on an original “manhwa” (comics) written by Youn In-wan and illustrated by Yang Kyung-il, which began in 1997. It was later serialized into a webtoon and it became more popular.
Kim Nam-gil said he “was a huge fan of the manhwa” for a long time. Bae Jong confessed that he “wanted to say no at first” because “doing a series with a famous IP is difficult since there’s usually a lot of criticism from fans.”
The director added that there are some differentiations from the original webtoon as they had the opportunity to flesh out the story and provide more backstory for the characters.
Great teamwork
Great teamwork was evident in the actors' stories and answers. Kim Nam-gil and Sun Jun had great synergy as they needed to play characters who are like brothers.
“We were able to share what we thought together and that’s what led to great chemistry,” said Kim Nam-gil. He also joked about how Lee Da-hee is “slightly taller when she wears heels,” but avoided wearing heels in his consideration.
According to Cha Eun-woo, “I play the role of a priest and it’s not a very common occupation.” He got some advice from Kim Nam-gil, who played a priest before, including how to “wear the priest robe in a more comfortable way.”
Set on beautiful Jeju Island
“Island” is set on Jeju Island, one of the most popular places in Korea, and its rich story is incorporated into the story from local folklore to the stone “dol hareubang” (rock statue).
Director Bae Jong talked about how most people think of Jeju Island as a lovely vacation spot, but he “also wanted to focus on the sadness of Jeju.”
He explained how there were sad incidents in history that took place on Jeju Island and how he thought Jeju would “add richness to the series by contrasting lightness and darkness.”
Prime Video will start streaming “Island” on Dec. 30.