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| ▲ This photo, provided by Netflix (American content platform and production company), shows Kim Eun-hee, the creator of the South Korean zombie series "Kingdom". (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Netflix (American content platform and production company), shows Jun Ji-jyeon from Kim Eun-hee's latest series "Kingdom: Ashin of the North". (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Netflix (American content platform and production company), shows Kim Eun-hee, the creator of the South Korean zombie series "Kingdom". (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) – “The keyword for season 1 was hunger, for season 2 was blood status. Season 3 is a story of ‘han’ (a deep resentment) which has started from ‘Ashin of the North’. All stories are ultimately linked to the question of what is politics. When politics go wrong, the party in biggest pain is the ruled class and their most serious hardship will be hunger and a han.”
Playwright Kim Eun-hee (49) who stuck a flag on Korea’s creature historical genre to the world, gave an explanation as above about her recent “Kingdom: Ashin of the North” (Ashin) which will act as a flagstone between season 2 and 3.
On the 29th, Kim said, “ ”Ashin” is a prequel of season 1 and 2. This was a result of my personal imagining about maybe there could have been a person who already had known of the resurrection plant. This episode is like a steppingstone to the Northern world”, and “every time we release a series, I, myself cannot believe all the anticipation and compliments. “Is this possible?”, “Did we really make it this far?”. I have nothing to say but immense gratitude”, on an online interview.
“Ashin” is a single episode dealing with the background of the other series, which had to keep down the speed or breathtaking actions compared to the previous ones.
At this, the writer explained, “I was more focused on expressing the feeling and the reason of the han, the strong resentment of the Northerner Ashin buried deep inside her. So, I wonderend more of about the depth of the emotion rather than actions. I could say, this may be the darkest story I have ever written.”
She also said, “when investigated, the north had harsher survival conditions than the south, and I wanted the viewers to understand that. The creepy, cold and gloomy atmosphere seems to have been well portraited”
Views differ about having set Ashin a Jurchen, not a Joseon person and a woman at the bottom of the hierarchy or about the Joseon militaries using of her.
Kim “wanted to depict the han of Ashin living in the edge of world regardless of good and evil. Perfect good or perfect evil does not exist but in the end, there turns out to be a cause and the provider of that cause to a certain person’s behavior.”
“Wouldn’t there have been an unavoidable reason for Min Chi-rok (by Park Byeon-eun) acting as demonstrated in the drama in Joseon under pandemic? Of course, if we show a character with a rather more various personalities in season 3, it will undo some of the misunderstandings that the drama depicts the Joseon military as the evil side and heroizes Jurchen”, added the writer.
She also expressed absolute credit and gratitude towards actress Jun Ginna (more known as Jun Ji-hyun) for her passionate work.
“Actress Jun Ji-hyun is largely known for her charismatic and flashy impression, but my eyes captured a sad glitter in her eyes when watching “Assassination” and “The Berlin File”. This inspired me that maybe if Ashin is acted by an actor like her, the character’s deep sadness could stand out along with its stern looks as a warrior. This made me start writing the script with Jun Ji-hyun in mind. I was on my knees to beg for her acceptance, and I really thank her so much for saying yes. (laughs)” Jun Ji-hyun is also leading Kim’s next production “Mount Jiri” which is to be aired on tvN.
About the situation that “Kingdom” series have settled as the No.1 global contents, “It’s like dreaming”, “Ironically the series are the stories most Korean. I knew that the foreigner would love zombies, but they also liked the Korean style including the costumes and the palace. Maybe they were curious of something new”, commented Kim.
Kim was called a star-writer having presented outstanding genre dramas such as “Sign”, “Phantom”, “Three Days” and “Signal” and now her title has upgraded to a representative storyteller of Korea. Due to this background, the watchers’ anticipation and attention seems to have become hotter than ever.
“Actually, I am not that recognizable, when I am not accompanied by my husband (director Jang Hang-jun, actively taking part in variety shows)”, and with a smile she added, “I always hope not to be criticized with my hard work rather than to think of the pressure. As the creator, I thank Netflix for welcoming a story like “Kingdom”.”
She is now in the verge of releasing her next production “Mount Jiri”, and there are fans still waiting for sequels for “Kingdom” and her another famous drama “Signal”. The writer answered to such anticipation saying that all possibilities are open and there are numerous stories to be made, which brought out more enthusiasm from the fans.
“Because there is an unfinished tale in “Signal” season 1, I am willing to and desiring to continue the drama in any way. Also, I naturally get to think of the past stories of “Kingdom”’s Prince Lee Chang (by Ju Ji-hoon) and of course of other main characters too.”
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