The director of ‘Gyeongseong Creature’, Chung Dong-woon, has shared his astonishment and appreciation for the global reception to his show, especially the enthusiastic response from Japanese audiences. In an interview with The Korea Times, he reflected on the challenges of telling a story that is deeply rooted in the difficult historical realities of Japanese military experiments during Korea’s colonial period.
“In light of the influence of the Korean Wave, particularly in Japan, Korean actors have been hesitant to take on projects of this nature for nearly a decade. The fact that actors like Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee, who have immense popularity in Japan and globally, have chosen to participate in this project is, I believe, an act of great courage”, he said to KTimes.
The second season of the series, which premiered globally on Friday, quickly climbed to the No 3 position on the global TV rankings just two days after its release. It dominated the charts in several Asian countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand, according to streaming analytics platform FlixPatrol.Chung admitted that the team initially had modest expectations for international interest, acknowledging “it might be difficult to garner interest in Korean history abroad. Many people, even today, still confuse Korea with Japan or China. So I think a big part of its popularity was due to the actors. Their participation has been instrumental in raising global awareness of Korean history, especially considering the common misconceptions that still exist.”
Set against the backdrop of Seoul in 2024, Season 2 continues the story of Jang Ho-jae, played by Park Seo Joon, and Yoon Chae-ok, portrayed by Han So Hee, as they confront the unresolved aspects of their fates that intertwine with the spring of Gyeongseong. Chung emphasized that the series does not aim to foster anti-Japanese sentiment; rather, it delivers a universal message that underscores the distinction between ‘forgiveness and forgetting’.
He remarked, “I believe this is how we can create a better world”.
Addressing criticisms regarding the creature’s limited screen presence, Chung said, “Our drama’s creature is a transformed experimental subject exposed to anthrax, so rather than being depicted as overly strong or large, we wanted to focus on the emotional aspects.”
Chung emphasized the importance of depicting these beings as victims of experimentation, aiming to evoke sympathy from viewers. “After the face down with the creature, Ho-jae says, ‘You’re suffering too, aren’t you?’ It’s meant to show that they’re also experimental subjects and that they don’t want to be doing this. I wanted to highlight that point, even if just for a moment. When Ho-jae says, ‘You don’t want this either’”, he said.
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