Cast Of "Room No. 9" Praise Each Other And Explain Why They Chose The Drama

Kim Hee Sun, Kim Hae Sook, and Kim Young Kwang talk about working with each other in “Room No. 9,” their characters, why they chose the drama, and more.

tvN’s “Room No. 9” recently held a press conference ahead of its premiere, with actors Kim Hee Sun, Kim Young Kwang, and Kim Hae Sook, as well as director Ji Young Soo in attendance. The drama follows death row criminal Jang Hwa Sa (played by Kim Hae Sook) and lawyer Eul Ji Hae Yi (played by Kim Hee Sun) whose fates were switched, as well as doctor Ki Yoo Jin (played by Kim Young Kwang) who holds the key to their fates.

Director Ji Young Soo explained the soul-switching basis of the drama. He commented, “The soul-switching plot device isn’t new. In films and dramas, soul-switching has quite a bit of comedy. However, ‘Room No. 9′ is filled with desperation and urgency. That’s why I’m excited to see a new kind of drama.”

Kim Hee Sun plays skilled lawyer Eul Ji Hae Yi, who has a 100 percent success rate, and flatters the rich while ignoring the poor. On why she chose the drama, she shared, “I was always a fan of the director. I loved working with everyone. It’s my first time playing a dual role. I decided to appear with the mindset of taking on a challenge. I trust the other actors, the director, and the writer.”

On her co-star Kim Hae Sook, with whom she switches characters’ souls with, she commented, “Whatever I do, I can’t become Jang Hwa Sa. Kim Hae Sook’s acting is something I can’t imitate. It’s a bit regretful, because I think I could have done better if I had watched her act as Jang Hwa Sa before acting it myself. It was to the point where as I was watching her as Jang Hwa Sa, I wanted to re-do my acting.”

She continued to praise the veteran actress, saying, “Without a doubt, Kim Hae Sook was always an actress I wanted to work with. To be honest, I was a bit pressured on how she might judge my acting. However, she gave me a lot of energy and praise, so I became more confident.”

Kim Hae Sook, whose character Jang Hwa Sa has been shut in prison for 34 years for murder by poison, remarked, “I chose ‘Room No. 9’ because it is about the life of a woman, rather than that of a mother. It’s a character and drama where I can show a new side to myself as an actress. Regardless of age, actors have a desire to search for something new. That’s why I’m particularly excited for the drama.”

On her co-star Kim Young Kwang, with whom she previously acted with as her son in ‘Pinnochio,’ she shared, “I was always fond of him since then. I thought it was like fate that we got to work together again, and I was happy. I was also sorry. Because we [Kim Hae Sook and Kim Hee Sun] had dual roles, he had to watch us while acting, and it was probably very difficult. There were times when it was difficult to immerse into the emotions, so I’d like to apologize to him for that.”

Kim Hae Sook then talked about working with Kim Hee Sun, and commented, “Everyone thought we had met each other many times before. Through the drama, I saw that Kim Hee Sun has such a strong passion for acting. As we worked together, I was touched to see that she worked really hard to bring the chemistry between us up. Through that, I was able to get closer to her.”

Kim Young Kwang plays Ki Yoo Jin, the man who holds the key between the soul-switching between Eul Ji Hae Yi and Jang Hwa Sa, as well as the person in the center of a mysterious incident. On why he chose the role, he remarked, “The story of ‘Room No. 9’ was interesting. The two women switch souls, and I was curious as to what kind of change there might be to Ki Yoo Jin, so I chose it.”

On his co-stars, he shared, “There are romantic scenes with Kim Hae Sook. When we worked together before, she gave me a lot of advice, and I always followed her around, asking her questions. I was thankful because she treated me like her real son on set.” He continued, “It’s an honor to do romantic acting with such important seniors. [My character] is in a relationship with Hae Yi. But since it’s a fantasy setting, there isn’t going to be that much romance.”

Kim Young Kwang then picked one key point to look out for, saying, “The two people’s souls switching will create a lot of incidents. I hope people enjoy those.” Kim Hee Sun also chose a ratings promise, and commented, “Since we are ‘Room No. 9,’ at the end of the year, I want to invite 99 people and hold a flea market. I want to donate the profits.”

“Room No. 9” will air its first episode on October 6 at 9 p.m. KST.

If you haven’t already, check out the preview below!

Watch Now

Source (1)

Top Photo Credit: Xportsnews