Park Hae Jin And Jo Bo Ah Share Reasons Behind Choosing "Forest" And Difficulties Of Filming In The Mountains

Jan 29, 2020

The cast of “Forest” described stories behind their preparation, casting, and filming!

On January 29, a press conference was held at the Ramada by Wyndham Seoul Sindorim hotel with Park Hae Jin, Jo Bo Ah, producing director (PD) Oh Jung Rok in attendance.

“Forest” is about a man who has everything but a heart, a woman who has lost everything but her heart, and the discovery of themselves and the secrets of a mysterious forest.

PD Oh Jung Rok began, “It’s an honor that the project I worked hard to make last year is being aired on KBS. It says it in the title, but you can think of the forest as the third lead. It’s a healing drama with a story about how the main characters with their own pain heal each other and themselves while living together in a forest.”

The actors shared their thoughts behind joining this drama. Park Hae Jin said, “It wasn’t easy choosing this project. Since it takes place in the mountains, I had to film away from Seoul and wondered if I could bring the story to life. Thanks to the help of the National Fire Agency, we were able to film well.”

He continued, “When I heard that it would take place in Gangwon Province, I briefly thought, ‘Should I not do it?’ The travel time alone was at least five hours a day. Because the staff members sensibly organized the schedule, filming went well despite my concerns.”

Jo Bo Ah took on her first doctor role in “Forest” and will show a different side of her from her appearance in “Baek Jong Won’s Alley Restaurant.” She explained, “I think I showed my usual self on the variety show. But since I’m portraying a doctor in this drama, I approached it with professionalism. I met with a lot of doctors to ask for advice, and worked hard to become more serious.”

PD Oh Kwang Rok shared the stories behind their casting. About Park Hae Jin, he said, “When I met him for casting, he had surprising charms. He said that he also had a painful experience like the drama’s main character. His marketability in the Great China Region was also a factor.”

He continued, “I don’t know if Jo Bo Ah’s spectrum is innate or if she was born in a happy family, but her spectrum is wide. You can see those charms when you watch the drama.”

The actors described the difficulties of filming in a mountain. Park Hae Jin revealed, “Since we were filming in the mountains, the air was really good. It was refreshing, but it felt as if we were filming the same thing every day. Even though we were filming in different locations, this was a mountain and that was also a mountain.” Jo Bo Ah added, “The two of us begged the director to go to the beach, but he didn’t cave. I saw the traces left behind by a mole for the first time in my life.”

About portraying a member of the Special Rescue Team, Park Hae Jin explained, “I participated in firefighter training which included descent drills and abseiling. I have a fear of heights, but I found myself jumping when they told me to jump. I thought going head-on was the right thing to do, so I did descent exercises and climbing exercises.”

The biggest competitor in the same timeslot as “Forest” is TV Chosun’s “Mister Trot.” Park Hae Jin said, “All of the networks are divided by timeslots. I do have expectations about viewership ratings, but my mother even watches ‘Mister Trot.’ I think I’m going to have to watch ‘Forest’ with my mother on Thursdays.”

Bringing up the peak ratings for “Woman of 9.9 Billion” of 10 percent and “When the Camellia Blooms” ratings around 20 percent, Park Hae Jin said, “We’ll do 15 percent.”

He concluded, “You’ll be able to greet an early spring while watching ‘Forest,'” and Jo Bo Ah added, “The world is full of many sad, painful events. I hope you’ll be able to rest and feel healing through ‘Forest’ for a little while.”