Ahn Eun Jin, Joy, And Kang Ye Won Talk About Playing Terminally Ill Characters + Kim Kyung Nam On How He Was Cast As A Hitman

Dec 20, 2021

On December 20, JTBC’s new drama “The One and Only” held a press conference with director Oh Hyun Jong and actors Ahn Eun Jin, Red Velvet’s Joy, Kang Ye Won, and Kim Kyung Nam.

“The One and Only” is an emotional romance drama about three terminally ill women who meet at a hospice. They decide that before they die, they want to take down one bad guy before they go – but in their attempt to take down just one person, they end up meeting the most valuable person of their lives.

Director Oh Hyun Jong (“Find Me in Your Memory,” “Two Cops,” “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo”) said, “It’s a drama with positive messages about growing before you die, about healing right before death if you have just ‘one person’ in your life, overcoming scars, and sharing pain. You might think it’s a heavy drama because of the terms like ‘terminal illness’ and ‘death,’ but it’s about how the people who are at the edge of death grow and love and spend the remainder of their days as happily as possible.”

Kim Kyung Nam co-stars as Min Woo Chun, a hitman who disguises his targeted murders as accidents. He said, “When I first read the script, I felt that the character of Min Woo Chun was like a stray animal who had been hurt and thrown away. I wanted to show that he had grown up on his own terms, so I didn’t style my hair, and tried to make my gaze and facial expression as heavy as possible, rather than my words.”

Park Sung Hoon had originally been cast in this role, but had to step down due to health issues. Kim Kyung Nam joined the drama in the middle of filming. Director Oh Hyun Jong said, “It’s a very difficult role because it portrays someone who is at the edge of their rock-bottom life. I didn’t really know Kim Kyung Nam that well. I went to visit an acquaintance’s film set, and greeted him briefly there, but it must have made a strong impression on me. I had confidence that Kim Kyung Nam’s gaze and atmosphere could fully express the character of Min Woo Chun in this drama. Even though he was in the middle of a tough schedule, he agreed.”

Ahn Eun Jin plays Pyo In Sook, a young woman who grows up in difficult circumstances before being diagnosed with a terminal illness. She said, “I feel like I’m receiving theater therapy through this drama. The character starts out dark, but it’s a drama that focuses more on the happiness and warmth of everyday life. I’m grateful to be ending 2021 on a warm note with a project that gives me good energy.”

About her character’s romance with Kim Kyung Nam’s character, she said, “He’s someone who can create a story as soon as the cameras start rolling even if I’m not doing anything special. I’m grateful to have him as a partner.” Kim Kyung Nam said of her, “She’s someone that I can learn a lot from as a person and as an actor.”

Kang Ye Won plays Kang Se Yeon, an ordinary housewife who had given up on her own life to support her family. “I don’t know how to explain this character because she’s just so ordinary,” the actress said. “There are a lot of situations that I haven’t lived through, as well as twists that I can’t talk about. She appears really plain on the outside, but there are moments that will take you by surprise.”

She added, “Since she’s sick with leukemia, I lost weight to show how she got thinner with the illness. It’s very difficult to lose one kilogram (2.2 pounds) at a time. There was a sense of pressure to show the external changes of my character, so I was very focused on the changes from episode to episode.”

Joy (Park Soo Young) plays Sung Mi Do, a popular influencer. She said, “I was really scared to come back to acting. I decided to be really careful in picking out my next project, but this script filled me with such warmth. Mi Do is someone who looks bright and flamboyant on the outside, but is always fighting back loneliness on the inside. I felt compassionate for her as someone who isn’t just bright all the time. I can be like that, and I know a lot of people like that, who seem bright on the outside but hide pain on the inside. I felt like I was getting healed through playing Mi Do, and I hoped that those people would be able to relate to her too.”