"Lee Jae-wook Pushes, Jo Bo-ah Pulls"... The Birth of a Dense Historical Drama, 'Tan Geum'

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Actors Lee Jae-wook and Jo Bo-ah are coupling up for a historical melodrama. It's not simply about falling for each other. They will doubt each other, push each other away, and yet still be drawn to each other. Intense emotional acting is expected.

The title of this drama is 'Tan Geum'. Tan Geum is an ancient Chinese torture method where one is forced to swallow gold until death. Director Kim Hong-sun explained, "Longing becomes resentment, and resentment becomes a grudge," stating it is a title that well describes the complex emotional lines of the two characters.

The production team of the Netflix Original Series 'Tan Geum' (written by Kim Jin-ah, directed by Kim Hong-sun) held a production presentation on the 13th at the Ramada Hotel in Sindorim, Seoul. Director Kim, Lee Jae-wook, Jo Bo-ah, Jung Ga-ram, Uhm Ji-won, and Park Byung-eun attended.

'Tan Geum' is a mystery melodrama historical drama. The son of Joseon's largest merchant family, who went missing in childhood, returns 12 years later. His half-sister doubts him and tries to uncover his true identity, while the two are simultaneously drawn to each other.

Lee Jae-wook plays the protagonist, Hong Rang. Hong Rang must receive the successor's position while confronting Jae Yi (played by Jo Bo-ah), who doubts him. In this process, he also falls in love and faces danger.

Lee Jae-wook said, "Whether Hong Rang is real or not is a key viewing point in the early stages," and added, "As the latter half progresses, Hong Rang's secret will be revealed. Please watch to see what connection there is between the missing children and Hong Rang."

He will once again showcase splendid hanbok action following tvN's 'Alchemy of Souls'. He pointed out, "It was different from before," and "The sequences choreographed by the martial arts director were very stylish. There were more difficult action scenes."

Jo Bo-ah takes on the role of Jae Yi. Jae Yi has led a difficult life. After the disappearance of the precious Hong Rang, she spent a long time buried in longing. She is ostracized by her family, being pointed to as the cause of the disappearance.

Jo Bo-ah stated, "I chose this work because I was attracted to the emotion of sibling affection," and "I am usually close with my younger sibling. While reading the script, I wanted to try expressing the heart of a sister missing her sibling."

She expressed both familial and romantic love. "Jae Yi loved Hong Rang very much as family when they were young. But upon seeing the returned Hong Rang, she is unknowingly drawn to him as a man," she said, adding, "I tried hard to completely separate the two emotions."

Jo Bo-ah's boyish visual can also be seen. She will transform into a man during the process of tracking Hong Rang's identity. She candidly remarked, "(Wearing men's hanbok) was incredibly comfortable and felt great."

A key viewing point is the melodrama narrative between Hong Rang and Jae Yi. In the beginning, a sensitive atmosphere flows, which gradually transforms into feelings of sympathy. Lee Jae-wook explained, "It is a relationship where you shouldn't reveal too much emotion, nor reveal too little."

Jo Bo-ah and Lee Jae-wook followed the subtle emotional lines from the set. Lee Jae-wook confessed, "We maintained a sharp atmosphere even during rehearsals," and "We constantly discussed concerns about emotional control with each other."

The two also praised each other's professionalism. Lee Jae-wook complimented Jo Bo-ah, saying, "She is someone who is very sincere about her work. I was able to follow well because I met a partner who can express even delicate emotions."

Jo Bo-ah also expressed respect for Lee Jae-wook. She confessed, "His attitude on set was so cool," and "I felt he was ambitious and passionate about each aspect of the acting, the work, and the character, so I tried to learn a lot."

Director Kim Hong-sun boasted about the mise-en-scène of 'Tan Geum'. He explained, "Since it will be released worldwide through Netflix, I tried to showcase the beauty of Korea. Even with the hanbok, we didn't go too fashionable. We directed it to be as historically accurate as possible."

Character personalities were also conveyed through their clothing. Jo Bo-ah gave an example, saying, "Min Yeon-ui (played by Uhm Ji-won) is the de facto owner of the merchant family, so she wears the most elaborate hanbok. On the other hand, Jae Yi lives a suppressed life, so we expressed restraint in her clothing."

Finally, Jo Bo-ah offered a viewing tip, saying, "The work as a whole follows Jae Yi's perspective," and "Every character has a deep backstory. It would be good to watch while observing each character from Jae Yi's point of view."

Lee Jae-wook concluded, "'Tan Geum' is a work with diverse beauty. There is significant pressure as it is being released worldwide, but I hope it does well. We ask for much interest."

Meanwhile, 'Tan Geum' will release all episodes (12) on the 16th at 4:00 PM KST.