Currently enthralling viewers with its thrilling concept, The Killing Vote pitched realistic arguments about the true meaning of justice.
Along with other media outlets, KDRAMADIARY got an opportunity to interview the main leads of The Killing Vote.
KDRAMADIARY: There seem to be a lot of similar Korean series that delve into justice and revenge plots. What do you think is this drama’s edge? What are the charming points of The Killing Vote?
Park Hae Jin: I think the key is how differently you talk about similar stories. Our drama has a lot of devices in the process of finding out who is a good character, a bad
character, and eventually who is “Dog mask (Gaetal)” The person that many people expect could be “Dog Mask” or a person that is completely unexpected could be “Dog Mask.” Please stay on your toes, everyone.Park Sung Woong: I think the national death penalty vote itself is an attractive point. Punishment is determined by the people’s vote. I think this concept itself is new and interesting.
Lim Ji Yeon: The Killing Vote deals with the subject of a national death penalty vote which is difficult to see in reality. Through the series you can feel a sense of catharsis and a refreshing excitement from the unpredictable story. As the series relays the message asking what true justice is, your five senses will be satisfied.
KDRAMADIARY: What kind of preparations did you have for your role in The Killing Vote?
Park Hae Jin: I looked up various works of the similar genre, met actual police officers, felt a sense of realism, and received advice.
Park Sung Woong: First of all, the fact that he has a daughter named Na-rae was the starting point of my preparation. I didn’t want the evil type of character that I’ve shown thus far to be reflected. I made a lot of efforts to portray Kwon Seok-ju as being between good and evil, so that he would not look evil.
Lim Ji Yeon: I worked on showing Joo Hyun as is. Joo Hyun is around my age and I think she’s a character that comes across as more friendly compared to the other characters I have shown recently. I also tried to create a Lim Ji-yeon-esque Joo Hyun by emphasizing the crazy energy and righteousness Joo Hyun has.
KDRAMADIARY: 3. Your impeccable bromance in Man To Man was loved by K-Drama fans. What can we expect in your reunion in The Killing Vote? Please share how the chemistry is different this time compared to 6 years ago. What changes have you noticed in each other? How do you feel about working together again?
Park Hae Jin: In The Killing Vote, you can also see a different kind of bromance, a much deeper bromance. Since time has passed, while working together I felt that Park
Sung-woong’s acting has deepened and I have also grown compared to 7 years ago. If an opportunity arises, I’d like to work with him again in another title.
KDRAMADIARY: When choosing projects, what kind of characters attract you?
Park Sung Woong: I choose projects that are interesting when I read them. There are so many characters that it’s hard to say which one is attractive, and I want to try everything and challenge myself. No matter which character I’m given, I want to do my best.
KDRAMADIARY: Coming from your recent lauded roles (Lies Hidden in My Garden, The Glory) what can we expect from your character in The Killing Vote?
Lim Ji Yeon: I hope you see a new side of me that’s different from my previous characters. I hope you can see another face of Lim Ji-yeon through the unique Joo
Hyun.
Cast Synergy and Message of the Story
The Killing Vote presents a narrative of how people are given option to vote a chosen crime offender who evaded justice. But a “mask man” leads a public vote to serve the punishment the crime offender deserves.
When asked how the viewers would be able to connect to the story, the lead stars convey their thoughts.
Park Hae Jin: There are so many horrendous cases these days, and when you hear about it through the news and the ruling on the perpetrator, it can be confusing sometimes whether the law is for the victim or the perpetrator. So, I think people will think about stories like The Killing Vote at least once.
Park Sung Woong: The events in the drama are so realistic that actual real-life cases come to mind. If you watch The Killing Vote where punishments that have not been achieved in reality have become possible, you will be able to relieve a little frustration.
Lim Ji Yeon: There have been a lot of violent incidents in society recently. The feelings you feel when you come across these cases and the disappointment when perpetrators
are not adequately punished, you’ll see these kinds of cases more closely as they unfold in a new way on The Killing Vote.
Working together, the lead stars had nothing but praise for each other and the pleasant filming atmosphere. They also reveal the challenges as well as other side stories.
“The chemistry was better than any other work. It was the second series I worked on with actor Park Sung-woong. The atmosphere on the set was good, and perhaps because of the characteristics of the genre, we had no choice but to think about each other more, worry for one another, and become close. If there were any challenges, it was hard to fight the extreme cold and heat. Please watch the behind-the-scenes along with our series. You can feel another type of fun and liveliness on set.” – Park Hae Jin
“It was a thriller, so I didn’t get stressed out. Rather, I was able to concentrate more by immersing myself into my character, and it was my second time with actor Park Hae-jin since Man to Man, so I could communicate with him just by looking at each other’s eyes. It was my first drama with Lim Ji-yeon, but she’s a veteran actor, so I had a lot of fun working with her. It was my second time working with director Park Shin-woo and cinematographer Lee Chang-jae having filmed the movie White Night previously, so I filmed without any difficulties.” – Park Sung Woong
“I was happy to work with many actors, including Park Hae-jin and Park Sung-woong. The series is a little heavy and serious, but once the camera turns off, the atmosphere becomes friendly. I was better able to portray my character Joo Hyun because I was able to film in a good atmosphere with the cast.“ – Lim Ji Yeon
The Killing Vote currently streams on Prime Video! Don’t miss out on the thrilling mystery!
*KDRAMADIARY thanks Prime Video MY for extending opportunity for this interview
