Completing an astounding work, Lee Jae Wook decked a remarkable drama that would bolster his already impressive acting portfolio.
In a media interview, Lee Jae Wook revealed stories about Alchemy of Souls which ended its second part on a high note recently.
In the series, Lee Jae Wook challenged the role of Jang Wook, a young master of the Jang family in the kingdom of Daeho where mages thrive. In the first part of the series, he established a memorable master-student connection that blossomed into a romance with Mudeok/Naksu, a skilled assassin, portrayed by Jung So Min.
However, the romance turned into a nightmare when his master and the woman he loves slay him. Coming back alive because of a magical ice stone, he meets Jin Bu-yeon three years after. Unknown to him, Naksu was brought to life in the body of Mudeok, but her face took on Naksu, and has since assumed the identity of Jin Bu-yeon.
From there, they rediscover the love they lost while battling the atrocious villains aspiring for the greed of power that would destroy Daeho.
Thankful For A Career-Defining Role
Expressing gratitude for successful work, he remarked satisfaction with how the story concluded.
“I’m happy that the project I’ve been working on for over a year has been successfully completed. I want to say thank you to the viewers who watched Alchemy of Souls. I want to say that I lived happily ever after. I am satisfied with the ending that the viewers will also like.”
Sharing his first impression of the script, Lee revealed initially refused the work. As a genre of fantasy historical drama with no history or background, he thought it would be a difficult setting and situations would be unfamiliar. He reckons feeling conflicted about how he can execute the image of the character.
“Actually, I refused at first. “It was too difficult, and I wondered if I would be able to pull it off well. But I think I did it with one mind to take on the challenge. From an actor’s point of view, I am very satisfied with the result. Also, it is a drama with a setting that is hard to pass on. Isn’t it? The fact that it was finished well is of great meaning to me.”
Humbly acknowledging the pressure to work with a top-tier creative team that has produced quality and well-loved works, Lee Jae Wook looked back on how he contemplated rejecting to do the work.
“They were writers and director I’d seen growing up, and I definitely thought that I wouldn’t be a burden to the work they were preparing. Now that Part 2 has been completed, I would like to say that it was much easier than historical dramas I have seen before. The environment and the story itself were difficult to understand, but I thought it would be a more modern and comfortable work.”
On Preparing For His Character’s Emotions and Transitions
Conveying the long filming preparations and the change of his character perspective, the actor expounds how he made sure to create such distinction.
“I think there was a big gap between Wook’s character in Parts 1 and 2. Even during the reading with the writer, they said that it would be nice if Jang Wook would think and be a different person in the two parts. Except for Jang Wook’s way of speaking, I think I conceived it concisely and firmly.”
When asked about the challenges while acting, he confessed the action scenes required preparations and his arms were unfortunately uncooperative.
“I can’t control my arms. I have to make water with my hand and hit it in the air. I think it was difficult to envision such things in my head. The case seems to have been completed well in a short time. I prepared three months before the start of the work. Since there are more action scenes than other actors, I think I practiced first.”
He continued, “I felt a lot of charm about action scenes using swords. If I have to film another historical drama next time, I want to try it. Although there were dangerous moments, it seems that the filming was completed smoothly.”
Appreciating His Female Leads Jung So Min and Go Youn Jung
Asserting how he efficiently acted differently in the two parts of Alchemy of Souls, he relayed changing his appearance and outlook which is driven by restrained resentment from losing the woman he cherished. Subsequently, he also altered his emotions to channel them to his way of speaking.
When asked about how he transitioned the romantic aspect of the character owing to the female lead change, he responds not being bothered by the change of the female protagonist.
“There were difficulties in expressing Jang Wook, but I don’t think there was any difficulty in that respect. Surely Wook experienced fluctuating emotions. I focused on the acting of pushing away a lot first. I think I did it because I wanted it. I thought a lot about how to express Jang Wook’s depressed mind itself.”
Correspondingly, he praises his leading ladies for their respective merits.
“So-min sunbae has experienced many works, so you can basically see her skills in the field. Even though she thinks it’s difficult for an actor to feel, she clearly has her own know-how. Yoon-jung noona is a bright person. Her positive energy is so overwhelming. It’s not easy to shoot without losing a smile, but she made me feel that ‘the atmosphere on set can change because of one person.'”
On Working With A Great Cast
Enjoying immense popularity in Korea and overseas, Lee Jae Wook modestly credits it to the excellent director and writers.
Disclosing the warm synergy on set, Lee Jae Wook wonders if the comfortable environment created the amazing cast chemistry. He also divulged that there was no specific mood maker as all of them contributed to a happy filming scene.
By turns, he describes his relationship with fellow actors.
“In the case of Minhyun hyung, there are a lot of parts where I was jealous. He’s handsome, he sings well, he’s tall, and he’s good at action. Actually, I thought ‘I’d be better at acting,’ but it was a huge mistake. I learned a lot from him.”
He added, “I think that Seungho and Insoo also have different charms. I could feel how fun and rewarding it is to make a scene with them together. They are very passionate people, so I learned a lot.”
He continued, “Me and Seungho hyung made a lot of NGs. Adorably, he quips that the best couple award would be going to him and Seungho when the cast was asked who deserved it.
His synergy is not only with his peers but also with senior actors who stood out.
“Oh Nara and Yoo Jun Sang are very famous and great people. The person I received a lot of help this time was Lim Chul Soo (Master Lee). I want to convey my gratitude. I filmed Alchemy of Souls but after doing two works, senior Chul-soo keeps memorizing all the lines even though he can’t sleep. I felt that he was a senior and an adult from whom I could learn many things.”
All episodes of Alchemy of Souls are streaming on Netflix.
Source: xportsnews
Photos: C-Jes Entertainment
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