Star writer Kim Eun Hee recently talked about her experiences while working on Kingdom: Ashin Of The North and her future plans in a special interview.
Fans of the hit South Korean television series Kingdom would probably know Kim Eun Hee. She is the writer and the mastermind behind the show, which has been enjoying popularity worldwide for the past two years.
Her recent work titled Kingdom: Ashin Of The North is a drama special that revolves around the backstory of Ashin as well as the mystery behind the subsequent tragedies that took place within the Kingdom of Joseon.
In a Netflix online interview held on July 29, Kim Eun Hee shared that she feels so grateful for the golden opportunity and trust given to her to conceive the show from its very first season down to the recent special episode.
“When I first thought of this story, I thought that it would never be possible to make it, but I feel like I’ve come to Kingdom: Ashin Of The North like this. I thought that the story of the North, which is an intermediate step towards a larger worldview, could also be possible. I got very excited,” she continued.
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR JUN JI HYUN
Kim Eun Hee also praised the lead actress of the show Jun Ji Hyun, who portrayed her character well and exceeded everyone’s expectations from the very first installment.
Stressing that there was no alternative for the actress, the writer stated, “In addition to the wonderful and splendid appearance of actress Jun Ji-hyun, the gaze she showed in films such as Assassination and Berlin remained so good to me. I thought if such an actor could play the role of Ashin, I would be able to show a deeper sadness.”
She added that Jun Ji Hyun is an actress who can digest both the strong and melancholic side of Ashin really well. According to her, no one can do it with so much action and passion as the actress herself.
“I really thought that I had to hold onto (Jun Ji Hyun’s) pants and complete the casting, and when I thought, ‘Is there any other actor than Jun Ji Hyun,’ I can’t think of any actors,” Kim Eun Hee said.
HER DARKEST WORK SO FAR
Baring her thoughts on Kingdom: Ashin Of The North further, Kim Eun Hee admitted that it is the darkest story she has ever done so far in her entire career. As she enjoyed working on it, she thought that those who will watch it will also be able to welcome its plot and accept it wholeheartedly.
“I am thinking that it was not a choice. It was important to make the viewers understand, but director Kim Sung Hoon and the staff played a really big role. I think they are great people,” she continued.
Kim Eun Hee also said that she felt the importance of collaboration the most while working on this special drama. “I learned that completing a video is not something that the writer alone can do, but that a good director, good actors, and staff can create a result that is more than a script. We are trying to work together,”
ON HER FUTURE PLANS AS A WRITER
When asked about his next project, the thorough writer revealed that there hasn’t been any confirmation from the production team regarding season three for Kingdom so she cannot tell now whether it will push through or not.
However, she said, “In my opinion alone, if season 3 is made, ‘I hope the final ending will be like this to some extent.”
There were some reports made a few months back as well that there will be a spin-off to the well-esteemed Kingdom series called The Three Children. In response to this, the writer said that if someone will make it into a real show then she will be grateful. However, she admitted that she has only written a few episodes so it does not mean that it will actually be made into a drama.
Regarding her plans for sequels of her previous and iconic works such as Signal, Kim Eun Hee said. “Actually, this may be a bit sensitive. I have a desire and will to make it in any way. Before I really retire, I really want to show a sequel to Signal in some way,”
ON HER PERSONAL LIFE
The writer also shared some bits of her personal life in the interview. She even revealed that his husband, Jang Hang Joon, who is a director and a screenwriter like her, also watched Kingdom: Ashin Of The North.
Kim Eun Hee added, “It may be a story that demeans my husband, but in fact, he doesn’t know much about the historical part. I showed him the edited version, but because there were no subtitles, he said, ‘What are you talking about? I don’t know. It was a bit disappointing because it wasn’t so.”
Regarding her perception of herself and her personality, the writer stated “I only talk about myself when I go out on TV. There is no such thing as the pressure in daily life. Many people actually look at it well, but I often think to myself, ‘I should have worked harder on this part, but it’s a pity’. It’s because you took care of me and looked after me, but I don’t think I’ve succeeded at all.”
Kingdom: Ashin Of The North is available for streaming on Netflix since July 23.
Source: Xsportsnews
Photos from Netflix
