A special project for the 50th anniversary of KBS Public Broadcasting, Goryeo-Khitan War unveils the latest group poster as well as watchpoints.
KBS2’s new historical drama Goryeo-Khitan War follows the story of Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo and his political mentor, who united Goryeo with tolerant leadership and led them to victory in the war against the Khitans. This work also tells the story of Gang Gam-chan, the commander-in-chief of the Goryeo army.
Previously, a group poster featuring the 13 protagonists who will lead the grand epic of the Goryeo-Khitan War was unraveled.
It features Kim Dong Joon, who plays the role of King Hyeonjong, the 8th emperor of Goryeo, with Ji Seung Hyun, Lee Won Jong, Kim Jun Bae, Kim Hyuk, Lee Si Ah, Jo Seung Yeon, Lee Jae-yong, Jo Hee Bong, Joo Seok Tae, Ha Seung Ri, Han Jae Yong and Choi Soo Jong as Kang Gam-chan.
Kim Dong Joon sitting on the throne with the backdrop of Gaegyeong Palace, which restored peace after overcoming a fierce war, exudes a solemn pose.
Ji Seung Hyun, dressed in armor as if he had engaged in a fierce battle with the Khitan army, attracts attention with his bloody appearance.
Lee Won Jong also transforms into a charismatic and loyal military commander of Goryeo.
The contrasting appearances of Lee Si Ah, who feels like a queen, and Ha Seung Ri, who has an enterprising force, also draw attention.
In addition, Jo Seung Yeon, the only local official who treated Hyeonjong as emperor, and Han Jae Yeong, the most courageous general of Goryeo who sacrificed his life to protect the emperor, show off their majestic appearance.
On the other hand, Jo Hee Bong is a senior minister who protects Emperor Hyeonjong with gentle grace.
Lee Jae Yong, a member of Hyeonjong’s resistance and the mastermind of the rebellion, and Joo Seok Tae, who is obsessed with the desire for power, display tension with their undisturbed appearances.
Kim Hyuk, the emperor of the Khitan Empire who forced an invasion with 400,000 troops, and Kim Jun Bae, Gang Gam-chan’s rival, also reveal a strong presence.
Here, Choi Soo Jong, a ‘historical drama master’ equipped with heavy armor, exudes the determination of General Kang Gam-chan with his enthusiastic eyes. It raises curiosity about what he will do at the center of the turmoil.
The production team of ‘Goryeo Khitan War’ shares the intertwining relationships of the 13 main characters.
“Regardless of the main roles, the drama will be filled with the passionate performances of the actors who have perfectly immersed themselves in their characters, so please look forward to it.”
Director Jeon Woo-sung, who began planning a historical drama in the winter of 2020, came up with a story that had valid implications for the time and that viewers could enjoy. Among them, it was a period of war when the struggle for dominance was fierce. The history of the early Goryeo Dynasty, which opened an era of peace and prosperity in East Asia by winning the war against the continent’s powerhouse, the Khitans, will be chronicled accordingly.
He also reveals the preparations to make Goryeo-Khitan War a must-watch historical series. He relays how during the initial planning stage, they listened extensively to the opinions of scholars familiar with Goryeo history. Through them, they established the general direction of the plan and story, and when full-scale production began, they brought in Dr. Cho Kyeong-ran, who has extensive production experience and worked out the details for each scene, starting with the main storylines planned so far.
“From the script-writing stage to the filming process, we are meticulously producing the film in close collaboration with Dr. Cho.”
Regarding the uniqueness of the Goryeo-Khitan War Director Jeon shows confidence in the narrative. He also expresses his infinite trust in writer Lee Jeong-woo.
“The story follows faithfully the historical records. I believe that the identity of KBS historical dramas that sets them apart from other dramas is that they faithfully capture important historical records, but adapt them into dramatic stories to create stories that viewers can enjoy. The Goryeo-Khitan War covers most of the events recorded in the history of Goryeo, but also builds a powerful and attractive narrative that connects them. It is no exaggeration to say that it is an interesting history textbook.”
Goryeo-Khitan War’s Creative Process and Casting
Goryeo-Khitan War mainly contains war stories, but it is also a bromance political historical drama between a growing monarch and a father-like subject who embraces and mentors him.
Accordingly, Director Jeon had selected Choi Soo Jong to play the role of Kang Gam-chan from the planning stage.
Director Jeon said, “Choi Soo Jong has this air of a stubborn man of principles. He has warm eyes that think of the people.
He has all the features of a general commanding the battlefield. I was worried what would happen if they declined, but after hearing about the project, they readily accepted.”
Also, about Kim Dong Joon, who played the role of King Hyeonjong, the 8th emperor of Goryeo, Director Jeon reveals the reason he chose the talented actor.
“I thought it would be good to have an actor who could portray the youthful image of a teenage boy king and the development of a monarch. At that time, I heard that actor Kim Dong Joon was returning from military service, and I was convinced that there would be no actor better than him to portray King Hyeonjong. In fact, through Kim Dong Joon, Hyeonjong is being built as a character with much stronger charisma.”
Director Jeon Woo-sung continued, “Ji Seung Hyun, who plays Yang-gyu, also wonderfully embodied the appearance of a lone wolf-like general thrown into a cold battlefield with an overwhelming performance. I felt that the deep, resonant voice tone conveyed sincerity and the restrained expression of emotions matched well with General Yang Gyu.
Speaking about Lee Won Jong, the director also lauds the rising actor.
“While filming together, Lee Won Jong gave such a masterful performance that I was convinced that this would be his best character since his role as Yoon Hoe in King Sejong.’”
Regarding the directing point that he focuses on the most, he remarked the ten years since King Hyeonjong’s accession to the throne were a period of upheaval with wars and coups taking place one after another. The lives of the people who had to live there must have been difficult. Although the main characters in the play are the emperor and generals, he wanted to capture what the war and coup were like from the people’s perspective.
The scene he was most worried about was the large-scale battle scene. Fortunately, director Kim Han-sol, who directed Imjin War 1592, joined as a co-director and took full charge of the Battle of Gwiju and the Battle of Heunghwajin.
The director vouched that viewers can look forward to the war scenes because it was created cinematically.
Lastly, Director Jeon emphasized the message of the drama.
“The Goryeo-Khitan War is a war story, but it is also a story about peace. Both Hyeonjong and Gang Gam-chan are the main characters who lead the war to victory, but they make bloody efforts to prevent the war. I hope I can share with viewers the message that only by knowing the value of peace can we win the war and protect our country.”
Goryeo-Khitan War will be broadcast for the first time on Saturday, November 11 at 9:25 PM.
Source: Sports Donga
Photos: KBS Drama
