JTBC's upcoming weekend drama 'Fighting Against Worthlessness' has released stills and a making-of video from its script reading session. Earlier this year, actress Go Yoon-jung shared a romantic chemistry with Kim Seon-ho in Netflix's 'Can This Love Be Translated?'.
The script reading for 'Fighting Against Worthlessness' (directed by Cha Young-hoon, written by Park Hae-young, produced by Studio Phoenix, SLL, and Studio Flow) took place last October in Sangam-dong. The session was attended by director Cha Young-hoon, writer Park Hae-young, and main cast members including Koo Kyo-hwan, Go Yoon-jung, Oh Jung-se, Kang Mal-geum, Park Hae-joon, Bae Jong-ok, Choi Won-young, Han Sun-hwa, Jeon Bae-soo, Shim Hee-sub, Bae Myung-jin, and Park Ye-ni.
Koo Kyo-hwan perfectly captured the paradoxical inner world of 'Hwang Dong-man', a film director living with the anxiety of being 'unemployed'. His realistic portrayal, as if someone had discovered his true self, captivated the room. Go Yoon-jung took on the role of 'Byun Eun-ah', a film company PD known for her sharp script reviews, and brought depth to the character's hidden wounds behind her intellectual charisma. The synergy between the two actors, who described their characters as each other's sanctuary, transforming worthlessness into value, was highly anticipated.
Oh Jung-se portrayed 'Park Kyung-se', who has had a love-hate relationship with Hwang Dong-man for 20 years. Despite being a director with five films, he continues to struggle to prove his worth. His portrayal of the paradoxical similarity between the two characters, despite his harsh words towards Hwang Dong-man, was impressive. Kang Mal-geum played 'Go Hye-jin', the head of Go Park Films, showcasing strong charisma. Her scene where she declares, "I worked hard to debut you so I wouldn't see your bottom," highlighted the complex relationship between industry colleagues who know each other too well.
Park Hae-joon took on the role of 'Hwang Jin-man', a former poet living with deep remorse and regret, adding weight to the drama with his restrained emotional performance. The peculiar brotherhood between Hwang Dong-man, who expresses his anxiety in long speeches, and Hwang Jin-man, who receives it in silence, was completed by Park Hae-joon's strong presence. Choi Won-young played 'Choi Dong-hyun', the head of Choi Films, adding tension as he clashes with Byun Eun-ah. His portrayal of Choi Dong-hyun's complex inner world, envious of Byun Eun-ah's script review skills, left a deep impression.
Bae Jong-ok played 'Oh Jung-hee', a top actress who wants to show only perfection even off-camera, with charismatic intensity. Han Sun-hwa portrayed 'Jang Mi-ran', an actress with an animalistic and honest charm, engaging in a tense rivalry with her mother and senior, Oh Jung-hee, adding intense energy to the drama. The two actresses' performances, pretending to be a loving mother-daughter duo in front of the camera but turning cold behind the scenes, vividly revealed the characters' complexities.
The remaining members of the 'Group of Eight', including Hwang Dong-man, Park Kyung-se, and Go Hye-jin, are equally impressive. Jeon Bae-soo as film director 'Park Young-soo', Shim Hee-sub, Bae Myung-jin, and Jo Min-guk as Choi Films directors 'Lee Joon-hwan', 'Lee Ki-ri', and 'Woo Seung-tae', and Park Ye-ni as Choi Films PD 'Choi Hyo-jin' complete the group, adding realism to the drama. Starting as college seniors and juniors, they have become well-known in the film industry, constantly envying and competing with each other, promising to add rich entertainment to the story.
After the rehearsal, the actors expressed their strong trust in the universal empathy of the work, the power of the script, and director Cha Young-hoon's gentle mise-en-scène. They deeply resonated with the idea that "this work is the story of all of us fighting to prove our worth," and confidently stated, "Someone will surely recommend this drama somewhere. It's a work we're confident and excited about." They emphasized that "this work will make you think deeply with each episode. Please enjoy watching," highlighting the perfect synergy between writer Park Hae-young's sincere script and director Cha Young-hoon's extraordinary direction, capturing the excitement on set.
'Fighting Against Worthlessness' follows the journey of a person driven mad by jealousy and envy among successful friends, seeking peace. It premieres on April 18 at 10:40 PM on JTBC.
Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr