“A melodrama with a sharp edge that is not soft” Jo Jung-seok and Shin Se-kyung, historical drama craze continues with ‘Sejak’

Actors Jo Jung-seok and Shin Se-kyung show off a new acting transformation. Jo Jung-seok shows off his powerful charisma as the first king since his debut, and Shin Se-kyung takes on the challenge of playing a cross-dressing woman for the first time in her acting career.

On the 16th, a production presentation for tvN's new Saturday-Sunday drama 'Sejak, The Bewitched' was held at the Sindorim Ramada Hotel in Sindorim-dong, Seoul. Writer Kim Seon-deok and actors Jo Jung-seok, Shin Se-kyung, Lee Shin-young, Park Ye-young, Jang Young-nam, and Lee Gyu-hoe attended the event.

'Sejak' is a melodrama historical drama depicting the cruel fate of King Lee In (played by Jo Jung-seok), who holds a high position but has a lowly heart, and the woman who becomes Sejak (a spy) to bring him down. It is a 100% fiction play based on imagination.

Writer Kim Seon-deok said, "It's a fusion historical drama, but I didn't write it thinking it was a fusion. Since it's based on the Joseon Dynasty, I tried to make it an interesting story with various variations on the history of the Joseon Dynasty, which I like. What do people who like historical dramas know? “The episode captures this era and you will be able to enjoy it,” he said confidently.

Jo Jung-seok plays the role of Lee In, who was born with the fate of the greatest and after being abandoned by his beloved older brother, he lives a lonely life to avoid being outcast. Despite becoming a king, he tries to isolate himself so as not to fall into delusion.

Jo Jung-seok explained the character of Lee In, "He is a person who cares and loves his country and people more than his own life, and has the courage to sacrifice himself. He was originally a great general, but in the end, he is a character born with a destiny that has no choice but to become a king."

Jo Jung-seok is challenging the role of king for the first time since his debut. Regarding the rapid rise in status, Jo Jung-seok said, "I'm so happy. There's a saying that people shouldn't change so drastically, but as a joke, I told the actors that their status changed so drastically that it was embarrassing but good. I tried wearing costumes like this," and added, "It's something an actor can have." “I thought it might be an advantage and a privilege to have. I appeared naked in the movie ‘Contemplation,’ and I thought about it a lot at that time,” he said.

Jo Jung-seok said, "It was a role I wanted to challenge because the character Lee In is diverse and has many colors. I focused more on the character and put a lot of research and effort into it rather than focusing on the game of baduk and the dignity he must have as a king."

Shin Se-kyung takes on the role of Kang Hee-soo, who becomes a king in order to overthrow the king, and takes on the challenge of playing her first cross-dressing female character. Shin Se-kyung said of her character, "She is a baduk genius. She can't play baduk in the body of a woman in the Joseon Dynasty, so she goes around in the body of a man. She is a strong woman who always achieves what she wants, but she becomes endangered when she meets Lee In and falls in love." did.

When asked if she learned Baduk for her character, Shin Se-kyung said, "I didn't know how to play Baduk, so I thought about learning. It's a deeper and more fun game than I thought, so it was difficult to learn the rules in a short time. So I learned how to place Baduk stones to look like an expert." “It was a very enjoyable experience to dress up as a man,” he said.

Jo Jung-seok said about his chemistry with Shin Se-kyung, "It was so good. I had told people around me for a long time that I really wanted to work with an actress named Shin Se-kyung. I was so happy when I heard that we would be working together, but when we actually did it, our chemistry was so good that it was almost nagging." He said.

He then praised, "I think that the chemistry between characters is important, but outside of that, I think that the chemistry between humans is also important. Those parts come out well when I'm acting, and the chemistry was really good as well."

Regarding the love line, "Lee In and Hee Soo's melodrama was difficult to act. It is not an act of 'I love you so much' or 'I love you with all my heart', but a story of doubt, hatred, and sharp love. While working on those parts, “I filmed it,” he said.

Shin Se-kyung said, "In the beginning, when Hee-su is in the process of falling in love, there are some light and soft scenes. In the mid-to-late half, the emotional conflict intensifies. I had a lot of worries while acting, but senior Jo Jung-seok was so considerate and respectful on set. “I was able to focus only on acting. I had a lot of fun on the way to the filming set. I was confident that I would be able to finish the film happily with my senior,” he said.

When asked about the melodrama score, Shin Se-kyung said, "It's a perfect score out of 1,000," and Jo Jung-seok said, "11 points," and explained, "It's an 11 out of 10."

Regarding the points to watch, Shin Se-kyung said, "It is a swirling development," and was confident, "It is a solid work that does not lose sight of the three-dimensional characters and narrative of the characters." Jo Jung-seok pointed out, “It’s a melodrama about Lee In and Hee-su that’s not soft, but it’s still sharp.”

'Sejak' will be aired for the first time on the 21st and will be specially scheduled for the first and second consecutive episodes.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr