Kim Nam-joo “Cha Eun-woo, an actor who gives you surprises”

Actor Kim Nam-joo is making a comeback after 6 years with MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Wonderful World', and expressed his feelings about working with Cha Eun-woo.

On the 7th, MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Wonderful World' released a written interview with Kim Nam-joo. 'Wonderful World' is a human mystery drama in which Eun Soo-hyun (played by Kim Nam-joo), who personally punished the murderer who killed her son, uncovers the mysterious secrets surrounding that day. Director Lee Seung-young of the dramas ‘Tracer 1, 2’ and ‘Voice 2’ and writer Kim Ji-eun of the dramas ‘Lies of Lies’ and ‘Cheongdam-dong Scandal’ teamed up. Actors Kim Nam-joo (playing the role of Eun Soo-hyun), Cha Eun-woo (playing the role of Kwon Seon-yul), Kim Kang-woo (playing the role of Kang Su-ho), and Lim Se-mi (playing the role of Han Yu-ri) have confirmed their appearances.

Above all, 'Wonderful World' is attracting attention as drama queen Kim Nam-joo's return to the small screen after 6 years. Kim Nam-joo shared his thoughts on his return, saying, "It's always exciting to meet viewers, and I feel a sense of responsibility and joy to repay them with good work." Regarding the reason for choosing 'Wonderful World' as her return work, Kim Nam-joo said, "When choosing a work, the most important thing to consider is 'Can I express this character well?' Eun Soo-hyun is a character with strong maternal instincts, and so am I. “As a mother of two children, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Eun Soo-hyun’s emotions.”

In the play, Eun Soo-hyun, played by Kim Nam-joo, is a psychology professor and writer who is socially successful and lives happily in a perfect family. However, his life changes 180 degrees when he loses his young son and personally punishes the murderer. Kim Nam-joo said, "The source of Eun Soo-hyun's strength is her strong maternal love. She is a person who represents the hearts of all mothers in the world who love their family as the top priority in life and will do anything for their children. She does not shy away from dedicating herself to protecting her family. He expressed his extraordinary affection, saying, “He is a person who always puts the difficulties around him before his own and is a positive influence.” He added, "While preparing for Eun Soo-hyun, I went into filming solely with a mother's heart. I tried to immerse myself in the moment of each scene, and I was thankful that the situation was not real, so I tried to only follow Eun Soo-hyun's emotions while filming." .

Expectations are gathering for the meeting with Cha Eun-woo. Kim Nam-joo gave a thumbs up to Cha Eun-woo, with whom he worked for the first time, saying, “An actor who continues to surprise you as time goes by.” He also said, “I was able to act with ease throughout filming because he always asks for advice with an open mind, is not hesitant to listen, and works hard at every moment. Cha Eun-woo is a good actor who has flexibility in thinking and a positive mind.” The positive reviews raised expectations for synergy between the two.

Kim Nam-joo also generously expressed his affection for the actors he worked with. Regarding Kim Kang-woo (played by Kang Soo-ho), the capable anchor and husband of a former reporter in the play, he said, "He is a veteran actor whom I could always rely on." He added, "He did not remain silent even during difficult filming and did his best to act, and he also loves his family. “He showed his father’s image without any hesitation.” Regarding Lim Se-mi (played by Han Yu-ri), who is like a real sister in the play and the CEO of Cheongdam Edit Shop, she said, "Actress Lim Se-mi not only gave great acting, but also spread the laughter virus throughout the filming set with her bright and positive energy," and conveyed the atmosphere on set.

Regarding Won Mi-kyung (played by Oh Eun), who played the role of mother and daughter in the drama, "Mr. Won Mi-kyung is someone I have always respected and envied. It was my first time seeing her in a work, but as soon as I met her, she felt like my own mother to me. She took care of me and stroked me like a daughter throughout the filming. “I relied on my teacher as his golden daughter. Even now that filming is over, I still miss my teacher’s warm embrace,” he said, expressing his affection. In addition, “I am with my colleagues, seniors and juniors, who gave their all in acting, such as my mother-in-law, Gil Hae-yeon (played by Jeong Myeong-hee), who warmly held my hand when I was off camera, and Kang Ae-sim (played by Jang Hyeong-ja), who generously showed the sincerity of her acting. “It was a great blessing and honor,” he said.

Kim Nam-joo said, "'Wonderful World' is a drama with a strong message that makes us think again about family love. I also hope that it will be a work that sounds a warning to those who are socially evil. We ask for your support and watching a lot."

'Wonderful World' will be broadcast for the first time on March 1st, following 'Flowers that Bloom at Night', and can also be viewed through Disney+.

Kang Min-kyung, Ten Asia reporter kkk39@tenasia.co.kr