Park Min-young Returns to TV with New Caper Drama 'Confidence Man KR'

Park Min-young, known as the 'Queen of Box Office Hits,' is making her return to the small screen after a year since her success with 'Marry My Husband.' This time, she is taking on a caper drama, 'Confidence Man KR,' showcasing a new side of her acting skills by playing a character who curses and smokes.

On the 1st, a press conference for TV Chosun's new weekend mini-series 'Confidence Man KR' was held at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Director Nam Ki-hoon and actors Park Min-young, Park Hee-soon, and Joo Jong-hyuk attended the event.

'Confidence Man KR' follows three con artists with versatile skills as they seek revenge against the villains of this era. The series promises to cleverly exploit the loopholes in the social system and offers a refreshing twist on the traditional crime genre, heralding the birth of a 'K-Caper' drama. It will be simultaneously available on domestic and international OTT platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Coupang Play.

The series is adapted from a Japanese original. Director Nam Ki-hoon shared, "We focused on the reasons behind the cons. We tried to infuse Park Min-young's character with a Korean backstory."

Park Min-young, born in 1986 and unmarried, plays Yoon Yi-rang, a genius con artist leader with an IQ of 165, placing her in the top 1%. She explained, "I play the leader who devises plans and assigns roles among the con artists, boasting a high IQ. Although she has sociopathic tendencies, she has a deep history. It's a role any actor would covet. It was challenging to transform, but I enjoyed filming."

When asked about her confidence in the show's success, Park Min-young said, "Success is unpredictable for anyone. Being Amazon Prime's first original work, it was an opportunity I couldn't miss. While I hope it does well, I feel a personal burden. Domestic success is important, but this time it's a more global project, so I worked with a sense of responsibility."

Regarding the differences from her previous work 'Marry My Husband,' she noted, "In 'Marry My Husband,' I was on the receiving end, but this time, I get to retaliate, which made it more appealing. I wanted a lively role where I could be physically active, and this character is dynamic and proactive."

Park Min-young previously received criticism for her awkward Gyeongsang-do dialect in 'Marry My Husband.' She commented, "I attempted the Gyeongsang-do dialect recklessly and received negative feedback. This time, I abandoned dialects and used an imagined one, a mix of Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang dialects, reflecting my own unique style."

Park Hee-soon plays James, the spiritual leader of the con artist team. Recently attending the Venice International Film Festival for the movie 'No Choice,' he joked, "I rushed here from Venice. I feel like an idol. It's inevitable. I need to stay focused."

About his character, Park Hee-soon said, "He's the eldest and central figure among the trio. We created a fun project together."

A highlight of 'Confidence Man KR' is the diverse special makeup of the actors. Joo Jong-hyuk, who plays the youngest member Myung Goo-ho, shared, "The longest makeup was for cross-dressing, taking about two and a half hours. It was my first time experiencing such lengthy makeup. Wearing heels made me about 190cm tall, but my large Adam's apple couldn't be hidden."

Park Hee-soon recalled, "I once had six hours of makeup. Only the makeup and costume teams knew the plan, so when I walked around the set, other staff didn't recognize me. It was thrilling." Park Min-young added, "As the competition grew, we kept adding more transformations. By the end, we had a high-quality transformation akin to Bruno Mars, making me feel I couldn't compete."

The series also promises various special appearances. Lee Yi-kyung, who played a trashy husband in 'Marry My Husband,' makes a special appearance in 'Confidence Man KR' at Park Min-young's recommendation. She explained, "I recommended him for a scene where a narcissistic man sings 'Emergency Room' in the bathroom. I thought Lee Yi-kyung could pull it off, and he agreed willingly. In 'Marry My Husband,' he was a trashy husband, but this time, he's my good brother, which was great."

Park Min-young shared, "In this project, I cursed and smoked. The director allowed us to explore things we hadn't done before. I think this drama allowed us to express different sides of ourselves."

Park Hee-soon requested, "Older viewers can watch on TV Chosun, younger viewers on Coupang Play, and overseas viewers on Amazon Prime."

'Confidence Man KR' premieres on the 6th at 9:10 PM.

Tae Yuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr