Battling the power-hungry

Joo Ji-Hoon and Kim Kang-Woo share their experience playing the lead characters in fantasy drama The Item

AFTER a three-year hiatus, popular South Korean actor Joo Ji Hoon made his comeback on the small screen to play Kang Gon in the Korean fantasy drama The Item. Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, The Item is a story of a man and a woman set to uncover the secrets behind the conspiracy surrounding objects with supernatural powers.

Kang Gon is a prosecutor who raises his niece and finds that lives are caught in the mystery of supernatural items.

“He is a strong and independent prosecutor. He fights for justice, and he often gets into trouble because of that. However, he does not back down,” said Joo Ji Hoon.

Joo agreed to be a part of the show because he was intrigued by the story and visual effects.

“I had to meet with the director frequently to discuss the script as well as various scenes and my character. Throughout the process, I was able to get concrete ideas on how to portray my character in each scene,” he said.

“My goal was to play a character that the average Korean person can relate to.”

His performance has received the thumbs-up from fellow actors. Joo said that receiving compliments from competitors in the industry would be considered rare a few years ago.

So Joo is proud to witness this positive culture of supporting one another in the industry.

Being open to criticism is crucial for an actor to improve his performancet, he added.

ALONE ON THE SET

Kim Kang-Woo plays wealthy villain Jo Se Hwang who uses his money to collect items with supernatural powers and will kill anyone who gets in the way.

Kim admitted that he found it tough to portray a villain as it was his first time taking on such a role.

“He thinks that he’s god. That’s why he has a strong desire to have special power. He stops at nothing to reach that goal. His public image and when he’s scheming are complete opposite. It almost felt like I have taken on a dual role,” said Kim.

“My character is a power-hungry individual. He is insanely attracted to a bracelet with special powers and will kill to have it. He is convinced he is able to control the world with the bracelet.

“When you are a protagonist, everyone loves you and they stand by you. But when you play a villain it is important that you don’t share a connection with the other actors, even off camera. To perfect my role, I spent a lot of time alone on the set.”