[Interview] 'Kingdom: Ashin of the North' Director Kim Seong-hoon "Jun Ji-hyun Ran Cool Like a Warrior"

Photo by Netflix

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Director Kim Seong-hoon, who directed ‘Kingdom’ Season 1, has returned with the spin-off ‘Kingdom: Ashin of the North,’ starring Jun Ji-hyun, who appeared at the end of Season 2. Some have expressed that it is somewhat disappointing compared to the first two seasons. Regarding the mixed reactions, he said, “As a director, I did my best to condense the story into a short 92 minutes.” About working with Jun Ji-hyun, he expressed satisfaction, saying, “The sadness that breaks through her restrained emotions was impressive.”

Director Kim Seong-hoon shared various stories about the Netflix original series ‘Kingdom: Ashin of the North’ on the 28th.

‘Kingdom: Ashin of the North’ is a film that tells the story of Saengsacho and Ashin, the beginning of the great tragedy that engulfed Joseon, serving as a prequel to ‘Kingdom’ Seasons 1 and 2. Director Kim Seong-hoon, who led the K-zombie craze with Season 1, and writer Kim Eun-hee collaborated once again.

Regarding the work released on the OTT platform Netflix on the 23rd, Director Kim said, “I was curious about how viewers would watch it and was afraid that I might have made mistakes. I was excited and thrilled but also worried.” He added, “So far, it has ranked in the top 10 in over 80 countries and reached 2nd place in the global movie rankings,” expressing relief.

Some have expressed disappointment that Joseon people were portrayed as villains. Director Kim said, “Like all creators, I cannot be 100% satisfied with the work. Waiting for the results is like sitting on a bed of nails. I will accept the criticism and carefully examine which parts were disappointing to reflect them in my next work.”

‘Ashin of the North’ can be seen as a stepping stone episode leading to ‘Kingdom’ Season 3. He said, “While Seasons 1 and 2 depicted the greed for power in the southern part of Joseon, ‘Ashin of the North’ portrays the resentment of the extremely poor living in the northern region.” He continued, “Lee Chang and his group, who handed over the throne, uncover the secret of Saengsacho and head north to meet Ashin. Even just the scene where Jun Ji-hyun and Ju Ji-hoon meet in Season 3 will convey considerable tension.”

Regarding the criticism that Jun Ji-hyun’s screen time was somewhat short and some scenes lacked tension, the director said, “It was not easy to condense the story into a short 92 minutes and 1,102 cuts,” but added, “I paid attention to small details, such as whether the teeth color of supporting actors matched the historical background.”

Previously, ‘Kingdom’ received responses from global viewers that the Eastern zombie genre was unique. Conscious of this, the film focused on Eastern visual aesthetics. Director Kim said, “Season 1 was filmed with permission at palace sets and folk villages. There were southern-style houses available. Since the northern region was inaccessible, we had to create natural landscapes. We worked hard to convincingly depict the northern scenery from hundreds of years ago.”

He added, “We filmed the northern scenes in the southernmost Jeju Island. We captured the forests, trees, ferns, and the feeling of long roots in Jeju. We tried to portray a cold and chilling atmosphere well. The desolate and vast locations were shot at the far end of the Saemangeum reclamation area. I wondered why such a beautiful and magnificent place hadn’t been used for filming before, but there was a reason. The car wheels got stuck in the mudflats, causing trouble. Maybe that was the price for filming in such a beautiful place,” he laughed.

There were various reactions to the dark screen. Some expressed discomfort while watching and disappointment. The director said, “We worked with the intention of focusing on the deep darkness of the character (Ashin). We tried many approaches through the color grading process called DIA. The aim was to create an environment that feels familiar yet unfamiliar.”

Regarding working with Jun Ji-hyun, Director Kim said, “I was very satisfied.” He recalled, “She had already proven her action skills in ‘Berlin’ (2012) and ‘Assassination’ (2015). Her ability to shoot like a sharpshooter and express it without exaggeration was impressive.” He continued, “We shot Ashin’s running scene in a long take, and all the staff and I were amazed at how she ran so coolly like a warrior. When I asked her secret, she said she trained regularly through exercise.”

He believed Ashin was a role that perfectly suited Jun Ji-hyun. Director Kim said, “The role required a heavy presence that seemed not to express emotions. Jun Ji-hyun reveals a different side from her usual romantic comedy roles in action works, and I cast her with confidence in that.”

He added, “Ashin, as portrayed by Jun Ji-hyun, was very impressive. She held onto her sadness, but the genuine emotions that inevitably burst out?the restrained sorrow?were expressed so well,” showing his satisfaction.

Director Kim Seong-hoon is also set to direct ‘Kingdom’ Season 3. He said, “I have already made a promise.” He cautiously added, “I heard from writer Kim Eun-hee about the story that will unfold in Season 3, and as a director, I am eager.”

“I was offered ‘Kingdom’ before the release of the movie ‘Tunnel’ (2016). I started the project with expectations and interest that it would be a new experience. At the time, I was drinking a can of beer in front of a convenience store and thought, ‘Shall I give it a try?’ Over the past three years, it has become my main job. I joked that it was a cheap deal. It feels like I became a full-time employee of ‘Kingdom.’ I truly feel I made a great choice. I now have two titles: drama director and film director. Haha.”