남주혁 has returned to global audiences with his first project after military service, 'Donggung.' The Netflix series achieved 4.9 million views within three days of its release, ranking second in the global Top 10 non-English shows and maintaining the top spot in South Korea's Top 10 series since its debut. At the center of the story is Nam Joo-hyuk, who plays Gucheon, a character with the ability to traverse between the world of the living and the realm of spirits. Alongside the secretive court lady, Saenggang (played by Noh Yoon-seo), he unravels the curse that haunts Donggung, firmly anchoring the narrative between reality and the supernatural.
"I’m glad to hear that people seem to enjoy 'Donggung.' I’ve heard that some viewers watched it all in one sitting, and it felt great to receive such positive feedback. The staff, cast, director, and writer all worked hard to create an engaging show from the hot summer to the cold winter. Hearing that makes the difficult moments during filming feel worthwhile," he said.
'Donggung' unfolds as a story that shifts between the real world and the spirit realm. Nam Joo-hyuk noted that the world of spirits was more intricately crafted than he had imagined when he first read the script, and he felt the scale of the action and underwater scenes more vividly once filming began.
"When I first read the script, I was surprised by how detailed the 'spirit world' was compared to what I had envisioned. The action scenes were more extensive than I anticipated, and I realized there were many underwater scenes once I actually got into the water. If the vividness of those scenes was well captured, then the hardships I faced during filming were nothing in comparison," he explained.
He anticipated some challenges when he first saw the script, as each of the eight episodes features significant action sequences. Having served in the military, he felt physically prepared and enthusiastic. However, his mindset changed when he encountered the set and the spirit world.
"I didn’t think I would escape hardship when I first read the script. With so much action and a major action scene in nearly every episode, I expected to face some challenges. But since I was in the military, I felt fit and energetic, thinking I would only face a little hardship. However, once I started filming and encountered the spirit world, I was amazed at how well it was realized. It shifted from 'I might face some hardship' to 'I will face a lot of hardship,'" he said.
Historical action requires consideration of costumes and movement. Nam Joo-hyuk did not view Gucheon’s actions as merely aggressive fighting. He interpreted them as a desire to guide spirits with stories to a better place while also ensuring his own survival.
"Rather than thinking of it as eliminating spirits, I focused on helping those with stories find their way to a better place. Gucheon also needs to survive, so I approached the action with the mindset of 'let’s go safely to a good place together.' I wanted to strip away any flair from my movements. I viewed the action not just as fighting but as a way to convey the message of 'go to a good place.' Therefore, I approached it more defensively than aggressively," he said.
There were also many scenes where he had to act against invisible entities. Nam Joo-hyuk relied on the set's arrangement and the director's guidance to imagine the positions and movements of these unseen characters.
"In the early scenes with the spirit, there was nothing in front of me. No matter how well the director directed, it was hard to visualize. But once I arrived on set and saw the surroundings, I could imagine where the spirit would emerge. As the action scenes were completed with graphic work based on my movements, I acted while considering various thoughts like 'Should I dodge here?'" he said.
In scenes with the creature, he practiced by observing a model. Once filming began, the model was removed, but he had spent time imagining its presence.
"There was a model for the creature. Once we started shooting, we had to remove the model, so I looked at it for a long time before that. I thought, 'This creature will be here.' I discussed with the director how it would move, and I imagined, 'It must be climbing here now' while filming. Since it was described as the cute character in our story, I aimed to create chemistry with it," he said.
The relationship between Gucheon and Saenggang cannot be simply defined as a romance. Nam Joo-hyuk views their connection as one of mutual reliance, akin to a savior relationship, with a strong sense of camaraderie.
"I didn’t think of it as a romance. I see Gucheon and Saenggang as saviors who come to rely on each other, and I believe there is a strong sense of camaraderie. However, I approached it with the idea that viewers might perceive it as a romance or feel a deeper camaraderie or different energy. Since the script itself didn’t contain romance, we aimed to allow viewers to imagine various interpretations of Gucheon and Saenggang. Based on the current reactions, it seems the audience is responding well to what we intended," he said.
His military service also provided him with time to reflect on his filmography. Nam Joo-hyuk expressed a desire to explore a wider range of characters beyond romantic comedies in the future, and he found that opportunity with 'Donggung' and the character of Gucheon.
"While in the military, I thought about wanting to explore more diverse characters. I had time to reflect on my filmography and realized I had done a lot of romantic comedies in my twenties. I still want to do romantic comedies, but I also want to encounter characters with stronger traits. While thinking about this, I met 'Donggung' and Gucheon, and I decided to shape Gucheon in that direction. I considered how a broken and isolated child would survive in an uncomfortable palace," he said.
Nam Joo-hyuk is aware of the mixed opinions regarding his acting and the recurring critiques. He embraces both positive feedback and constructive criticism as motivation for improvement.
"I recognize that opinions can be divided. This has been the case both in the past and now. I appreciate the positive comments and also value the constructive criticism, as they prompt me to think about how I can develop and grow further. Such feedback often serves as new motivation. The more viewers there are for a character, the more diverse opinions will arise. I will continue to reflect and strive to create better characters in the future," he said.
Looking ahead, Nam Joo-hyuk intends to approach each project with the same mindset, valuing the opportunity to work on quality productions and aspiring to be a more studied and researched actor.
"Being an actor means being evaluated with each project. I believe I will continue to approach each work with the same mindset. I will think about how to present my character well to the audience and what they will see in this project. I believe encountering good works is a great blessing for both actors and people. I am grateful for this opportunity and will continue to study and research to experience more of such moments in the future."
"I’m glad to hear that people seem to enjoy 'Donggung.' I’ve heard that some viewers watched it all in one sitting, and it felt great to receive such positive feedback. The staff, cast, director, and writer all worked hard to create an engaging show from the hot summer to the cold winter. Hearing that makes the difficult moments during filming feel worthwhile," he said.
'Donggung' unfolds as a story that shifts between the real world and the spirit realm. Nam Joo-hyuk noted that the world of spirits was more intricately crafted than he had imagined when he first read the script, and he felt the scale of the action and underwater scenes more vividly once filming began.
"When I first read the script, I was surprised by how detailed the 'spirit world' was compared to what I had envisioned. The action scenes were more extensive than I anticipated, and I realized there were many underwater scenes once I actually got into the water. If the vividness of those scenes was well captured, then the hardships I faced during filming were nothing in comparison," he explained.
He anticipated some challenges when he first saw the script, as each of the eight episodes features significant action sequences. Having served in the military, he felt physically prepared and enthusiastic. However, his mindset changed when he encountered the set and the spirit world.
"I didn’t think I would escape hardship when I first read the script. With so much action and a major action scene in nearly every episode, I expected to face some challenges. But since I was in the military, I felt fit and energetic, thinking I would only face a little hardship. However, once I started filming and encountered the spirit world, I was amazed at how well it was realized. It shifted from 'I might face some hardship' to 'I will face a lot of hardship,'" he said.
Historical action requires consideration of costumes and movement. Nam Joo-hyuk did not view Gucheon’s actions as merely aggressive fighting. He interpreted them as a desire to guide spirits with stories to a better place while also ensuring his own survival.
"Rather than thinking of it as eliminating spirits, I focused on helping those with stories find their way to a better place. Gucheon also needs to survive, so I approached the action with the mindset of 'let’s go safely to a good place together.' I wanted to strip away any flair from my movements. I viewed the action not just as fighting but as a way to convey the message of 'go to a good place.' Therefore, I approached it more defensively than aggressively," he said.
There were also many scenes where he had to act against invisible entities. Nam Joo-hyuk relied on the set's arrangement and the director's guidance to imagine the positions and movements of these unseen characters.
"In the early scenes with the spirit, there was nothing in front of me. No matter how well the director directed, it was hard to visualize. But once I arrived on set and saw the surroundings, I could imagine where the spirit would emerge. As the action scenes were completed with graphic work based on my movements, I acted while considering various thoughts like 'Should I dodge here?'" he said.
In scenes with the creature, he practiced by observing a model. Once filming began, the model was removed, but he had spent time imagining its presence.
"There was a model for the creature. Once we started shooting, we had to remove the model, so I looked at it for a long time before that. I thought, 'This creature will be here.' I discussed with the director how it would move, and I imagined, 'It must be climbing here now' while filming. Since it was described as the cute character in our story, I aimed to create chemistry with it," he said.
The relationship between Gucheon and Saenggang cannot be simply defined as a romance. Nam Joo-hyuk views their connection as one of mutual reliance, akin to a savior relationship, with a strong sense of camaraderie.
"I didn’t think of it as a romance. I see Gucheon and Saenggang as saviors who come to rely on each other, and I believe there is a strong sense of camaraderie. However, I approached it with the idea that viewers might perceive it as a romance or feel a deeper camaraderie or different energy. Since the script itself didn’t contain romance, we aimed to allow viewers to imagine various interpretations of Gucheon and Saenggang. Based on the current reactions, it seems the audience is responding well to what we intended," he said.
His military service also provided him with time to reflect on his filmography. Nam Joo-hyuk expressed a desire to explore a wider range of characters beyond romantic comedies in the future, and he found that opportunity with 'Donggung' and the character of Gucheon.
"While in the military, I thought about wanting to explore more diverse characters. I had time to reflect on my filmography and realized I had done a lot of romantic comedies in my twenties. I still want to do romantic comedies, but I also want to encounter characters with stronger traits. While thinking about this, I met 'Donggung' and Gucheon, and I decided to shape Gucheon in that direction. I considered how a broken and isolated child would survive in an uncomfortable palace," he said.
Nam Joo-hyuk is aware of the mixed opinions regarding his acting and the recurring critiques. He embraces both positive feedback and constructive criticism as motivation for improvement.
"I recognize that opinions can be divided. This has been the case both in the past and now. I appreciate the positive comments and also value the constructive criticism, as they prompt me to think about how I can develop and grow further. Such feedback often serves as new motivation. The more viewers there are for a character, the more diverse opinions will arise. I will continue to reflect and strive to create better characters in the future," he said.
Looking ahead, Nam Joo-hyuk intends to approach each project with the same mindset, valuing the opportunity to work on quality productions and aspiring to be a more studied and researched actor.
"Being an actor means being evaluated with each project. I believe I will continue to approach each work with the same mindset. I will think about how to present my character well to the audience and what they will see in this project. I believe encountering good works is a great blessing for both actors and people. I am grateful for this opportunity and will continue to study and research to experience more of such moments in the future."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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