Every production has numerous perspectives. Although the director and actors share the same space and time, their experiences may differ. 'Choi Song-hee's B-Cut' focuses on the vivid behind-the-scenes moments that go beyond the 'A-Cut' captured on screen. It reconstructs the more intense 'B-Cut' moments through interviews with the director and actors. <Editor’s Note>
Netflix's series 'Donggung' follows Gucheon (played by Nam Joo-hyuk), who possesses the ability to traverse the world of spirits, and a palace maid named Saenggang (played by Noh Yoon-seo), as they uncover a curse haunting the palace at the king's (played by Jo Seung-woo) request. In its second week of release, the series climbed to second place in Netflix's global Top 10 non-English shows and made the Top 10 lists in 69 countries, including South Korea.
The popularity of 'Donggung' extends beyond its storyline to the production elements that brought the spirit world to life, including art, lighting, music, and CGI. Notably, Kkeomeoksari, a spirit that accompanies Gucheon, has become one of the most talked-about characters since its release. Nicknamed 'Post Duffy' and 'Joseon Groot,' Kkeomeoksari, despite its small and cute appearance, plays a strong supporting role, becoming the mascot of 'Donggung.'
"Designing Kkeomeoksari was quite challenging. While other spirits have relatively clear roles, Kkeomeoksari needed to be a friendly presence for both Gucheon and the audience, while also having the ability to transform and assist. I spent a lot of time considering how to create that sense of persuasion, going through various designs inspired by textures of stone and clay found in statues and figurines. The original story had a black image, which led to the development of the earthy feel," said Director Choi Jeong-kyu.
Cuteness was also a crucial aspect of Kkeomeoksari's character. It was not merely a decorative figure but one that needed to interact continuously with Gucheon. Writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won previously mentioned that they drew inspiration for Kkeomeoksari from urban legends.
"Since Kkeomeoksari is a character that needs to interact with Gucheon, cuteness was an important element. The writers expressed that they felt a sense of cuteness in the repeated phrase 'I am Kkeomeoksari' in the original story. I believe that’s why the script was structured to allow for that role," Director Choi added.
Nam Joo-hyuk showcased a unique chemistry with Kkeomeoksari. To aid the actors, Director Choi created a model of Kkeomeoksari for them to interact with before filming. This model provided significant assistance compared to relying solely on CGI.
"There was a model of Kkeomeoksari. Once the shoot began, we had to remove the model, so I spent a lot of time looking at it before we started filming. I thought, 'This character will exist here.' I discussed with the director how Kkeomeoksari would move in certain scenes, which helped me imagine, 'At this moment, it must be here,' while filming," Nam Joo-hyuk explained.
During filming, Nam Joo-hyuk believed Kkeomeoksari could become the mascot of the production. He understood that Kkeomeoksari was meant to embody cuteness alongside Gucheon, prompting him to create chemistry with the character.
"I thought that would be the case and made an effort. Since I was told that Kkeomeoksari would be the character responsible for cuteness in our production, I felt it was important to develop chemistry with it," he said.
The chemistry between Saenggang and Gucheon is also a key element of 'Donggung.' Nam Joo-hyuk and Noh Yoon-seo were conscious of not defining their characters' relationship as purely romantic, focusing instead on building emotional depth.
"I didn’t think of it as a romance. I see Gucheon and Saenggang as having a savior-like relationship where they come to rely on each other, and I believe there is a strong camaraderie. However, I wanted to approach it in a way that allows the audience to perceive it as romantic or as something deeper, like camaraderie or another energy. The script itself didn’t contain romance, so we aimed to allow viewers to imagine various interpretations of Gucheon and Saenggang's relationship," Nam Joo-hyuk said.
"While acting, I anticipated that there would be various interpretations of Gucheon and Saenggang's relationship, and I hoped many would try to interpret their savior-like bond. I found it interesting and enjoyable to see the many interpretations and imaginations that emerged. I hope viewers continue to imagine more," Noh Yoon-seo added.
Director Choi expressed pride in the growing chemistry between Nam Joo-hyuk and Noh Yoon-seo as the episodes progressed. His favorite scene is the hug between Saenggang and Gucheon, noting that the fleeting expressions of the actors added depth to the moment.
"In Joo-hyuk's case, I liked his expressions before and after saving Saenggang. Especially when Saenggang hugs Gucheon, there’s a brief expression he shows that conveys warmth, as if to say, 'Oh, he’s crying again.' I felt that expression revealed the emotions Gucheon had been harboring for Saenggang throughout the eight episodes. That kind of moment isn’t something that can be directed; it’s a sensation created spontaneously by the actor," Director Choi said.
Action scenes depicting the spirit world were also significant. The character Byeolgam originates from traditional torture methods, specifically the 'domoji' technique. Director Choi aimed to convey Gucheon's fatigue and anguish through Byeolgam's actions.
"Byeolgam is based on the traditional torture method of domoji, where paper is attached to the face and water is poured. I captured the image of the most painful moment experienced by the character. Through Byeolgam's actions, I wanted to show Gucheon's fatigue and anguish in the spirit world. Therefore, Joo-hyuk performed high-difficulty actions himself, and we aimed to capture as much of the actual performance as possible rather than just cutting it together," Director Choi explained.
"The Byeolgam action was the first action scene we filmed, and we shot it less than a month after starting in December. At that time, I had a cold. I filmed while feeling unwell after stepping outside to get some fresh air, which made me feel worse. I think that contributed to the desperate and powerless action that was completed, as if my energy was being drained like Gucheon. When fighting spirits in the spirit world, I approached it with a defensive mindset, thinking that I needed to send them to a better place, and I believe that kind of powerless action was well executed," Nam Joo-hyuk concluded.
Netflix's series 'Donggung' follows Gucheon (played by Nam Joo-hyuk), who possesses the ability to traverse the world of spirits, and a palace maid named Saenggang (played by Noh Yoon-seo), as they uncover a curse haunting the palace at the king's (played by Jo Seung-woo) request. In its second week of release, the series climbed to second place in Netflix's global Top 10 non-English shows and made the Top 10 lists in 69 countries, including South Korea.
The popularity of 'Donggung' extends beyond its storyline to the production elements that brought the spirit world to life, including art, lighting, music, and CGI. Notably, Kkeomeoksari, a spirit that accompanies Gucheon, has become one of the most talked-about characters since its release. Nicknamed 'Post Duffy' and 'Joseon Groot,' Kkeomeoksari, despite its small and cute appearance, plays a strong supporting role, becoming the mascot of 'Donggung.'
"Designing Kkeomeoksari was quite challenging. While other spirits have relatively clear roles, Kkeomeoksari needed to be a friendly presence for both Gucheon and the audience, while also having the ability to transform and assist. I spent a lot of time considering how to create that sense of persuasion, going through various designs inspired by textures of stone and clay found in statues and figurines. The original story had a black image, which led to the development of the earthy feel," said Director Choi Jeong-kyu.
Cuteness was also a crucial aspect of Kkeomeoksari's character. It was not merely a decorative figure but one that needed to interact continuously with Gucheon. Writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won previously mentioned that they drew inspiration for Kkeomeoksari from urban legends.
"Since Kkeomeoksari is a character that needs to interact with Gucheon, cuteness was an important element. The writers expressed that they felt a sense of cuteness in the repeated phrase 'I am Kkeomeoksari' in the original story. I believe that’s why the script was structured to allow for that role," Director Choi added.
Nam Joo-hyuk showcased a unique chemistry with Kkeomeoksari. To aid the actors, Director Choi created a model of Kkeomeoksari for them to interact with before filming. This model provided significant assistance compared to relying solely on CGI.
"There was a model of Kkeomeoksari. Once the shoot began, we had to remove the model, so I spent a lot of time looking at it before we started filming. I thought, 'This character will exist here.' I discussed with the director how Kkeomeoksari would move in certain scenes, which helped me imagine, 'At this moment, it must be here,' while filming," Nam Joo-hyuk explained.
During filming, Nam Joo-hyuk believed Kkeomeoksari could become the mascot of the production. He understood that Kkeomeoksari was meant to embody cuteness alongside Gucheon, prompting him to create chemistry with the character.
"I thought that would be the case and made an effort. Since I was told that Kkeomeoksari would be the character responsible for cuteness in our production, I felt it was important to develop chemistry with it," he said.
The chemistry between Saenggang and Gucheon is also a key element of 'Donggung.' Nam Joo-hyuk and Noh Yoon-seo were conscious of not defining their characters' relationship as purely romantic, focusing instead on building emotional depth.
"I didn’t think of it as a romance. I see Gucheon and Saenggang as having a savior-like relationship where they come to rely on each other, and I believe there is a strong camaraderie. However, I wanted to approach it in a way that allows the audience to perceive it as romantic or as something deeper, like camaraderie or another energy. The script itself didn’t contain romance, so we aimed to allow viewers to imagine various interpretations of Gucheon and Saenggang's relationship," Nam Joo-hyuk said.
"While acting, I anticipated that there would be various interpretations of Gucheon and Saenggang's relationship, and I hoped many would try to interpret their savior-like bond. I found it interesting and enjoyable to see the many interpretations and imaginations that emerged. I hope viewers continue to imagine more," Noh Yoon-seo added.
Director Choi expressed pride in the growing chemistry between Nam Joo-hyuk and Noh Yoon-seo as the episodes progressed. His favorite scene is the hug between Saenggang and Gucheon, noting that the fleeting expressions of the actors added depth to the moment.
"In Joo-hyuk's case, I liked his expressions before and after saving Saenggang. Especially when Saenggang hugs Gucheon, there’s a brief expression he shows that conveys warmth, as if to say, 'Oh, he’s crying again.' I felt that expression revealed the emotions Gucheon had been harboring for Saenggang throughout the eight episodes. That kind of moment isn’t something that can be directed; it’s a sensation created spontaneously by the actor," Director Choi said.
Action scenes depicting the spirit world were also significant. The character Byeolgam originates from traditional torture methods, specifically the 'domoji' technique. Director Choi aimed to convey Gucheon's fatigue and anguish through Byeolgam's actions.
"Byeolgam is based on the traditional torture method of domoji, where paper is attached to the face and water is poured. I captured the image of the most painful moment experienced by the character. Through Byeolgam's actions, I wanted to show Gucheon's fatigue and anguish in the spirit world. Therefore, Joo-hyuk performed high-difficulty actions himself, and we aimed to capture as much of the actual performance as possible rather than just cutting it together," Director Choi explained.
"The Byeolgam action was the first action scene we filmed, and we shot it less than a month after starting in December. At that time, I had a cold. I filmed while feeling unwell after stepping outside to get some fresh air, which made me feel worse. I think that contributed to the desperate and powerless action that was completed, as if my energy was being drained like Gucheon. When fighting spirits in the spirit world, I approached it with a defensive mindset, thinking that I needed to send them to a better place, and I believe that kind of powerless action was well executed," Nam Joo-hyuk concluded.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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