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Lee Sun-Kyun teams up with star director for first Korean Apple TV+ original
- November 05, 2021 | Broadcasting
Lee Sun-Kyun teams up with star director for first Korean Apple TV+ original
Updated : 2021-11-04 17:46
By Lee Gyu-lee
Actor Lee Sun-Kyun, who garnered international fame through the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," has teamed up with star director Kim Jee-woon for the sci-fi series "Dr. Brain," the first Korean original series for the Apple TV+ streaming service.
The series is set to premiere with the service's launch in the country, Thursday.
"While Korean content is getting more and more attention globally, it is a privilege for the series to be released through Apple TV+ and I hope we contribute to a further boom in Korean content," the actor said during an online press conference for the series, Wednesday.
Based on the popular webcomic of the same name by Hongjacga, the new series revolves around a genius neuroscientist Sewon (Lee) who develops a technology that will allow access to the unconsciousness and buried memories in the brain.
After losing his family to a mysterious accident, he uses his technology to find the truth behind the terrible tragedy, even willing to go to extraordinary lengths in order to access the deceased ones' memories for clues.
Lee said the biggest reason for taking part in the series was the director, who has a track record of hit movies such as the action films "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" and "A Bittersweet Life," Hollywood film "The Last Stand," and horror flic "A Tale of Two Sisters."
"The first and foremost reason (for accepting the role) was because I could work with director Kim," he said. "Also, it had a very unique story that I've never encountered in Korea. The first two episodes of the script were a bit difficult to follow because of the terminology and the scientific aspects of the story but as the story develops, I fell deeper into it to the point that I was dying to know what happens next as a reader."
This is the first series for Kim, despite his long filmography ― he said it felt as if he was making his directorial debut all over again.
"It was overwhelming. I would be responsible for all the outcomes and lead the production, but there were so many things that were a first for me," he said. "It was such a refreshing experience. I tried to pull out all the stops and gather all my techniques and experiences from my previous work with a fresh perspective."
Adding making a six-part series was harder than a two-hour-long movie, he said that he focused on making each episode compact.
"It was hard to make the story into a six-hour length without having any loose parts. And making a series had more limitations on things I can do than in movies," he said. "But I put in a lot of effort to keep the fuel burning throughout all six episodes and to make each of them in a way that viewers will look forward to watching the next one."
The director noted that the series adaptation will be a little different than the original webcomic.
"The webcomic is very original. Being able to see what goes around in one's head and reading other people's minds is what many would desire to do. So the story (that revolves around that concept) sounded really interesting," he said. "Whereas the original story focuses more on solving the murder mystery, the series delves deeper into more things, with richer plots. It has fun, meaning, and an emotional message, like an assorted gift basket."
Actor Lee Sun-Kyun, who garnered international fame through the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," has teamed up with star director Kim Jee-woon for the sci-fi series "Dr. Brain," the first Korean original series for the Apple TV+ streaming service.
The series is set to premiere with the service's launch in the country, Thursday.
"While Korean content is getting more and more attention globally, it is a privilege for the series to be released through Apple TV+ and I hope we contribute to a further boom in Korean content," the actor said during an online press conference for the series, Wednesday.
Based on the popular webcomic of the same name by Hongjacga, the new series revolves around a genius neuroscientist Sewon (Lee) who develops a technology that will allow access to the unconsciousness and buried memories in the brain.
After losing his family to a mysterious accident, he uses his technology to find the truth behind the terrible tragedy, even willing to go to extraordinary lengths in order to access the deceased ones' memories for clues.
Lee said the biggest reason for taking part in the series was the director, who has a track record of hit movies such as the action films "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" and "A Bittersweet Life," Hollywood film "The Last Stand," and horror flic "A Tale of Two Sisters."
"The first and foremost reason (for accepting the role) was because I could work with director Kim," he said. "Also, it had a very unique story that I've never encountered in Korea. The first two episodes of the script were a bit difficult to follow because of the terminology and the scientific aspects of the story but as the story develops, I fell deeper into it to the point that I was dying to know what happens next as a reader."
This is the first series for Kim, despite his long filmography ― he said it felt as if he was making his directorial debut all over again.
"It was overwhelming. I would be responsible for all the outcomes and lead the production, but there were so many things that were a first for me," he said. "It was such a refreshing experience. I tried to pull out all the stops and gather all my techniques and experiences from my previous work with a fresh perspective."
Adding making a six-part series was harder than a two-hour-long movie, he said that he focused on making each episode compact.
"It was hard to make the story into a six-hour length without having any loose parts. And making a series had more limitations on things I can do than in movies," he said. "But I put in a lot of effort to keep the fuel burning throughout all six episodes and to make each of them in a way that viewers will look forward to watching the next one."
The director noted that the series adaptation will be a little different than the original webcomic.
"The webcomic is very original. Being able to see what goes around in one's head and reading other people's minds is what many would desire to do. So the story (that revolves around that concept) sounded really interesting," he said. "Whereas the original story focuses more on solving the murder mystery, the series delves deeper into more things, with richer plots. It has fun, meaning, and an emotional message, like an assorted gift basket."
Reporter : gyulee@koreatimes.co.kr
