A black comedy featuring the “gods of acting” is on its way!
The production press conference for MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama ‘Fifty Percent’ took place on the 21st at MBC Sangam in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, Heo Sung-tae, Kim Shin-rok, Lee Hak-joo, and PD Han Dong-hwa.
Premiering on the 22nd, ‘Fifty Percent’ is an action comedy about three men who were once quite influential and are brought back into motion by fate. Though their bodies may be rusty, their loyalty and instincts remain intact as these “pros” who have run through 50% of their lives team up.
PD Han introduced the series, saying, “To put it simply, it’s a ‘comeback project.’ It’s a story of rising again amidst frustration and heartbreak, told through a blend of action, comedy, romance, and human drama.”
He continued, “We’ve put a unique spin on the comedy. It’s a B-grade black comedy that isn’t forced, but is serious yet poignant. The actors handled it very naturally.” He expressed confidence, adding, “Given their ages, focusing too much on action could lead to injuries, but aren’t these actors ‘acting monsters’? Black comedy cannot be done without strong acting skills to support it.”
He further raised expectations by stating, “Every character that appears is cute. It’s a work that people can watch and laugh with in times like these.”
To capture the charm of this delicate black comedy, the trusted trio of Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae have come together. PD Han’s high praise, stating that “this story of black comedy and poignancy couldn’t be done by anyone other than these three,” has only increased anticipation.
Shin Ha-kyun plays Jung Ho-myung, who has lived as the chef of Oran-banjeom for 10 years while hiding his past career at the National Intelligence Service. Oh Jung-se takes on the role of Bong Je-sun, a North Korean agent who lost his memory 10 years ago, and Heo Sung-tae plays Kang Beom-ryong, the second-in-command of the Huashan Sect who has been guarding a convenience store for 10 years.
Expectations are particularly high for the reunion of Shin Ha-kyun and Oh Jung-se, as their brief interaction in the movie ‘Extreme Job’ became legendary.
Shin Ha-kyun noted, “The characters don’t get along, which is why it’ll be fun,” and praised his co-star, saying, “Oh Jung-se is an actor in whom I always discover new sides.” Oh Jung-se also teased the birth of more legendary scenes, saying, “We only met briefly in the previous project, but I felt reassured and had a great time filming because we could work together for a longer period this time.”
Heo Sung-tae, who previously worked with Shin Ha-kyun in ‘Beyond Evil’ and Oh Jung-se in ‘Good Boy,’ expressed his deep affection, saying, “I decided to join before even reading the script. I don’t know about the other two, but I’ve always watched them from the side and back while they were acting on set. It’s an honor to be among them and talk about acting.”
While comedy is the main draw, the action scenes where these veteran actors push their limits are also expected to catch the eye.
Shin Ha-kyun shared, “There was a lot of action, so I did some boxing for a while to handle the physical demands,” while Heo Sung-tae added, “It felt like returning to my main job. My usual role involves street fighting, so I just followed the action team’s choreography. They made it look great, so I think it’ll come out looking cool.”
Oh Jung-se reportedly continued filming passionately even after sustaining an injury.
When Heo Sung-tae mentioned, “Jung-se hyung was uncomfortable due to an injury, but he filmed happily without showing it,” Oh Jung-se laughed and clarified, “It was just a slight muscle cramp.”
He added with a laugh, “The action team was doing aerial flips, and I just held it in because it was awkward to mention, but Heo Sung-tae put it very kindly. Heo Sung-tae would have acted through that level of pain too. Since there are many action scenes, I didn’t want to be a burden, so I focused on rehabilitation for over six months. With a body built that way and the help of the staff, I experienced being reborn as a human weapon.”
As the previous work, ’21st Century Daegunbuin,’ ended with strong results, all eyes are on whether ‘Fifty Percent’ can carry that momentum.
However, since ’21st Century Daegunbuin’ is currently at the center of controversy regarding historical distortion, PD Han briefly mentioned, “The previous work had good ratings and generated a lot of buzz, so I think it’s a good piece,” but added, “This is a different kind of work with its own charm. I hope viewers focus on that part.”
He added, “Since such wonderful people are involved, I hope we can hit double-digit ratings.” To celebrate reaching double-digit ratings, the three lead actors promised to take on a “challenge,” further raising expectations.
