The production press conference for the SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Brave New World’ (written by Kang Hyun-joo, directed by Han Tae-seop and Kim Hyun-woo) was held on the 7th at the SBS Broadcasting Center in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Lim Ji-yeon, Heo Nam-jun, Jang Seung-jo, Kim Min-seok, Lee Se-hee, and Director Han Tae-seop attended the event.
‘Brave New World’ tells the story of a war-like romance between Shin Seo-ri (played by Lim Ji-yeon), an unknown actress possessed by the soul of a legendary Joseon villainess, and Cha Se-gye (played by Heo Nam-jun), a ruthless chaebol known as a “monster born of capitalism.”
Director Han Tae-seop, who previously directed ‘Stove League’ and ‘Cheer Up’, teamed up with rookie writer Kang Hyun-joo for this project.
Director Han Tae-seop described the work as “a story depicting the hate-to-love chemistry that unfolds when a villainess, who died by poison in the Joseon Dynasty, meets a ruthless chaebol.”
Lim Ji-yeon takes on the roles of Shin Seo-ri and Kang Dan-shim. While she was the legendary villainess Kang Dan-shim who shook Joseon, she wakes up in the body of an unknown actress in South Korea named Shin Seo-ri.
Lim Ji-yeon shared about her character, saying, “I woke up possessed in Shin Seo-ri’s body. You could call it a dual role, but it’s one soul.” She raised expectations by adding, “I’ve done everything I possibly could. I poured all my abilities into this.”
She continued, “I think this is a character you’ve never seen in any other drama. I wanted to express her well because I love her so much. I’m very confident and hope she becomes a beloved character. She’s just as impactful as Yeon-jin.” She added, “I loved Shin Seo-ri so much that viewers will be able to feel it too.”
Director Han Tae-seop mentioned, “The writer said, ‘Good women go to heaven when they die, but evil women go anywhere.'” He added, “The charm lies in the infinite possibilities and unpredictability.”
He expressed his affection, saying, “The character of Shin Seo-ri herself was the plot and the genre. Lim Ji-yeon handled everything from romantic comedy to action so well that I wondered if she could really go this far. I can say that Lim Ji-yeon is the competitive edge of our work.”
Heo Nam-jun plays Cha Se-gye, a third-generation chaebol of the Chail Group. He is a character with no warmth for others, using even his notoriety as a “monster born of capitalism” to his advantage.
Heo Nam-jun said, “He is a character called a ruthless chaebol. He is specialized in business and is a sharp person who values rational thinking. He gradually changes as he finds things he wants to protect and reasons to become vulnerable.”
He added, “The atmosphere on set was great. I did my best in everything from comedy and romance to the genre elements, so I believe a good result will come.”
He also caught attention by praising his co-star Lim Ji-yeon, saying their chemistry was “amazing.” Heo Nam-jun added, “She is one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. Even in very difficult situations, she always talked and joked around. As time went on, I felt more comfortable and natural. I’m confident in our chemistry.”
Lim Ji-yeon responded, “I’m so glad Heo Nam-jun was Se-gye, because I can’t even imagine Cha Se-gye being anyone else.” She added, “Shin Seo-ri had a lot to do and many people to meet, which was exhausting, but there were many moments when he encouraged me. He was a huge vitamin that helped me overcome the tough filming environment. I’m so grateful, and he’s so lovely that I’m sad to part ways.”
Jang Seung-jo plays Choi Moon-do, the president of Chail Construction and a key figure in the Chail Group, who is also Cha Se-gye’s fifth cousin. He is a character struggling to get into the good graces of his uncle, Chairman Dal-su.
Jang Seung-jo described him as “an ambitious man with a great desire to take over the group.” Having previously played a villain in the Netflix series ‘You Killed It’, he takes on another antagonist role here.
He explained his reason for choosing the project, saying, “I was curious about what other side of myself I could show. I believed that since the character is different, I would appear different. I felt a greed to challenge myself with a new character.”
The point he focused on most in this work is the “beauty of restraint.” Jang Seung-jo added, “I wanted to portray him as a person who cannot even laugh out loud in his way of expression, behavior, or even laughter. Perhaps it could be called ‘the birth of another evil,'” raising expectations.
Lim Ji-yeon said, “You’ll see a meeting between a villainess and a ruthless person like never before. When acting with Cha Se-gye, I naturally blended in and the character developed. I received a lot of help.” She hinted, “I think I was a bit more evil. The battle of evil was more between me and Moon-do than Se-gye.”
Heo Nam-jun said, “I told the director toward the end of filming that it was fun and that it would turn out great. I think it will do well. I believe the peak viewership will exceed 20%.”
Jang Seung-jo also spoke about the ratings. He expressed his ambition, saying, “The beginning may be humble, but the end will be great. I’m sure it will definitely pass 10% and I’m hoping for over 15%. We worked hard. This is my first SBS Friday-Saturday drama, and I’m very excited. I’ll see you with a great performance.”
Their confidence in the show’s success led to bold rating pledges. Lim Ji-yeon said, “I will hold an event at Gyeongbokgung Palace wearing Nok-ui-hong-sang,” and Heo Nam-jun countered, “I’ll stand next to her in a suit.” Jang Seung-jo added, “I was thinking of Gyeongbokgung too. I’ll wear a hanbok.”
Finally, Lim Ji-yeon asked for viewers’ support, saying, “It’s very charming without a single boring moment. Please give it lots of interest and love.”
‘Brave New World’ premieres on the 8th at 9:50 PM.
