Seo In Guk and Kim Ji Hoon reflect on their roles in ‘Death’s Game’

With so many K-dramas being constantly released every month, audiences are spoilt for choices on what to watch. Mystery thrillers, romantic comedies, revenge dramas—you name it, there’s a K-drama for it. But after hours of binge-watching and investing your emotions (sometimes, too much), not every K-drama will have the satisfying pay-off you’re looking for.

Prime Video’s Death’s Game certainly has the makings of a great K-drama that keeps you at the edge of your seat and draws you back for its compelling storyline. Featuring one of the most star-studded cast lineups seen in recent K-drama history (over 10 of South Korea’s top-billed stars) and a fantastical exploration of reincarnation and second chances, Death’s Game is one of those K-dramas fans of the genre will come to remember for a long time. 

Since the premiere of Part 2 in January, the show has received critical acclaim and high praise from audiences. We had the opportunity to reflect on the whirlwind success of Death’s Game with Seo In Guk and Kim Ji Hoon themselves. Read ahead to find out what the two scene stealers thought of their roles and the powerful themes that make Death’s Game a drama worth watching (and revisiting).

 

What was it about Death’s Game that first compelled you to be part of the show?

Seo In Guk: I was a fan of the original webtoon. I enjoyed watching the webtoon and talked to my company about producing the drama, but the copyright had already been sold. But I was happy to join the series when the offer came in!

Kim Ji Hoon: The story of the webtoon itself was quite interesting, and it was impressive that the overall scale and elements became much stronger in the process of adapting it into a drama. Aside from all this, there was enough reason to choose this project just because of the message at the end of this drama. I felt that everyone could relate to this message, regardless of race and country, and that it was a drama that could save people’s lives, so I wanted to participate regardless of the role.

 

What was interesting and challenging about your characters that you had to portray?

Seo In Guk: As a fan who enjoyed the original webtoon, it was an honour to take on the role of Yee-jae in Death’s Game and although I know of the original work, I was very happy to create a character unique to the drama. Yee-jae is a character who is very tired of life, so I tried to highlight and focus on that feeling.

Kim Ji Hoon: It is always difficult to play a villain, physically and mentally. In particular, I have played villainous roles several times before, so I paid more attention to differentiating from previous works when conceiving the character. This is because viewers can feel more afraid of the character only when the character steps into reality. 

In particular, there was a risk of the character not flowing seamlessly because the role was not present in the original work, but this character had relationships with almost all of the characters in the series, so I paid special attention to those areas. 

 

How does it feel to be part of a production with so many other highly regarded actors?

Seo In Guk: Since the content of the drama involved reincarnation, there was not much to film with many actors in one frame. However, I think it is a great honour to have worked hard with so many people on this project.

Kim Ji Hoon: I had a lot of expectations because it was a work with so many outstanding actors, but I also had some worries. It is also true that I thought that an acting competition would unfold unintentionally. However, rather than competitiveness and a desire to win, the thought that I did not want to be a burden in this project was strong.

It’s such a good series and as an actor who got an important role, I hoped it would be completed in the highest quality. So I studied the character harder, took care of myself during the filming period, and always tried not to deviate too much from the character. 

 

What message is Death’s Game hoping to convey to its viewers?

Seo In Guk: The drama teaches the importance of living life as yourself and the preciousness of one’s own life. I hope the audience will feel the message of the series that I felt.

Death’s Game is available to stream on Prime Video here.

 

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