“This drama is a battle between David and Goliath.” (PD) The famous biblical story of David and Goliath—a young shepherd boy who topples a giant warrior with a stone. Actor Go Soo transforms into a modern-day David, wielding his slingshot. He stops unscrupulous people from using money, connections, and cunning to get out of prison.
Go Soo emphasized, “He is not a hero. Please check out how an imperfect character fights against a great Goliath.” He also challenged his filmography with his most comedic performance.
“I tried to be perfect, but viewers said it was ‘clumsy and human-like,’” he laughed, adding, “I wondered what that meant.” tvN held an online production presentation for the new Monday-Tuesday drama ‘Parole Officer Lee Han-shin’ on the 11th. Actors Go Soo, Kwon Yuri, Baek Ji-won, Lee Hak-joo, and director Yoon Sang-ho attended.
◆ “Battle of David and Goliath” ◆ “Battle of David and Goliath” The drama is the thrilling ironclad defense of lawyer Lee Han-shin, who becomes the ultimate judge for inmates as a parole officer. He brings justice to the real-life villains who do not pay for their sins even in prison.
Director Yoon stated, “It’s a fun and exhilarating drama about catching bad guys,” and explained, “Metaphorically speaking, it’s a battle of David and Goliath. It conveys the message that ordinary people can break even a massive rock.” He revealed what inspired the direction. Director Yoon noted, “I wanted to direct the work just by looking at the title. I was intrigued by the profession of a parole officer, and the name Lee Han-shin felt like a modern-day Lee Sun-shin.”
It was the grand prize winner of a contest, written by rookie writer Park Chi-hyeong. Director Yoon noted, “The script had enough character strength. There were dynamic elements and energy shown by the surrounding characters.” Go Soo also felt drawn to the story. He shared, “The title attracted me greatly. When I opened the script, I thought, ‘Are they doing it like this?’ The way it unfolded was novel.”
◆ “Not a Hero Story” ◆ “Not a Hero Story” Go Soo plays Lee Han-shin in the drama. The character lives a dynamic life, shifting from a prison officer who reforms criminals to a lawyer who defends them, and finally a parole officer who demands their reflection and accountability.
Go Soo explained, “Parole is the only system allowing inmates who have been imprisoned to be released before their sentence is complete. The person who reviews this is the parole officer.” However, he added, “The focus is on the stories of inmates who want parole.” He continued, “Lee Han-shin is not a hero. He is not a perfect character, so please see how he fights against the great Goliath.” Director Yoon quipped, “David is ‘Davide’ in English.
Coincidentally, Go Soo’s nickname is Davide.” He added, “I was actually a fan. In the editing room, remarks like ‘handsome’ poured out like a dialect.” He also dabbled in comedic acting, wearing flashy clothes and singing, or even being showered with eggs. He said, “There was a difference from the existing approach (to character access).”
◆ “A Heavy Yet Light Story” ◆ “A Heavy Yet Light Story” The drama features uniquely vibrant characters. Yuri plays Ahn Seo-yoon, the ace of the crime investigation team, while Baek Ji-won takes on the role of a loan shark, Choi Hwa-ran. They collaborate with Go Soo. Go Soo stated, “I was concerned about how to collaborate with the representatives of good and evil,” but added, “As an actor, it was fun to work with them.”
Yuri recalled, “The set operated organically as if doing improvisational acting.” Lee Hak-joo engages in a final battle with Go Soo as villain Ji Myeong-seop, a second-generation chaebol, standing at the axis of evil. Lee Hak-joo conveyed his loneliness, saying, “I pondered over how to deal with Goliath.” Director Yoon noted, “When these people came to set, they became their characters. I just had to do my part,” adding, “To extract meaningful stories, we conducted filming and scriptwork concurrently. We poured our efforts into it.”
He also focused on the set details, saying, “The parole hearing room appears for the first time in a drama. It was designed uniquely to heighten the drama’s interest.” Lastly, the actors pointed out, “We discussed things that can’t be taken lightly without making them too heavy, allowing for a refreshing viewing experience,” adding, “There’s action and human drama.” ‘Parole Officer Lee Han-shin’ will premiere at 8:50 PM on the 18th.
“Parole Officer Lee Han-shin”
<Photo courtesy of tvN>
