"I absolutely wanted to do it." (Cha Joo-young)

Actress Cha Joo-young shared her determination for her first historical drama challenge. tvN released an interview with Cha Joo-young for the new original drama 'Gyeong Won'. Cha Joo-young expressed her passion for the work and the character.

'Gyeong Won' (written by Lee Young-mi, directed by Kim Sang-ho) is a historical drama. It centers around Queen Wongyeong, who seized power with her husband, King Taejong Lee Bang-won, focusing on the hidden intense stories between a king and queen, husband and wife.

Directed by Kim Sang-ho

This is Cha Joo-young's first historical drama. She takes on the role of Queen Wongyeong of the Joseon Dynasty. She said, "I've always wanted to do a historical drama. It felt even more attractive because it's a work with a rare, differentiated narrative."

'Gyeong Won' is a reimagined story from the perspective of Queen Wongyeong, who had not received much attention in history. Wongyeong is portrayed as the daughter of the top noble family of Goryeo, endowed with beauty and intelligence.

Referring to her character, Cha Joo-young introduced her as "a woman who chose the man she loved during the turbulent end of Goryeo. After the founding of Joseon, she carried her dignity and responsibility as a queen without losing anything."

In reality, Queen Wongyeong nurtured the wise King Sejong the Great. She lived a life never failing as a country’s queen and as a man's wife. She was a self-reliant woman.

Cha Joo-young said, "The way she took responsibility for the love and dreams she chose was beyond impressive," and added, "I couldn't find any reason not to do it. I absolutely wanted to be a part of it."

With her firm determination, there was also a proportional amount of pressure. She confessed, "I felt a continuous burden that simply acting well wasn't enough," but "I was confident I could act more sincerely than anyone."

One day, she visited Heonreung in person. "Seeing the twin tombs of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong felt strange," she confessed, "I prayed as if asking for their help, saying I would prepare my best."

Finally, she mentioned, "I hope you will watch Wongyeong's growth process overcoming societal constraints, and you'll also see the growth of actress Cha Joo-young."

She added, "I thought this might be a work that wouldn't come again in my life, so I really worked hard until the end and hope you will watch until the final episode."

The tvN X TVING original drama 'Gyeong Won' will pre-release episodes 1 and 2 on TVING on January 6th at 2 PM next year. Episode 1 will premiere on tvN at 8:50 PM on the same day. A prequel series will also be released.

<Photo provided by tvN>