”Interview” and ”Taepung Corporation” writer calls casting of Lee Junho (2PM) ”the best birthday present of my life”

With just three days until the premiere of tvN's new weekend TV series "Daepoong Business," expectations are rising. "Daepoong Business" is a story about two people who are trying to find each other even in the midst of the furious times of the IMF (International Monetary Fund).
The story is about ordinary people who joined forces and persevered. Through this, the warm gaze and delicate narrative is expected to draw the sympathy of viewers and inspire the strength to live in the current era.
Writer Jang Hyun, who wrote the diverse stories with respect and sincerity for the people of that era, shared the meanings and behind-the-scenes stories behind his works.
Below is a Q&A with author Jang Hyun. Q. I'm curious about the background behind the writing of "Taepung Corporation."
While I was planning a story about a salesperson, I remembered that when I was working as a salesperson at an IT company, my seniors were
I remembered hearing heroic tales from an era when there were no stories, and I found them very interesting. I thought I would try to tell a story from that era, so I prepared a script through research and study, and wrote "Taepung Corporation."
Q. As someone who experienced 1997, what did you focus on in order to embody the lives of those people at that time?
I'm curious about what the spirit of the times was. I think there are many ways to express the suffering of the times, but I wanted to express warmth among them. The warmth that existed between people.
If I didn't have a home, I would wait at the house next door until my mother arrived, or when I got on the bus, an old lady would silently take my luggage, or when I saw a newspaper on the subway and fold it and hand it to her.
The warmth that flows between people, such as hands that give one another, is what I think of as that era. To do that, I first had to understand the people who lived in that era.
First of all, I respect those born in 4050. Their pitiful and desperate lives are heartbreaking and I'm grateful. And I like those born in 6070.
I empathize with the man-filled history of youth and struggle, the painful times, and so I tried to incorporate my own feelings about those times into the lines.
And I think the fundamental foundation that connects all these generations is family love.
Whether it is a family or a socially connected family, the desire to protect someone with whom we share our warmth and our hearts, and the courage and love that comes from that, transcends time and generations.
Q. I'm curious to know how you felt when you heard the news about the casting of actors Lee Junho and Kim Minha, and what you thought of the acting of the two actors.
It's still fresh in my memory. The day I received the news that actor Lee Junho would be playing the role of Kang Tae Poong was 1 a.m., two days after my birthday. That night, I screamed.
It was so good I could not believe it. It was the best birthday present of my life. When I heard that actress Kim Min Ha was going to play Oh Mi Sung, I thought, "No, a Hollywood actor.
" I was surprised. Kang Tae-poong is actually a character that is difficult to portray. He is a playboy from Apgujeong who loves flowers, and in addition to being a filial son, he is also a kind and handsome man.
The character had to have a certain level of cuteness and toughness, and while I was writing it, I wondered, "Can I do this?" However, actor Lee Junho managed to pull off that difficult feat.
On the day he left, he jokingly said, "I have to become the nation's son, the nation's boyfriend, and the nation's president," but seeing him grasp all of that was truly amazing.
Kim Minha said that as filming began, the director kept telling her, "Mi Sun's acting is great." She was very curious about the role, but when she read the editing manual, she told the director,
I remember you saying, "It's a precious thing for us to have an actor like Mi Sun who acts with her whole body and cries with her whole face." Q.
What message do you want to convey through Daepoong Trading? Sometimes, just enduring is what makes you feel truly alive.
That was the case during the IMF. Even if you fell and fell, if you survived, and if you are watching this TV series now, we should be grateful to you.
It is because your hardships in life have made Korea what it is today. And the same goes for today's young people. Even now, 30 years later, small and medium-sized enterprises, Dongdaemun, and department stores have time and effort.
There are young people who exchange money for money to get through each day. They are our tomorrow and our hope. "Daepoong Trading Co." is a TV series set against the backdrop of the IMF. However, it is not a TV series about despair or sadness.
Rather, it is about hope and love. Just as our main character finds a little romance even in tragic moments, I hope that "Daepoong Business" will be a small respite for viewers at the end of a tiring day.
tvN's new weekend TV series "Taepoong Trading Company" depicts the struggles and growth of Kang Taepoong, a rookie trading company employee who becomes the president of a trading company with no employees, no money, and no sales in the 1997 IMF.
" will begin airing in Korea this Saturday at 9:10 p.m.