The stars of the Netflix series “The East Palace” recently participated in a photoshoot with ELLE Korea!
“The East Palace” follows the story of Gu Cheon (Nam Joo Hyuk), who can traverse the world of ghosts, and Saeng Gang (Roh Yoon Seo), a court lady with the ability to hear ghosts, as they are summoned by the King (Cho Seung Woo) to unearth the cursed palace’s secrets.
In an interview following the shoot, Nam Joo Hyuk and Roh Yoon Seo expressed their deep affection for the series. Recalling the first time he read the script, Nam Joo Hyuk said, “It was the perfect script to read at night. After just two pages, I found it so engrossing that I ended up reading all the way through Episode 4 in one sitting.”
Roh Yoon Seo also reflected on her first impression of the script, saying, “It felt like playing a game. The scenes kept playing out in my mind, and even after I finished reading it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
As “The East Palace” marks Nam Joo Hyuk’s first project since completing his military service, he devoted himself to swordsmanship and action training in preparation for the role. He remarked, “During my military service, I built up a real longing to act, and I was able to fully satisfy that through ‘The East Palace.’ It was physically demanding, but it was just as enjoyable.”
Roh Yoon Seo prepared for her role through various forms of training, including horseback riding, swordsmanship, and stunt rolling. Talking about Saeng Gang’s ability to hear ghosts, she explained, “I imagined the camera’s movements as if they were the ghosts’ point of view.”
Both actors emphasized that “The East Palace” is far more than a story about fighting ghosts. Nam Joo Hyuk explained, “Not once did I approach it with the mindset of killing ghosts. I always thought of my character as someone who helps resolve the grudges of spirits with their own stories and sends them off to a better place.”
Roh Yoon Seo added that as Gu Cheon and Saeng Gang investigate the curse together, “Their relationship evolves into one that goes beyond love or friendship.”
The actors also reflected on the moments when they became fully immersed in their characters. Roh Yoon Seo chose the reunion scene near the end of the series as the most memorable, saying, “It felt completely natural that Gu Cheon and Saeng Gang had become people who truly relied on each other.”
Nam Joo Hyuk agreed, saying, “That scene was only possible because of everything we had built together from the very beginning,” referring to the gradual deepening of the bond between the two characters.
The actors also expressed their admiration for co-star Cho Seung Woo. Roh Yoon Seo said, “I learned so much from watching him build his character’s backstory, even for scenes he didn’t appear in.” Nam Joo Hyuk added, “I learned a great deal from the way he anchored the entire production.”
The two stars also spoke about the beliefs that continue to motivate them. Nam Joo Hyuk said, “I believe nothing is impossible. I learned during my basketball days that if you take action, you can make things happen.”
Roh Yoon Seo shared, “Even if you acknowledge your shortcomings, in the end, you have to believe in yourself in order to keep moving forward.”
Nam Joo Hyuk and Roh Yoon Seo’s full pictorial and interview can be found in the August issue of ELLE Korea.
While waiting, watch Nam Joo Hyuk in “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo” on Viki:
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