Kim Ji Hoon on playing his first king character in 'The Haunted Palace'

Kim Ji Hoon has thrown his hat into the ring as his first king character since his debut.

The Haunted Palace is a fantasy drama that follows Yeo Ri (Bona), the only granddaughter of a famous shaman who refuses to accept her destiny as a spirit medium, and Yoon Gap (Yook Sung Jae), who becomes possessed by an imugi, which is related to Yeo Ri, as they confront a vengeful spirit harboring a deep grudge against the royal family. 

Kim Ji Hoon takes on the role of Lee Jeong, a king who fights against evil spirits who hold resentment towards the royal family. He is set to join hands with his beloved servant Yoon Gap (Yook Sung Jae) and Yeo Ri (Bona) to confront the supernatural beings, a struggle that will determine the fate of the country.

The actor shared his reason for choosing The Haunted Palace as his return to historical dramas after 15 years, saying, "I had great trust in director Yoon Sung Shik because we previously worked together on the project Tower of Babel. I was also eager to take on a historical drama again after a long time, and in particular, I wanted to challenge myself by playing the role of a king." 

Talking about his on-screen character, Kim remarked, "A righteous king who genuinely cares for his people can easily come across as predictable or boring. However, Lee Jeong spans a wide range of genres — from comedy to action to melodrama — so I believe he'll turn out to be a more dynamic and multidimensional character than any I've played before."

Kim Ji Hoon also expressed that he devoted significant effort to embodying the character of Lee Jeong, saying, "Since it's my first time playing a king since my debut, I was a bit worried, but I've been told that the role suits me well, so I'm quite satisfied. What I focused on the most was the tone and voice in delivering lines. I aimed to maintain a dignified and solemn presence. But to steer away from the overly traditional tone of historical dramas, I devoted myself to acting practice and vocal training."

He went on to say, "Because I couldn't afford to portray any part of Lee Jeong's multi-faceted character lightly — from his lonely yet resolute image as a wise king, to his sense of helplessness in the face of Palchuk-gwi's overwhelming terror, and his role as a father and husband who stands up against it — I thoroughly analyzed the script and practiced with great care."

He also hinted at an intense action performance, saying, "There's an important action scene toward the latter part of the drama, and I gave it absolutely everything — emotionally and physically. It felt like I had taken an internal blow; I couldn't recover for over a month, and the muscle pain lingered all over my body."

On the subject of his chemistry with co-stars Yook Sung Jae and Bona, Kim shared, "First of all, the chemistry between the two actors was so great that just watching them made me feel genuinely pleased." In particular, he spoke about his synergy with Yook Sung Jae:
"Yook Sung Jae has a great sense for comedy, and he's incredibly skilled at absorbing any advice and making it his own in his performance."

He added, "As the story progresses, a bromance that transcends social status begins to blossom between our characters. During rehearsals, we freely exchanged spontaneous ideas, which led to moments of chemistry that weren't even in the script. I hope viewers will look forward to the king-servant bromance as well."

Lastly, Kim Ji Hoon shared what viewers can look forward to in The Haunted Palace, saying, "While the drama carries the gravitas of a traditional historical piece, its charm lies in the unexpected bursts of comedy that appear just when you let your guard down. From the dynamics between Yoon Gap and Yeo Ri to the chilling exorcism storyline and thrilling action, we worked hard to bring out the richness of multiple emotions and genres, so I hope it receives lots of love. I also believe that following the emotional journey of the king I portray will be another key point of enjoyment."

The Haunted Palace premieres on April 18. The K-drama will be available to stream on Viki.  

Source (1)