Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri, a thrilling political show 'Queen Maker'

To achieve the same goal, yesterday's enemy became today's comrade. This is Netflix's 'Queen Maker', which deals with the heated behind-the-scenes stories of the election season. I am looking forward to the powerful womanance (friendship between women) between actors Kim Hee-ae and Moon So-ri.

On the 11th, a production presentation for the Netflix series 'Queen Maker' was held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall on Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Director Oh Jin-seok and actors Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri, Ryu Soo-young, and Seo Yi-sook attended.

'Queen Maker' is a Netflix series that depicts the story of Hwang Do-hee, a genius in image making and who controlled the strategic planning office of a large corporation, as she jumps into the election campaign to make Oh Kyung-sook, a human rights lawyer who has been called the rhino of justice and lived like a weed, the mayor of Seoul.

Director Oh Jin-seok said, "I learned about the word 'queenmaker' while working on this project. I heard that it is not a word used even in English-speaking countries. The mere presence of the word 'kingmaker' shows that politics, secret struggles, and power are traditionally masculine things. Isn't that what it means? In that sense, our work is about two strong women standing in direct conflict in a world of power that was dominated by men. Even those who are not interested in politics can find it fun and valuable as a drama if they see how the two clash and work together. He introduced it as “a work of art.”

He continued, "There is a scene in the script where Hwang Do-hee asks Oh Gyeong-suk a question. Why do you go overboard and fight for the weak when it doesn't bring you money or fame? Oh Gyeong-sook is not talking about a great philosophy, but as if it were obvious, 'It's a good world that protects the weak.' "I said, 'I'm trying to make a story.' It resonated. I thought we're living in an era where that sounds unfamiliar. Although it's a powerful story with strong characters, I actually wanted to convey simple (ordinary) values."

Kim Hee-ae played the role of Hwang Do-hee, former head of Eunsung Group's future strategic planning office and current head of Seoul mayoral candidate Oh Kyung-sook's camp. Kim Hee-ae said, "When I saw stories like this before, I was so envious that I wanted to come out dressed as a man, but I liked the fact that it was a work that dealt with a female narrative. It was fun to look into the human nature that lies underneath. Also, seeing the clever Hwang Do-hee, I felt like a proxy. "It was satisfying and fun. The story's detail and twists kept me from putting the script down until the end," he said, explaining his reason for appearing.

Hwang Do-hee was ridiculed as a 'yellow pervert' and a toilet bowl for the corruption of the chaebol family, but she believed that protecting the owner family's risks meant protecting thousands of employees. However, she was shocked by the irresponsible attitude of the owner Eun family and ended up quitting the company. Kim Hee-ae introduced, "Hwang Do-hee is a person who returns two blows if hit once. She is a person whose new goal is to destroy the arrogant Eunsung Group and make Oh Kyung-sook the mayor of Seoul." He continued, “I tried to match Hwang Do-hee in many aspects.” He also pointed out the key point to watch, saying, "It can be said to be the growth diary of Hwang Do-hee, who is an image maker but goes on to become a queen maker. The fun and excitement of seeing the human nature and desires that everyone has is revealed through repeated twists and turns."

To build a resolute image, Kim Hee-ae chose an untidy hairstyle, high heels, and low-saturated clothing. Kim Hee-ae laughed, saying, "I usually wear sneakers and I don't even remember when I last wore high heels, but the role never came down to me. It was difficult. I guess I'm a bit old. Even though I changed my clothes when I was cut, it still had an impact." He continued, "Even if I leave Eunsung Group, I never leave. I think of it as armor that protects myself. I prepared it in detail, including the costumes and colors."

Moon So-ri played the role of Oh Kyeong-sook, the 18th Seoul city council member and labor and human rights lawyer who is now an independent Seoul mayoral candidate. Moon So-ri said, "The structure of the female narrative was interesting. My character is one I've never seen before. There have been many dramas in Korea, but I wondered if there was a character like this. 'It won't work. I have to solve it myself.' It was a character for whom I felt a sense of responsibility." He continued, "When will we try an ensemble like this again? I thought we'd gather a lot of actresses and have a 'ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss'. I thought it would be the first time since 'The Best Moment of Our Lives'. So, I gladly accepted this scenario."

Oh Gyeong-sook is a lawyer who attracted attention by jumping to the roof after holding a high-altitude protest for over two months on the rooftop of Eunsung Department Store after a female non-regular worker at Eunsung Group had her contract unilaterally terminated. He joins hands with Hwang Do-hee, who was at odds with him, for the common goal of being elected mayor of Seoul, and begins a challenge he never dreamed of. Moon So-ri said, "It is said that she was a candidate for mayor of Seoul and also a city council member. When you think of a female politician, you may think of a rigid image and flashy speech, but I started by assuming what would happen if a free-spirited person became a politician. Looking for a role model in an existing politician. “I tried to create a new politician within this scenario,” he explained.

In the play, Moon So-ri cuts her hairstyle short as she becomes a candidate for mayor of Seoul. Moon So-ri said, "I cut off my long, untidy hair when I was a lawyer. Previously, I had neglected my perm on Netflix's 'Seoul Grand Operation', but when filming continued, I left it alone and my hair ended up like a broom. The scene where I cut that long hair was from Makeover. "It was the peak. While working on this project, I cut my hair short for the first time in a long time since 'The Best Moment of Our Lives'. At the same time, I also took a photo of myself running as a candidate for mayor of Seoul. It was a scene of extraordinary determination," he said of the behind-the-scenes story.

Director Woo revealed that the point of directing was to portray Hwang Do-hee and Oh Gyeong-sook in a relationship of ice and fire. Director Woo said, "I thought of ice and fire. The ice is Hwang Do-hee. Hwang Do-hee does not break down under any circumstances. I thought of the image of ice that does not melt until the end even if it breaks. Oh Kyung-sook does not hesitate at all when faced with something that is not right. I thought of the energy of fire. However, I thought of the warm image of fire warming the surroundings rather than burning someone out. The synergy between fire and ice can be contradictory and difficult, but the two actors expressed it better than I could have imagined. Excited as a director. “I had a great filming experience,” he said.

Regarding her acting experience with Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri said, "I had never worked with a senior before, so I didn't know how to approach her. Since we were in the same boat, I closed my eyes and approached her. After thinking about it for half a day, I asked, 'Senior, would you like to have dinner with me?' “At first, I was worried that we should work together as one and move forward well, but at some point, when I looked into my senior’s eyes, I realized that there was a moment in the play where we fit together like Hwang Do-hee and Oh Gyeong-sook,” he confessed.

Kim Hee-ae said, "Speaking of Moon So-ri's acting, she has her own world that cannot be accessed. Perhaps because of her experience as a director, actors only see themselves, but they have eyes that see the whole. At first, their roles are confrontational and there are double insults. That's why they are more careful. I would like to say that Moon So-ri is the best in Korea for the role of Oh Kyung-sook. No, she is the best in the whole world. Oh Kyung-sook can seem light and comical, so if she does not maintain the balance, there is a risk of it becoming fake. As expected, she did it. So, I thought, ‘Moonsori, Moonsori.’ I can’t imagine anyone else playing Oh Gyeong-sook. She is the first on Earth and in the universe,” he praised.

Ryu Soo-young played Baek Jae-min, a national announcer, former chairman of the Green People Foundation, and Seoul mayoral candidate of the Republican Party of Korea. Ryu Soo-young revealed the reason for appearing, saying, "The story was interesting. It was the most important part. And I saw a different side from the role I played." He continued, "When I received this script, I looked at it with gender removed. When you watch it, don't think of it as 'male politician' or 'female politician', but think of them all as politicians and it will be more interesting. Although I am a member of the Blue and White, I acted thinking that we were fighting together regardless of gender. “It’s 2023, but isn’t it a bit old-fashioned to distinguish between men and women?” he said, causing laughter.

The actors did not spare praise for Ryu Soo-young. Kim Hee-ae said, "She is a very villainous character in the play, but she has a good image, doesn't she? She always cooks. What kind of blessing is Park Ha-sun? In reality, she is soft. If filming is delayed, she may feel comfortable being out, but she feels sad when she thinks about her child at home. “Did Moon So-ri think, ‘Should I slap him on the back?’ He is a sensitive person. He is the hottest actor in my heart. This is the rediscovery of Ryu Soo-young,” he said. Moon So-ri said, "I don't say that it's difficult to be a man alone when there are a lot of women. On the contrary, there were many scenes where various people appeared and led the atmosphere. There were many supporting appearances and small roles. There were also many scenes with about 100 people, and there was a leadership who led the atmosphere in a cheerful manner. “He praised.

Ryu Soo-young said, "While filming a project, I often think about whether this person has changed or is returning to his original self. I think it would be good to watch Baek Jae-min while thinking about whether he was originally that kind of person or whether he is changing. It is a film that allows you to look back on your own immoral side. “He is a person,” he explained.

Ryu Soo-young, who had many scenes where she had to give a speech in front of many people, said, "I was doing a drama and couldn't perform on stage much, so I didn't have many opportunities to stand in front of many people. Among the people on set who played the role of voters, there were also aspiring actors, so there were many people who supported me. I also prepared them so that they would have a 'taste of listening'. I did not make it feel like they were working. They should have a 'taste of working.' They responded so well that I was able to improve myself. It was better to act when there were a lot of people than when there was no one." He said.

When asked to recommend a food that candidates would eat, Ryu Soo-young joked, "For male candidates, it would be stir-fried pork cutlet. For female candidates, a food that is delicious but won't make you gain weight even if you eat a lot would be good. If I develop that, wouldn't I be elected?"

Seo Yi-sook appears as Son Young-sim, the chairman of Eunsung Group. Seo Yi-sook said, "The female narrative was interesting, and I also wanted to boast that Korea has such wonderful actors. It was also fun to see the performances of Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri, Ryu Soo-young, and other actors who were not present. As Kim Hee-ae said, large corporations “There were few opportunities for women to become presidents, politicians, etc., but this work provided a platform for women to do so. There was no reason not to do it. The narrative and life were interesting as an actor. It was solidly done,” she said.

Seo Yi-sook also paid attention to styling to express the image of a charismatic chairman. He said, "It's a Netflix series watched all over the world, and I wanted to show that there are actors like this in Korea as well. I used several wigs to style myself. Everyone was fooled (not knowing it was a wig). The director nagged me a lot about the costumes. I also worked on set. "He doesn't wear a jumper or anything and comes as if he's an actor. He's very sensitive to style. We discussed it together and came up with a good style," he said with a laugh.

The actors were confident that ‘Queen Maker’ would be fun. Kim Hee-ae said, "I'm sometimes scared of how I'll be evaluated. It's like a theater stage, like playing jazz. Each actor has a performance they have prepared, and it was a pleasure for me as an actor to be accepted no matter what I did. I want to tell you that I worked hard." said. Moon So-ri made people laugh by saying, “Isn’t she Kim Hee-ae?” Seo Yi-sook was confident, “It will be fun to see the actors’ powerful acting.”

‘Queen Maker’ will be released on the 14th.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr