For rising star Lee Jong-won, the MBC series “Knight Flower” holds the title of many firsts in his acting career: it’s his inaugural main lead role, his first foray into period dramas, as well as his debut in the comedy and romance genres “The burden on me was greater than ever. But the weight and responsibility became my driving force,” the actor said in a recent interview with The Korea Times, held at a cafe in southern Seoul’s Gangnam District.
The period comedy series, set in the 1392-1910 Joseon era, revolves around Cho Yeo-hwa, a woman who has been a widow for 15 years. After marrying into a highly esteemed family, her life took a tragic turn when her husband passed away on their wedding day. Since then, she has led a secluded existence, confined within the walls of her home. But in reality, she leads a double life, traversing rooftops clandestinely at night, masked, to aid those in distress. Her covert activities face a hurdle when she encounters Park Soo-ho (Lee Jong-won), an astute yet reserved officer who is determined to uncover the truth behind his own father’s demise.
Directed by the popular Chang Tae-you, who is known for helming the 2013 hit series “My Love from the Star,” the series experienced a surge in viewership ratings shortly after its debut in January. It culminated in its highest rating of 18.4 percent on a Saturday, marking the end of its successful run. Cho and Park’s first encounter gets off on the wrong foot, but as they keep bumping into each other, they start developing feelings for each other and join hands in uncovering the truth about their loved ones’ deaths. Throughout the series, the two leads skillfully navigate through elements of romance, comedy and dynamic sword action sequences, captivating audiences with their versatile performances. Lee Jong-won noted that his co-star, Lee Ha-nee, helped him through his new challenges, especially with the comedy, in which the actress boasts considerable experience.
“Ha-nee is adept at comedy. Even in scenes not initially written to be comedic, I would observe her techniques closely, learning from her subtle adjustments that would transform the scene into something humorous. While I can’t claim to be a master of comedy myself, her insights helped me grasp the essence of it,” he said. “We had to do comedy, romance and also fight together like partners so there were a lot of emotions (between two characters). Even before we started shooting, we would discuss a lot, and she gave me a lot of help on set. ”The actor shared that embracing this role was particularly intriguing as the character diverges significantly from his own personality. “In reality, I’m completely the opposite. Park is really stubborn and stands by his own thoughts, while I am more thoughtful and flexible. It was more interesting because we share 스포츠토토존 hardly any similarities,” he said.