“Ordinary life was all I ever dreamed of; I just wanted to live the ordinary life,” muses Yoon Chae-ok, one of the protagonists of the 2023 Korean show, Gyeongseong Creature. For Chae-ok, however, life veers far from the ordinary, especially when her path intersects with Jang Tae-sang, the affluent owner of a pawnshop in Japanese-occupied Korea during the 1940s.
The second season of the much-anticipated series Gyeongseong Creature is set to premiere on September 27, propelling viewers from the historical backdrop of 1945 straight into the bustling milieu of modern-day Seoul in 2024. Han So-hee, who breathes life into Yoon Chae-ok, finds herself navigating through these eras, only to encounter Jang Ho-jae, portrayed by Park Seo-joon, a character strikingly similar to Tae-sang. This intricate tale, filled with temporal leaps and multifaceted characters, expands on the engrossing mysteries set forth in the first season.
Initially, Gyeongseong Creature followed Tae-sang and Chae-ok as they unraveled the sinister events surrounding the Onseong hospital. The locale housed disturbing secrets: myriad individuals trapped in a basement ward and a monstrous entity on the prowl. The sequel promises to up the ante, reintroducing old horrors and weaving in new terrors, all under the shadow of time-jumping twists.
“Chae-ok is the pillar of the story. Seventy years have passed, but she didn’t cease to exist. She’s the center of everything that happens and propels the narrative forward,” Han So-hee reveals during an interaction prefacing the show’s release. The time leap, a significant element of the plot, demanded meticulous preparation from both So-hee and her co-star Park Seo-joon.
“Given that I play a seemingly different character with no recollection of his past memories, not everything is spelled out about my progression. I had to interpret this and fill it with my own imagination,” states Seo-joon. The portrayal of Ho-jae in the second season diverges significantly from the first season’s impression of a grandiose, powerful informant. “I had to remember to depict Ho-jae as someone who was experiencing everything for the first time and adapt to the modern way of speaking and acting,” Seo-joon adds.
The actors had a brief hiatus between the seasons, during which they reflected on ways to enhance the storytelling. Seo-joon admits feeling anxious as he returned to the set: “The show has lots of action, and not one easy scene.
.” Seo-joon, a celebrated Hallyu star known for his roles in hit K-dramas like What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim and Itaewon Class, brought his experience and prowess to the demanding role.
For So-hee, embodying Chae-ok required both emotional depth and physical stamina. The show, characterized by high-octane fight sequences and intricate stunts, was not an entirely new terrain for So-hee, owing to her previous experience in the action-packed thriller My Name. “Instead of saying I particularly enjoy action, I think action is a means to express a character. My character is someone who protects herself, is very proactive with leading her life, and I tend to like people who put themselves first,” So-hee explains.
One of her initial scenes for season two involved shooting underwater, an experience she recalls with a shiver. Seo-joon, however, lightheartedly dismisses her discomfort: “You have a ‘najin’, and are a superhero, so you probably were okay,” he chuckles. The najin, a parasitic entity used by the Japanese for human experimentation in the show’s context, takes over Chae-ok, rendering her ageless and perpetually alive.
Netflix’s Korean originals, including the likes of Hospital Playlist, Alchemy of Souls, and Kingdom, have seen a growing trend towards sequels deviating from the standard 16-episode format. Director Chung Dong-yoon, revisiting the world of Gyeongseong Creature for its second outing, felt both excitement and pressure. “Writer Kang Eun-kyung and I believed that two seasons would do this story justice, and were enthused about the idea of a time leap. We looked at Season 2 as a completely different show and approached it as two different narratives,” he explains.
Amidst the chaos of monster attacks and stealthy Kuroko fighters, a burgeoning romance finds its footing, adding another layer of intrigue to the narrative. So-hee notes that romantic chemistry is a more pronounced element in this season. “Everything in the last season was all leading up to this, and it is going to be fun for people watching to see how it all unravels. There is a lot to be explained, but the show will be very fast-paced,” Seo-joon teases.
Gyeongseong Creature Season 2 is set to premiere on Netflix on September 27, promising an enthralling continuation of the saga that has captivated audiences with its blend of historical intrigue and fantastical horrors.
