“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. Chae-ok’s life is anything but ordinary, and it becomes even more extraordinary when she crosses paths with Jang Tae-sang, the wealthy owner of a pawnshop in Japanese-occupied Korea in the 1940s.
In the second season of the show, which premieres on September 27, the narrative takes a striking turn by setting the story in modern-day Seoul. Chae-ok, played by Han So-hee, has miraculously survived the Gyeongseong spring of 1945 and finds herself in Seoul in 2024. Here, she encounters Jang Ho-jae (Park Seo-joon), who bears an uncanny similarity to Tae-sang, her mysterious counterpart from the 1940s.
The first season of Gyeongseong Creature followed Tae-sang and Chae-ok as they unearthed the enigmatic happenings at Onseong Hospital, characterized by scores of people trapped in a basement ward and a deadly monster on the loose. The second season promises the return of some old horrors along with a slew of new ones, especially with a significant time leap reshaping the storyline.
“Chae-ok is the pillar of the story. Seventy years have passed, she didn’t cease to exist. She’s the center of everything that happens and propels the narrative forward,” says Han So-hee during a recent interaction ahead of the show’s release. Both Han and her co-star Park Seo-joon were mindful of the chronological leap while preparing for their roles.
“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,” Seo-joon explains. His portrayal of Ho-jae in the second season is a marked departure from the grandiose charm of the powerful, wealthy informant Tae-sang from the first season. “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.
While the actors had some downtime between the show’s debut season and its sophomore effort, Seo-joon admits that returning to the set with the shift to a present-day backdrop was nerve-wracking. “The show has lots of action, and not one easy scene,” he describes. As a certified Hallyu star, Seo-joon has amassed an impressive portfolio of hit K-dramas across various genres, including the romantic comedy What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim and the widely acclaimed Itaewon Class.
For Han So-hee, Gyeongseong Creature demanded both emotional and physical versatility.
. Several sequences in both seasons feature the actor engaging in high-octane fight scenes and stunts, a domain she’s well-acquainted with from her role 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 says.
One of her initial scenes for season two involved shooting underwater, and So-hee recalls how she braved the frigid waters. Seo-joon, however, is quick to add a humorous note to this revelation. “You have a najin, and are a superhero, so you probably were okay,” he chuckles. In the show, najin is a parasitic creature used by the Japanese to experiment on humans. Chae-ok’s mother, infected with a najin in the first season, ultimately becomes a monster. A najin also infects Chae-ok, rendering her ageless and alive decades later.
Shorter K-Dramas deviating from the standard 16-episode format and featuring sequels are steadily gaining popularity. Netflix’s Korean originals, in particular, have ventured into sequels more frequently than other productions, with series like Hospital Playlist, Alchemy of Souls, and Kingdom enjoying successful follow-ups.
The director of Gyeongseong Creature, Chung Dong-yoon, acknowledges the challenges and opportunities presented by a sequel. “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 says.
Amidst all the terror, grisly monster attacks, and stealthy Kuroko fighters, a blossoming romance also finds its place in the chaotic proceedings. Romantic chemistry, So-hee reveals, is something that this season will emphasize more.
“Everything in the last season was 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 concludes, summarizing what viewers can expect.
Gyeongseong Creature Season 2 premieres on Netflix on September 27.
