"Drama W Kaibutsu," a remake of a popular Korean suspense drama, will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW from July 6. We spoke to actors Ken Yasuda Ken and Koshi Mizukami, who co-star in the WOWOW version, about their impressions of the show, how they prepared for their roles, and each other.
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The original was produced by SLL, a major Korean studio that has produced numerous works including "Itaewon Class," and is a hotly anticipated drama that won three awards at the 2021 Baeksang Arts Awards, Korea's most prestigious awards, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor.
25 years have passed since the disappearance of Togashi Kotone, a female college student living in Hatano Town, leaving only the first joint of her finger in the garden of her home, and the case remains unsolved. Kotone's twin brother, Togashi Hiroyuki (Yasuda), becomes a police officer and works in the Hatano Police Station's Public Safety Division. Career police officer Yashiro Masato (Mizukami) is transferred there. The two don't get along, but are ordered by the section chief, Morihira (Ken Mitsuishi), to pair up... and so the story unfolds.
◇ Ken Yasuda"What runs through the human heart never changes"
--How did you perceive each of the characters you played?
Yasuda: Looking back, it may seem like an obvious thing, but I was happy to discover within myself that Togashi was smiling because he was sad. I realized that Togashi was that kind of person, that that was his situation.
During filming, I had the opportunity to meet Kim Soo-jin, who wrote the original screenplay, and she gave me the original script, with the words "Please fill Togashi's loneliness" handwritten on it. When I saw that, the title "Monster" somehow connected with me. Kim Soo-jin created a tremendous background for each character, and she answered all my questions like "I tried this approach in this scene, but is it right?", and the answers she gave me were almost the same as what I thought, so I was happy.
Mizukami: In terms of the drama's structure, I think Togashi's "monsteriness" comes out first. In comparison, I wanted to differentiate him from Masato's hot-bloodedness and sense of justice. He is also someone who Togashi corners, and I wanted to express him as a different kind of person who came to the town in the work.
Although he has a certain intelligence and calmness, there are moments when that overflows, and I tried to act in a way that would allow the audience to sense his monstrosity, not through obvious physical actions or the strength of his voice, but rather by being conscious of what it means to be monstrous due to youth.
--You said that you discussed the character settings with the director and producer, but what did you discuss specifically?
Yasuda: This time, as an approach, I watched the original "Monster" over and over again. Because of the structure of the drama, my character's timeline is all over the place, so (Togashi) tends to act in mysterious ways, but I can't ask Kim Soo-jin about it. The answers are interesting because each of us has our own answers. First, I rearranged the story in chronological order, and then I thought about why he acted the way he did at that time. What was flowing deep in his heart? I took care to consider these things as well.
I think that the essence of Lee Dong-sik, who is Togashi in the original work, and the revision of his personality in the Japanese version are very effective for the work and are the right answer. However, I also felt a little uncomfortable with the essence of his personality. I talked about such things until I was satisfied, and there were also times when I changed it on the spot to make it a certain way.
--So you're saying that the Japanese adaptation is closer to the original?
Yasuda: For example, culture, customs, lifestyles, and so on are different between Japan and Korea. The towns are different, and the people are different. If that's the case, there's nothing we can say about that, but what is in the human heart will not change as the same person. I asked the director and producers to consult with me about the discomfort and nuances there, even though I'm sorry to say this as an actor, because I want to get through to myself, and they took it into consideration. Of course, it's natural that the settings and lifestyles will change, so I never said anything about that.
--What kind of things did you do, Mizukami-san?
Mizukami: I've only seen about three episodes of the original work. From my experience, I think that whether it's a novel or an anime, it becomes something different when it's made into a film. Instead, you have to concentrate on absorbing the script. By focusing on that, I was finally able to stand on the same stage as Yasuda.
Meeting with Yasuda, listening to what he said, seeing the Togashi that Yasuda made, I confronted him with what I had been thinking. In the end, I tuned it with Yasuda, like "this was better." Of course, the two directors were great, but this time, tuning with Yasuda was more important to me. Including experience, including body, including mentality, I decided that this was the most efficient way for me to do it.
◇ Koshi Mizukami: "Right now it's important to take in everything."
--This is your first time acting together, so please tell us what your impressions of each other were before you worked together and if there have been any changes since you last performed together.
Yasuda: I felt he was a good young man with a gentle demeanor and good manners. However, when I entered the set of this movie, I thought he was surprisingly quiet, but I guess that was because he was in character. What I remember most is that the two of us had a meal at a family restaurant during a break in filming, and we had a fun conversation.
--Looking at Mizukami-san, how do you compare her to when you were in your twenties?
Yasuda: At the time, I was doing narration, working part-time at a morning buffet and at a coffee shop, while practicing with a theater company. I'll put it this way, but how is Koshi Mizukami, who is 25 years old, 26 this year, being evaluated by the public now? I think this is the answer. It's not about age, but about what he has built up, what he has felt, and what he has experienced, and this is the only thing that is true.
In the future, my way of thinking may change, and I may be swept away by various things, but the experience I have accumulated is my treasure that no one can ever take away from me. The experiences I have accumulated have made me the Koshi Mizukami, and I feel that age has nothing to do with it.
-Do you have any advice for Mizukami about what he should do in his 20s?
Yasuda-san: It seems like you've been observing me and incorporating my own ideas, but please cut out these three things right now: running around in circles, getting down to the details of the performance on set during the preparations, and gagging when brushing your teeth. You don't need them (laughs).
Mizukami: It's my decision to cut it out (laughs). For now, I think it's important to go round and round and refine it. I've already cut out the nausea. To go all the way through means to have a proper dialogue. This is a different way for each person, and there is no right or wrong answer. Basically, I think it's important to try to take in everything. Chew it and try to swallow it once. I think it's fine to vomit after that.
--That's something that needs to be done in the future.
Mizukami: I think it's easy to fall into the trap of not wanting to try something new at this age. I think it's important to be able to push yourself to the brink of vomiting with a sense of self-discipline.
Yasuda-san: That's a good example. You take in a lot of different things, chew them up, and swallow them. I think there will always be things that become part of you and become your flesh and blood.
"Drama W Kaibutsu" will start on July 6th. It will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand from 10pm on Sundays. There will be a total of 10 episodes, with the first and second episodes being broadcast for free. (Interview, text and photography: Endo Masaki)
