Seeing actor Ju Ji Hoon in person leaves no doubt that he started his career in modeling. It is also no wonder that he, who plays Crown Prince Lee Chang of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in the Netflix series ¡°Kingdom,¡± can pull off wearing a lengthy dopo (traditional robe) with grace. Thanks in part to this suave wearer, traditional Korean clothing like gat (cylindrically shaped hat) have not only swept Twitter but also sold out on Amazon.

Global Reactions

¡°In times of borderless content sharing, it¡¯s gotten easier to observe and compare audience reactions,¡± the actor said. ¡°I find it both amusing and enriching to see how a single piece of content can set off such varied reactions depending on the cultural context of the audience.¡± To Koreans, the ancient Korean dialect spoken by ¡°Kingdom¡± characters broke the conventional expectations of the historical drama genre. Yet this was not scrutinized by the drama¡¯s non-Korean viewers, who instead grew interested in tangible items appearing on the series like gat and dopo.

Citing examples of globalization from decades ago, Ju said, ¡°Globalization is nothing new but is continuously applied to yet another level. One of (globalization¡¯s) blessings in this creator-based content economy is that it¡¯s no longer a one-way street of passive audiences. Cultural discourse abounds.¡± He added that he sees the shifts in the paradigm of content consumption as ¡°indicative of progress for civilization, a definite equalizer.¡±

Kwon Yoo-jin, costume designer for ¡°Kingdom,¡± told Variety magazine, ¡°We wanted to emphasize the unique beauty, delicacy and colors [of Korea], but at the same time, show the common people¡¯s everyday life filled with struggle and sweat.¡±

Solid Base

Unlike American or British series that go on for years, those in Korea rarely last for more than a season or two. The first of Netflix¡¯s domestically produced Korean originals, ¡°Kingdom¡± has been renewed for Season 3, something hotly anticipated by both fans worldwide and the show¡¯s cast and crew. ¡°Whenever we review our output as a team, we end up reflecting on how much better we can do next time. I suppose that¡¯s what usually happens, with artistic endeavors of any kind,¡± Ju said.

¡°Generally speaking, it takes more than ten days of onsite filming to grow into the work, per se. Season 1 was taxing, but the hard work certainly paid off in the sense of building solid groundwork to establish the realm of ¡®Kingdom.¡¯ Like physical construction, putting together the foundations is the most difficult. Though the narrative and its components will change, we nailed the essence of the show.¡±

Along with his thoughts on S2-3 of the series, he dropped a hint for those who have yet to watch the latest season. ¡°Working on S2 felt more comfortable. I expect S3 will proceed even more smoothly now that the cast and crew are further accustomed to one another,¡± he said. ¡°By the way, S2 is even more spectacular of a blockbuster, with more drama and intensity all around.¡±

Growing Camaraderie

Filming is all about teamwork, and Ju thrives on cooperation. ¡°The creative process is a collaborative effort,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m a people person when it comes to work. I like to feel at ease with the people I¡¯m working with. To be comfortable in each other¡¯s presence takes many interactions both on and off camera. I prefer to invest in the process of building rapport with comrades.¡±

On his method of collaboration, the actor said, ¡°I¡¯d say I take the easy way. I don¡¯t hesitate to reach out to fellow teammates, who I know have a deeper understanding than I do of the script¡¯s context. They¡¯re the ones who fashioned the story and its elements. The shortcut for me is to pick their brains and glean snippets of their knowledge as much as I can.¡±

Though Ju makes it sound easy, knowing when to take such shortcuts and borrow expertise from others hardly come naturally for everyone. Apart from his soft skills, he has clear intuition on what makes a good script. ¡°Regardless of what complex issues a script implicates or what unfamiliar backdrop it¡¯s set against, good writing pulls you in. When a script is easy to read at first, I have no doubts about its potential to develop into a high-quality outcome,¡± he said.

Approach to Acting

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Apart from the rising prestige of Hallyu, Ju is proud of Korea¡¯s advancements: ¡°Whether convenience facilities, daily utilities, physical structures or, of course, works of art, Korea boasts finesse.¡± He adds, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of passion and drive to achieve impeccable quality.¡±

Ju is also highly devoted to his craft. ¡°I think of it less as a job and more a matter of lifestyle,¡± he said on the intense behind-the-scenes efforts in becoming his character. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d do it if I approached it as a job. Though I¡¯m usually an optimist, there¡¯s no denying that acting involves high emotional stakes.¡±

Having appeared in dark films like ¡°Dark Figure of Crime¡± and ¡°Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days¡± and ¡°Asura: The City of Madness,¡± he said ¡°Being an actor presents constant exposure to or risk of psychological damage.¡± More recently, he starred in dramas ¡°Hyena¡± and ¡°The Item¡± after proving his extraordinary presence through works like ¡°The Spy Gone North,¡± which screened at Cannes. ¡°I¡¯m less interested in what happens to my work once I step off set. This isn¡¯t to say audience reactions don¡¯t matter; on the contrary, they are salient indicators of our times. But once I give it my all by stepping into character and complete the playing of my role, I¡¯ve done my duty,¡± he said.

Message of Hope

To people worldwide suffering from the pandemic, Ju said, ¡°We¡¯re all in this together,¡± adding, ¡°I hope K-drama acts as a source of consolation for audiences across national, ethnic and cultural boundaries.¡±

¡°As ¡®Kingdom¡¯ watchers have seen, Korea is replete with beautiful nature. Once the lockdown is lifted, I hope our overseas fans and global citizens consider Korea as their next travel destination.¡±