After months of excitement and speculation, the highly anticipated Korean drama, “Snowdrop” (설강화), will debut on Disney+ Hotstar for audiences across Asia on 18th December. “Snowdrop” was written by Yoo Hyun-mi and directed by Jo Hyun-tak – the duo behind the 2018 thriller “Sky Castle”.
Set against the backdrop of the political turmoil that swept across the Korean peninsula in 1987, Snowdrop features Jung Hae-In, star of “Tune in for Love” and “While You Were Sleeping”, and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, in a 16-part series.
When a blood-soaked man (Jung Hae-In) bursts into the dormitory of a women’s university in Seoul, Eun Yeong-ro/ Young Ro (Jisoo) will go against her better judgement and risk being expelled to hide the man from his attackers and tend to his wounds. Unbeknownst to Yeong-ro, the man has a harrowing secret that threatens to put her friends’ and family’s safety at risk, and the two young lovers will have to work together to overcome the obstacles.
Centered around a forbidden romance of a young couple, “Snowdrop” features Jisoo’s debut starring performance in a Korean drama and will take viewers on an emotional rollercoaster full of excitement, action and romance. As Yeong-ro, she goes against her family and her country to help the man she loves and the mysterious blood-soaked man puts everything on the line to save the only thing he loves more than his country.
Director Jo Hyun-tak said, “’Snowdrop’, which will be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, is a heart-warming story of a young couple. It all started with a pounding heart, but the two find themselves enduring unbearable pain as they fall in heart-rending love that one rarely encounters in a lifetime. I hope the audience joins us to find out if this romance is a blessing full of love or a terrible curse.”
In speaking about her character, Jisoo shared, “Young Ro, the character I’ve taken on, is very charming. She’s a figure who has just turned 20, but the power she has to draw people in has been passed on to me. The way she gradually matures even though she’s still learning is really cool.” When asked if they have any similarities, the K-pop star replied, “It’s the aspect of delivering bright energy to people and putting in effort so that everyone can get along well.”
How does she feel about her chemistry with Jung Hae-in? She answered, “I feel lucky for the very fact that Jung Hae In is the first actor I’m starring opposite with. From the first shoot to the last, he monitored the scenes with me, and he was reliable because he led [the set] and listened well to my concerns about the role. I think his greatest charm is that he listens carefully and sincerely thinks over everyone’s concerns.”
Jung Hae-in also opened up about his beautiful co-star, saying, “I felt that Jisoo is Young Ro herself. Her character portrayal is amazing, and it’s surprising to see her understanding and absorbing the director’s directions on set. Our chemistry while acting together is also great. She’s friendly to everyone, and she’s an actress whose strength is being considerate of others.”
So why was Jung Hae-in drawn to this project? “The story is charming, and the character is one that I wanted to take on as a challenge, but I was able to make the final decision thanks to the director. I was able to work with him because of the director’s conviction in this project and the trust he had in the Su Ho I would portray,” he replied.
On his character, the actor shared, “I think he’s a figure with strong leadership. He takes good care of his family and the people around him, and he’s a character with definite beliefs.” He explained, “I focused a lot to properly express the process of his beliefs crumbling and the conflict coming from being between a situation he can’t help and the person he loves.”
He added, “Due to the character’s nature, there was a part where he had to look deft in using a gun and showcasing action. In order to make the movements of using a gun seem natural, I always carried around the prop gun even while I was waiting on set, and I put in effort to get used to it.”
Jung Hae In continued, “I had to build my body the most [for Su Ho] out of all the characters I’ve played until now, so I was on a strict diet, and I exercised whenever I had the chance and left exercising equipment in the waiting room.”
“I hope (viewers) keep an eye on the situation in which Su Ho falls into danger when he is pushed into a corner as the story progresses and as he meets a woman named Eun Young Ro, feels the emotion of love, and clumsily tries to express it,” the actor concluded.
Will you be tuning in to watch “Snowdrop”?
Images: Disney+ Hostar/ JTBC. Source: Soompi.
