Interview with Stars of ‘The Slave Hunters’

“The Slave Hunters,” which is scheduled to air on January 6 on KBS2, is a period drama about two men--one chasing a slave who ruined his noble family and the other an army general reduced to a slave--and a woman both men love. Jang Hyuk will play the slave hunter Lee Dae-gil and Oh Ji-ho the army general Song Tae-ha. Lee Da-hae was cast for the role of the lucky woman Kim Hye-won. The three stars gave a pleasant interview ahead of the show’s release.

NOTE: The photo with this article is not the one you'll see at other sites. I selected this one because it shows the actors having a little fun during a photo session. Everyone on this project is working very hard to make it great, and no doubt they're suffering from being tired, cold, stressed out, etc. Therefore, I salute their humor. Enjoy the interview below the photo, and remember, their work is done for you.
Click image to enlarge.


*****************************************
Q. (To Oh Ji-ho and Lee Da-hae) This is the first time you two have appeared in a period drama. How do you like it?

Oh: It was certainly not easy at first. The way of talking was quite unfamiliar to me, and I was told a lot that it didn’t suit my image. I also felt pressure since this is the first time I’ve starred in a historical drama. But now I am really enjoying it. Compared to dramas of present-day life, an epic drama has fewer lines to deliver but has more spectacular scenes to watch. There’s more fun in shooting it.

Lee: I too was worried a lot since I’ve never appeared in an epic show. But it turned out to be really fun. Now I have no problem climbing a mountain and answering nature’s call on a mountainside. The thing I like most is that I can spend a lot of time with other cast members and staff. Because the shooting takes place in a remote mountain, we have no choice but to be together all the time, eating together and talking together.

Q. (To Jang Hyuk and Lee Da-hae) This is the second time you two have starred in a drama together. How do you feel about it?

Lee: It’s good to work with him again. I feel comfortable acting since I already know him.

Jang: I found her very cool when we performed together in the previous show. So I’m very happy to work with her again. And I think a lot about how I can successfully express feelings for her since we are parted early in the drama and reunited a long time later.

Q. (To Jang Hyuk and Oh Ji-ho) It seems you will be able to impress many fans with your well-built bodies. How have each of you worked out to build such a physique?

Jang: I’ve tried to make my body suitable for my character, who needs to look agile rather than muscular. And that’s what the director wanted as well. He told us that since the drama is about men who basically live on the street, we need to engage in lots of physical activities and look tough and swift.

Oh: I’m not as well-built as Jang. All actors in our drama boast a good body. Jang’s even nicknamed “chocolate man” because his stomach is so well-built that it looks like a square chocolate bar.

Lee Da-hae interrupted, saying, “That’s why I like coming to the shoot. I was surprised to see all of them have such a nice body. Jang and Oh are making real efforts to keep fit and they like working out so much that they do it even on the set whenever they find available time.”

Q. (To Oh Ji-ho) Do you have any difficulty playing your role since he is supposed to be good at martial arts as an army general?

Oh: I had a hard time at first. Not only is it the first time that I appear in a historical and action drama, but I also have to use a big, heavy sword. I had lots of cuts and injuries. But I’ve gotten used to it, and Jang helps me a lot. So, it’s ok now.

Q. (To Jang Hyuk and Oh Ji-ho) You are at odds with each other in the drama. But how do you get along in reality?

Oh: We hit it off easily because we are the same age, although our interests are a bit different since he’s married and I’m not. I don’t usually gets nervous about people I work with, but I do when I’m with Jang because he is such a great actor who gives all he has to his role. And he is humorous, too.

Jang: I think Oh is very smart. He is also doing his best in his work. And I’m more humorous than Oh. (laughter) That’s perhaps because I’m married.

Q. (To Lee Da-hae) You must be very happy to be at the shoot, right? And who is closer to your ideal type?

Lee: Yes, I am. It’s so much fun. Often I am the only woman at the shoot, so everyone is so kind to me. I won’t be able to do any other work after this. And it’s hard to tell who is closer to my ideal type because both of them have their own charms.

Hearing that, Oh said jokingly, “You should choose me since I’m single,” while Jang said, “It’s just ideal type, and you should remember that we have starred together previously.”

The three stars all promised to give a good performance and asked viewers to show interest in the drama.

This interview may be seen in the original version at this link by clicking on it: http://english.kbs.co.kr/TVRadio/BehindtheDrama/view.html?No=310
December 11, 2009
Writer: KBSi Jin Yeong-ju
Video: KBSi Chung Yeon-kyu, Kim Seung-hee
Copyright ⓒ KBS & KBSi