Hyun Bin is back as Baek Ki-tae in the second season of Made in Korea.
At a press conference for the Disney+ K-drama yesterday (Sept 2), the actor shared how he felt about returning to the role after the first season won him the grand prize at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards last year.
“It would be a lie for me to say I didn’t feel any pressure but I’m very glad that so many people loved the first season. I do expect our viewers who loved season one to come back and watch season two,” he said.
In season one, Ki-tae was an ambitious Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) chief living a double life. He worked as a government agent by day while running a highly illegal smuggling operation by night.
The new season picks up nine years after the events of the first and is set against the political backdrop leading up to the Dec 12 military coup of 1979.
Focusing on the power vacuum following the assassination of the president, it follows Ki-tae at the height of his power as second-in-command at the agency while scorned prosecutor Jang Geon-young (played by Jung Woo-sung) once again prepares to take him down.
Ki-tae’s younger brother Ki-hyun (Woo Do-hwan) joins his enemy and becomes a stumbling block in his journey.
The six episodes will deliver one overarching story, with director Woo Min-ho adding: “If season one felt like a fight between kids, season two feels like a battle among adults.”
Hyun Bin, who turns 44 this month, said he had “more homework” to do for season two: “I wanted to make sure it was compelling enough for the viewers to see this internal conflict that Ki-tae is having.”
Woo-sung said Geon-young goes from having a sense of public justice to desire for personal vengeance.
“He lost everything in the finale of season one. He was left behind in the struggle, at the very bottom of his life, and he is filled with revenge. Now he wants vengeance. He doesn’t even realise that he is doing everything out of vengeance… He believes that this is a deed of justice,” said the 53-year-old.
Do-hwan, 34, said the immature young kid Ki-hyun has become a “more mature person”.
“He becomes part of that big power struggle between grown-up men, so I hope that viewers will be curious about the choices Ki-hyun will make. That’s the area of focus that I thought about,” he said.
“He is much more resolute now, which only intensifies the conflict with his brother.”
At the press conference for season one last year, Hyun Bin had revealed he gained about 14kg to play Ki-tae.
“I did it on purpose because Ki-tae is someone who’s the chief of the KCIA, which is synonymous with absolute power in 1970s South Korea,” he said then.
“I wanted his appearance to reflect that as well, and for my character to really dominate the scene the moment he appears.”
Made in Korea 2, which also stars Seo Eun-soo, Won Ji-an, Jung Sung-il, Roh Jae-won and Cha Hee, premieres with two episodes on Sept 6, followed by two new episodes every Wednesday.
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