Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Cast emotional as 'The World of the Married' airs final episode
Actress Kim Hee-ae poses with her script for the final episode of “The World of the Married.” / Courtesy of JTBC
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
The cast of the smash-hit drama “The World of the Married” shared their final thoughts about the TV series and expressed gratitude to fans.
Based on the BBC One TV series “Doctor Foster,” the 16-episode drama set a new ratings record for a cable drama. Its final episode attracted 28.4 percent of the total viewership for its timeslot, Saturday, breaking the previous record of 23.8 percent set by the final episode of JTBC hit drama “Sky Castle” in 2019.
In “The World of the Married,” Kim Hee-ae plays Ji Sun-woo, a dedicated wife and doctor who finds out about her husband's affair and sets out for revenge. It has caught viewers' attention with its fast-paced, suspense-filled plot, in which characters experience a whirlwind of emotions.
Actress Kim shared that she got emotional after shooting her final scene, but has no regrets because she put her all into portraying the character.
“I was alone in the process of understanding and sympathizing with the situation surrounding my character Sun-woo, but I was less lonely thanks to viewers who showed affection and attention,” Kim said through her agency YG Entertainment.
The veteran actress said playing Ji Sun-woo was a challenge because it required intense and powerful feelings to display many sides of the character ― from caring mother to aggressive wife.
“Sun-woo is a character that I cannot describe in one word. At first, I was afraid because I couldn't relate to the situation and character. As I was filming, I became more and more understanding of her,” she said.
Kim mentioned a scene where her character finds out that she was living a lie at her husband Lee Tae-oh's birthday party. “I was more shocked by the betrayal of my colleagues and acquaintances; that was more shocking than that of my husband.”
Actor Park Hae-joon poses with his script for the final episode of “The World of the Married.” / Courtesy of JTBC
She added, “Sun-woo is a character who consumes a lot of emotions, so I had to concentrate on controlling my emotions for each scene. I really put all my energy into it.”
Kim went on to praise her acting partner Park Hae-joon, who appeared as her husband Tae-oh. “Park is not only a good actor, but also has the ability to bring out the best performances from his co-actors,” she said.
Meanwhile, Park expressed his gratitude to drama fans. “I didn't expect my drama to achieve such popularity. I feel so relieved that fans enjoyed it so much throughout the 16 episodes. We worked so hard, and honestly, I feel sad now.”
Actress Han So-hee poses with her script for the final episode of “The World of the Married.” / Courtesy of JTBC
Park will join Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun in the upcoming airline disaster film “Emergency Declaration,” which is packed with suspense and action.
He will play the presidential director of emergency management in the new film. The cast will start shooting the film at the end of May.
Actress Han So-hee, who rose to stardom by playing Tae-oh's mistress Yeo Da-kyung in “The World of the Married,” commented, “I have mixed feelings because I lacked in many ways. I'll work harder to become a better actress.” Details about Han's next project are not disclosed yet.