Yum Jung-ah plays devilish adoption trafficking kingpin in 'The Defects'
Yum Jung-ah, second from left, Dex, left, and other cast members of ENA drama "The Defects" pose during a press conference at Stanford Hotel in western Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of ENA
A dark and gripping new Korean drama that tackles a modern-day illegal adoption ring will start airing Monday evening.
"The Defects," a new ENA drama based on the Kakao Webtoon of the same name, which recorded over 51 million views, is an action thriller depicting the desperate survival and revenge of children who were abandoned by their adoptive parents and barely survived at the brink of death.
The drama’s premise, an illegal adoption cartel where adoptive parents can buy children and even request refunds if not satisfied, already sparked buzz for its provocative subject matter.
Director Oh Ki-hwan said he was drawn to the project because of one haunting line: refund a child.
"For example, if you look at Greek mythology, it contains human desires, doesn't it? I felt that the relationships depicted in the original 'The Defects' could tell a broad story about Korean people," Oh said during a press conference for the drama at Stanford Hotel in western Seoul, Monday.
Veteran actor Yum Jung-ah plays Kim Se-hee, the de facto leader and villain of an illegal adoption trafficking organization in the series. Regarding her role, she said, "This character is a devil, someone who commits evil acts with very twisted beliefs ... I thought it would be interesting to portray a character who is different on the inside and out."
A poster for ENA drama "The Defects" / Courtesy of ENA
Kim Jin-young, a former UDT member and popular YouTuber commonly known as Dex, is challenging himself with a villainous role. The TV personality, who shot to stardom with Netflix’s dating show “Single’s Inferno,” plays Jung-hyun, the real operator of the adoption trafficking organization.
"I like to focus intensely when I work and the appealing part about acting is being able to deeply explore and lead a character," he said. "I approached it with a sense of guilt, wondering if I would be a flaw [among the cast]. I pulled out everything I could to work on this project."
Director Oh said he cast Dex not as a celebrity but an actor.
"I don't really know him as entertainer Dex. I met him as an actor and after our conversation, I saw potential and decided to work with him," he said. "Kim Jin-young was different between the start of filming and when we wrapped."
Dex also shared a behind-the-scenes look at the action sequences.
"Action acting and real action are different, so it was a bit difficult when I had to act them out. When you perform real action, your expression naturally comes out, so I put more effort into my acting to make it believable. That’s why there are many scenes that feel realistic," he said. "Sometimes, because I was exerting so much force, oxygen wasn’t reaching my brain and I actually blacked out.”
Citing "high-intensity settings, a powerful narrative and strong action," Oh emphasized, "It’s a drama where light and darkness collide. I plan to portray light through darkness.”
The director said he approached this project as if he was making an eight-part film. It will be released in 15+ and 19+ versions through ENA and Tving, respectively.
"The ENA version was edited to be milder to suit their rating. For Tving, I made sure I could show 100 percent of what I envisioned. If you watch both the 15-rated and 19-rated versions, you'll experience multi-layered enjoyment."
The drama premieres Monday night at 10 p.m.