Jang Ki-yong returns to TV as realistic hero in 'The Atypical Family'

Actors Jang Ki-yong, left, and Chun Woo-hee pose during a press conference for JTBC’s new series, “The Atypical Family,” held at Stanford Hotel in Mapo District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of JTBC

Actor Jang Ki-yong is returning to the small screen after a two-year hiatus to serve his mandatory military service, playing the lead in the new JTBC series, “The Atypical Family.”

The romance fantasy series, set to premiere on Saturday, follows a family of heroes who lost their supernatural powers due to their own distinct reasons. The family’s son and a single father, Bok Gwi-joo (Jang), has the ability to travel back in time, but after an incident, he suffers from depression and loses his power.

One day, a mysterious woman, Do Da-hae (Chun Woo-hee) comes into Bok and his family’s life, bringing changes to their powerless days.

“I felt a strong attraction when I read the script. The distinctive characteristics of each hero family member was interesting, and I felt a thrilling excitement that with this character of Bok Gwi-joo, I could pull off an unexpected type of acting,” Jang said during the press conference for the series, held at Stanford Hotel in Mapo District, Seoul, Thursday.

Actor Jang Ki-yong plays the role of Bok Gwi-joo in the series “The Atypical Family.” Courtesy of JTBC

The actor shared his excitement for his comeback, adding that he took a different approach with this series than his previous works.

“My 20s have always been hectic. And for the first time, I’ve had a hiatus and I realized such time is needed. I didn’t have much peace of mind before. But with this series, I felt peacefulness for the first time when preparing for it,” he said.

“Because it’s my first work in almost three years, I’ve prepared a lot and wanted to do well. Personally, I’ve had a proud and fulfilling past eight months (while filming).”

Director Jo Hyun-tak, known for leading the smash-hit series “Sky Castle” (2018), helmed the new series.

The director noted that the series combines several genres with the irony of relatable stories from the fictional setting.

“The story begins as a family who completely lost their superpowers struggle to regain them. This process is both comical, poignant and desperate. It will encompass various genres,” he said.

“The series belongs to the realistic hero genre, where elements of reality and fantasy intersect continuously. I aimed to portray the fantasy storyline with a realistic touch and present the realistic aspects in a fictionalized manner.”

A scene from the series “The Atypical Family” / Courtesy of JTBC

And such irony was what drew actor Chun to join the series. “I’ve been longing to do a story about family. In the script, there was this fantasy setting to an everyday story of a family. I liked this paradox,” she said.

“(The series) has a lot to show, while it’s a very practical story about people living in today’s society. (The viewers) will be able to relate and get comfort from the series.”

Chun also added the series offers a unique chemistry between the two lead actors.

“When Jang was cast for his role, a lot of people were surprised (to see us playing counterparts). It’s an unexpected combination,” she said.

“This was Jang’s first work in three years and I haven’t done much melodrama genre so we said ‘let’s rely on each other,’ and the chemistry went well.”