Acting Greats Park In-hwan, Na Moon-hee, Song Kang and Hong Seung-hee Team Up for “Navillera”
Navillera brings together an amazing group of actors who will enthrall audiences worldwide.
Park In-hwan, who has been well known throughout his 56-year career for playing likeable characters, has delivered solid turns in the films Exit and Miss Granny, and the series Liver or Die. Now he takes on the challenging role of Deok-chul, a man in his golden years, who aspires to master the young person’s art of ballet. The relentless pursuit of his dream empowers him to overcome prejudices and to seek out young Song Kang’s character Chae-rok as a teacher. This friendship, made possible by ballet, transcends the generational gap and redefines gender roles and relationships.
Song Kang is a hardworking actor who earns the trust of audiences more with each performance. Park In-hwan, 49 years his senior, first thought of him “only as a good-looking young man.” [But with each scene] “I saw him improve by leaps and bounds. And he also has my respect as my ballet teacher,” he said, praising the younger actor for his hard work and sweat. Behind his brusque manners and sharp words, Song Kang’s character Chae-rok is a warm-hearted ballet teacher. Song Kang has been challenged to broaden his spectrum and expand his horizons as an actor with the dynamic onstage performances in Navillera.
Na Moon-hee, whose eyes alone can make a performance movingly emotional, plays Deok-chul’s wife Hae-nam. As a nurturing mother who does not always fully connect with her children, she is now asked to support her husband, who suddenly declares that he is going to pursue his dream of becoming a successful ballet dancer. Navillera marks Na Moon-hee’s ninth acting collaboration with Park In-hwan. Their on-screen chemistry, as an older couple who understand each other without even speaking, is thoroughly believable. Her portrayal of an older woman who has weathered many storms, will certainly resonate with audiences, who may see reflections of their own mothers in the character.
Hong Seung-hee joins the cast as a young woman torn between her struggles and her ideal of excellence. She portrays a relatable character caught up in the rat race; a model daughter trapped in a life designed by her father. Her journey to find true happiness will resound with many viewers. They can follow Hong Seung-hee’s character Sim Eun-ho’s journey, as she meets and connects with Chae-rok, a young man who is also weary from struggling with life’s harsh realities.
The cast is rounded out by a solid group of talented supporting actors, including Kim Tae-hun, Yoon Ji-hye, Cheong Hae-kyun, Kim Soo-jin, Jung Hee-tae, Jo Bok-rae and Shin Eun-jung. Kim Tae-hun and Yoon Ji-hye, who play a divorced couple, pass on their onstage experience and know-how to the young dancer Song Kang; mentoring and supporting him to achieve his potential. Cheong Hae-kyun, Kim Soo-jin, Jung Hee-tae, Jo Bok-rae and Shin Eun-jung play members of Park In-hwan and Na Moon-hee’s family, each giving a distinctive identity to their character and creating a realistic home dynamic.