[Exclusive] Interview with the cast of The Devil Judge

Starring Ji-sung (Kill Me, Heal Me), Kim Min-jung (Mr Sunshine), Jinyoung (of GOT7, He is Psychometric), and Park Gyu-young (It’s Okay to not be Okay), new k-drama The Devil Judge is set in a dystopian world where the government allows live trials, with citizens able to participate and judge. Ji-sung plays Kim Yo-han, a cold-hearted judge with mysterious intentions – is he on the side of good or evil? Yo-han frequently clashes with the glamourous Jeong Sun-ah, who works for the Social Responsibility Foundation. Jinyoung plays a young and righteous associate judge Kim Ga-on, who is childhood friends with policewoman Yoon Soo-hyun (Park Gyu-young), who seeks to unearth Yo-han’s secrets.

The drama is currently airing and receiving rave reviews so far, and K-Popped! was granted an exclusive Q&A with the cast of The Devil Judge.

Park Gyu-young

Q: You’ve played strong or spunky female characters in recent dramas like Sweet Home and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. How does Yoon Soo-hyun’s character compare to Ju-ri and Ji-soo?
Park Gyu-young : Yoon Soo-hyun is a police officer but reacts instinctively to injustice. She is a person that is driven by good energy rather than by any gain or personal purpose. Although it is brief, such images are also shown in Yoon Soo-hyun’s past narratives. As many others, we are strong, brave and firm but we are also the most delicate. In this regard, the hairstyles and costumes shown by Ju-ri (It’s Okay to not be Okay), Ji-Soo (Sweet Home) and Soo-hyun may have different looks, jobs, and speech, but they all seem to be three-dimensional characters who move with healthy energy.

Q: Since the dystopian concept is not commonly done in k-dramas, did you make any special preparations before taking on this project?
Park Gyu-young : Since it’s a virtual dystopia, although the situations and settings may be different, Soo-hyun is free from the situation and seems to only meet and interact with people related to her. So I focused only on the other actors and situations while I was acting. Although it is a virtual/fictional world, I did not feel much difference in terms of expressing a person living in it. Rather, after filming and from a viewer’s perspective, it feels fun to watch a drama that depicts dystopia like this.

Kim Min-jung

Q: This is your second time working with Ji-sung – how was it working together again?
Kim Min-jung : Both of us grew, matured and became more considerate of each other. It certainly led to good teamwork.

Q: Sun-ah considers Yo-han as her nemesis and both have secrets. What differentiates the way they think and operate?
Kim Min-jung : Sun-ah and Yo-han are like “spiritual twins” (according to the writer). The difference between them is that they choose different ways.

Q: How did this role challenge you as an actress?
Kim Min-jung : I’ve been acting for a long time, but it’s my first time acting in a role that killed someone. I was so fascinated and excited as an actor because of this new, challenging character. Jeong Sun-ah is lethal, but she is also has a child-like innocence character, so it was most important for me to express them well. It’s like, what that person is doing is horrible but at the same time understandable.

Q: Since the dystopian concept is not commonly done in k-dramas, did you make any special preparations before taking on this project?
Kim Min-jung : There was no special preparation and we already have some expectations and feelings, and even if it’s dystopian, it’s not a different world at all, so I was able to handle it without feeling any sense of difference.

Q: If each character in the show were given one supernatural power, what would be one power that you would like to have, to change the world or make the world a better place to live in?
Kim Min-jung : I don’t think it takes any power to change the world. If you just try not to hurt others and do what you can in your position, wouldn’t the world be a little better?

Jinyoung

Q: Ga-on is described as the ‘hope’ of the dystopian era. With so many devils around him, can viewers expect to see Ga-on go down a darker path?
Jinyoung : Rather than going down a darker path, Gaon’s beliefs change little by little as he approaches the hidden truth. If you observe Gaon’s change, you’ll enjoy Devil Judge more.

Q: What lessons did you learn from acting with veterans like Ji-sung and Kim Min-jung?
Jinyoung : Since the seniors are veterans, I felt a sense of stability on the set. When I encounter difficulties, they always had the solutions to it so even though I waver, I’m able to return back and focus again.

Q: Since dystopian concept is not commonly done in k-dramas, did you make any special preparations before taking on this project?

Jinyoung : First of all, the director made the dystopian world on site really well. Also, I didn’t think there was much difference in the dystopian world (compared to the real world) because it is still a place where people live. So, as an actor, I put in effort to exist through the character Ga-on.

Q: This is one of your more mature roles that you have taken on to date, as compared to previous roles. How do you feel about this role?
Jinyoung : Although I look young (he smiles), Ga-on is actually my age. Ga-on’s personality itself isn’t light nor heavy, so while acting, I felt that he had a lot of similarities with me and that there were many learning points. It was very helpful for me to play Ga-on.

Q: If each character in the show is given one supernatural power, what would be one power that you would like to have, to change the world or make the world a better place to live in?

Jinyoung : I want to have the ability to turn back time.

The Devil Judge is currently airing on Saturday & Sunday @ tvN and on Astro (CH395) and UnifiTv (Ch211).