[Interview①] 'Kingdom 2' Kim Sung-kyu "Yeongshin is scruffy but amazed by the passionate response"

[Lee Isul, Entertainment Reporter]

Actor Kim Sung-kyu expressed his gratitude for the passionate response toward Yeong-shin.

On the morning of the 23rd, Kim Sung-kyu shared various stories about the Netflix original series Kingdom 2 (written by Kim Eun-hee, directed by Park In-je) during an online video interview.

That day, Kim Sung-kyu said, "The reaction after the release of Kingdom was amazing," reflecting on the attention he received.

He continued humbly, "The feedback was faster than what I experienced after previous movie releases, which I liked," and added, "Nothing has changed much."

Having filmed Kingdom seasons 1 and 2 over about two years and built strong teamwork, Kim Sung-kyu recalled, "I started with a lot of pressure."

He added, "I couldn't sleep the night before the first reading. When I arrived on set, there were people I had only seen on TV or in movies, so I was nervous. But as we filmed, they approached me first, and we ate together, gradually adapting within the world of Kingdom."

After the release of Kingdom season 1, Yeong-shin’s intense action scenes received enthusiastic responses from viewers both domestically and internationally. When asked about the secret to this popularity, Kim Sung-kyu said, "When I first read the script, I felt there were many good scenes," and added, "The small but fast and desperate action connected well into season 2."

He continued, "Yeong-shin represents the commoners and the people in the drama. Though shabby and small, he is relatively fast and skilled in action, which might be why people like him," and said, "He’s scruffy and not cool, but it’s amazing and heartwarming that people view him positively."

Meanwhile, Kingdom 2 is a mystery thriller depicting a Joseon in crisis where the dead have risen to create a living hell, the greed of the Jo family vying for royal power, and the bloody struggle of Crown Prince Lee Chang (played by Ju Ji-hoon), who can trust no one. Kim Sung-kyu plays Yeong-shin, a character with incredible gun and sword skills who hides a past. The series was released on Netflix on the 13th.

Photo = Netflix

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.