Jang Hyuk has opened up about the pressure of portraying the famous historical figure Yeon Gaesomun in KBS2's upcoming historical drama Sword & Silence, admitting that following in the footsteps of respected veteran actors was a major challenge.
On November 12, Jang Hyuk attended the drama's production press conference at The Link Hotel in Sindorim, Seoul, where he shared his concerns about taking on a character already familiar to Korean viewers.
The actor explained that Yeon Gaesomun has been portrayed by several accomplished senior actors, making it difficult to find a fresh approach while staying true to the historical figure.
“Yeon Gaesomun is a famous character who has been portrayed by many outstanding senior actors. People already have a strong image of him,” Jang Hyuk said.
He continued, “I felt pressure thinking about how I could make the character relatable, convincingly portray the historical circumstances, and still show my own acting style.”
Beyond the expectations surrounding the role, Jang Hyuk also revealed the challenges of acting in large-scale scenes that use artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate historical battles.
During filming in Mongolia, the production team brought in 450 horses for a scene in which his character delivers a speech before a massive army.
However, the scene was meant to represent an army of 150,000 soldiers, requiring him to imagine the much larger crowd while performing.
“There was a scene where I had to give a speech in front of 450 horses during filming in Mongolia. But in the story, I was supposed to be addressing 150,000 soldiers,” he explained.
“I had to imagine the right tone for that situation, and I felt pressure trying to deliver the emotions properly,” he added.
To make his portrayal different from previous versions, Jang Hyuk said he focused on understanding Yeon Gaesomun's historical role and emotional journey rather than simply repeating the powerful image audiences already know.
“I kept thinking about how my portrayal could be different from those of the senior actors before me,” he shared.
He added that he tried to understand the situations surrounding the character and his relationships with others to bring out a more personal interpretation.
Meanwhile, Sword & Silence follows leaders who risk everything for victory amid centuries of warfare and political conflict involving Korea's Three Kingdoms.
With Jang Hyuk taking on one of Korea's most recognizable historical figures, attention is turning to how he will bring his own interpretation of Yeon Gaesomun to the screen.
Sword & Silence is scheduled to premiere on November 14 at 9:20 PM KST on KBS2.
Jang Hyuk has opened up about the pressure of portraying the famous historical figure Yeon Gaesomun in KBS2's upcoming historical drama Sword & Silence, admitting that following in the footsteps of respected veteran actors was a major challenge.
On November 12, Jang Hyuk attended the drama's production press conference at The Link Hotel in Sindorim, Seoul, where he shared his concerns about taking on a character already familiar to Korean viewers.
The actor explained that Yeon Gaesomun has been portrayed by several accomplished senior actors, making it difficult to find a fresh approach while staying true to the historical figure.
“Yeon Gaesomun is a famous character who has been portrayed by many outstanding senior actors. People already have a strong image of him,” Jang Hyuk said.
He continued, “I felt pressure thinking about how I could make the character relatable, convincingly portray the historical circumstances, and still show my own acting style.”
Beyond the expectations surrounding the role, Jang Hyuk also revealed the challenges of acting in large-scale scenes that use artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate historical battles.
During filming in Mongolia, the production team brought in 450 horses for a scene in which his character delivers a speech before a massive army.
However, the scene was meant to represent an army of 150,000 soldiers, requiring him to imagine the much larger crowd while performing.
“There was a scene where I had to give a speech in front of 450 horses during filming in Mongolia. But in the story, I was supposed to be addressing 150,000 soldiers,” he explained.
“I had to imagine the right tone for that situation, and I felt pressure trying to deliver the emotions properly,” he added.
To make his portrayal different from previous versions, Jang Hyuk said he focused on understanding Yeon Gaesomun's historical role and emotional journey rather than simply repeating the powerful image audiences already know.
“I kept thinking about how my portrayal could be different from those of the senior actors before me,” he shared.
He added that he tried to understand the situations surrounding the character and his relationships with others to bring out a more personal interpretation.
Meanwhile, Sword & Silence follows leaders who risk everything for victory amid centuries of warfare and political conflict involving Korea's Three Kingdoms.
With Jang Hyuk taking on one of Korea's most recognizable historical figures, attention is turning to how he will bring his own interpretation of Yeon Gaesomun to the screen.
Sword & Silence is scheduled to premiere on November 14 at 9:20 PM KST on KBS2.
