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| From left, actors Ahn Woo-yeon, Kim Da-som, Im Soo-hyang, director Baek Soo-chan, actors Kim Jung-hyun, Cha Chung-hwa, and Kim In-kwon pose during an online press conference for the MBC series "Kokdu: Season of Deity," Friday. Courtesy of MBC |
By Lee Gyu-lee
Kim Jung-hyun has made his small screen comeback after a three-year hiatus with the title role in the MBC's new romantic comedy series "Kokdu: Season of Deity."
The fantasy romance series, which premiered Friday, revolves around a god of death called Kokdu (Kim) and ER doctor Han Gye-jeol (Im Soo-hyang).
Once a human in ancient times, Kokdu becomes cursed by tragic love as the god of death, coming back from the underworld every 99 years. When it's his time to visit the human world, he morphs into the body of a successful surgeon, Do Jin-woo, becomes close with Gye-jeol, a fellow hospital worker, and searches for memories of his past life to break the curse.
The series is led by director Baek Soo-chan, whose work includes the mystery romance series "The Girl Who Sees Scents" (2015) and the action series "Alice" (2020). Heo Joon-woo and Kang Yi-hun, who both wrote the 2018 crime series "Less Than Evil," co-scripted it.
The series debuted its first episode with a 4.8 percent viewership, but Saturday's episode saw a drop in its rating to 2.2 percent.
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| A scene from the series "Kokdu: Season of Deity" / Courtesy of MBC |
This is the first series in three years for Kim since the hit series "Mr. Queen" (2020). The actor took time off from his career following a dispute with a former management agency and rumors of getting gas-lighted by his former girlfriend and actress Seo Yea-ji.
"A lot has happened since I took a hiatus. It was a time to reflect on myself and to grow stronger to show a better version of myself," he said during an online press conference for the series, Friday. "When choosing a series, the script plays a great part. But I also feel grateful to MBC for reaching out to me."
Expressing that he is thankful for the opportunity to pick up his acting career with the series, he shared that he has had a blissful time playing the cocky, self-assured character of Kokdu.
"He's the reaper who can be wacky a lot of times. So when I go to the set, I try to fill my mind with funny thoughts to keep the mindset. It's so much fun to go out on the set because I'm getting so much energy from the co-stars," he said.
Im said that working with Kim has been a great experience, sharing that watching his acting helped her.
"I've been very inspired by Kim. There's really a lot to learn (from him). His acting is very delicate and meticulous. So I feel like I'm reigniting the passion I had when I started acting," she said. "There are a lot of lines (throughout the series) so the chemistry with Kim was very important … And because Kim is so skilled, he can go along with anything that I try (with acting). It's really fun to act with him."
"Kokdu: Season of Deity" airs Fridays and Saturdays at 9:50 p.m.
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