Director Park Hoon-jung ventures into TV production with 'The Tyrant'

From left, actors Kim Kang-woo, Jo Yoon-su, director Park Hoon-jung, actors Kim Seon-ho and Cha Seung-won pose during a press conference for the upcoming Disney+ series "The Tyrant" at a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam District, Monday. Yonhap

Known for his two-part film "The Witch," director Park Hoon-jung is returning with its spinoff "The Tyrant." The new series marks the director's first attempt at a TV series production, yet it still promises Park's signature intense characters in nail-biting neo-noir action scenes.

A Disney+ original action thriller, "The Tyrant" follows four individuals in a deadly chase to recover a final sample from the secret government-conceived Tyrant project.

The new series is set in the same background as the director's acclaimed film series, "The Witch," which has built a solid fan base with its signature dark plot and riveting action scenes.

During Monday's press conference at a hotel in Gangnam District, Seoul, the director emphasized that this was his first foray into television, sharing the challenges he faced in the transition.

"It was my first time working on a medium other than film, and it was tough. I realized how amazing drama creators are," the director said.

"Originally, 'The Tyrant' series was supposed to be a movie ... However, as a creator, I decided to make the work in a format that could shine better, given the variety of media available to showcase content ... It has been a rocky road, but I guess there's a first time to everything."

Park Hoon-jung, director of the upcoming Disney+ series "The Tyrant," speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam District, Monday. Yonhap

The four main actors leading the new series — Cha Seung-won, Kim Seon-ho, Kim Kang-woo and Jo Yoon-su — also took part in the event to share their behind-the-scenes insights on the project.

Cha, who plays a meticulous hitman, previously collaborated with the director in the movie "Night in Paradise" (2020).

Praising Park, Cha noted, "The strength of Park's movies is that there is no hesitation when filming action sequences, and that his characters are fiercely attractive. When I first read the script for 'The Tyrant,' I couldn't help but wonder how such an amazing script could be realized on screen."

Actor Kim Seon-ho poses during a press conference held at a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam District, Monday. Yonhap

Kim Seon-ho, who plays Director Choi, the designer of the Tyrant Project, and Kim Kang-woo, who appears as Paul, an overseas agent dispatched to shut down the project, have also previously worked with the director on "The Childe" (2023).

"Director Choi is a drastically different character from what I have played before and I thought it would be fun to portray him, so I enthusiastically participated in the project," Kim Seon-ho said, expressing his excitement about the new role.

Comparing his experiences in "The Tyrant" and "The Childe," the actor continued, "The character I played this time is more lonely, and desolate than the one in my previous work. Director Choi is conflicted and troubled internally, although he doesn't show it."

"There was no action this time, so it was a comfortable shoot physical-wise. I almost felt sorry for the senior actors who had to handle a lot of action," he added, smiling.

Park has previously discovered promising new actors, with big names including Kim Da-mi, Shin Si-a and Kang Tae-ju through his films. This time, he chose rising star Jo Yoon-su, known for her roles in the tvN series "True Beauty" (2021) and the Netflix series "Juvenile Justice" (2022).

Actor Jo Yoon-su speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam District, Monday. Yonhap

In "The Tyrant," she plays Chae Ja-kyung, a mysterious technician.

Taking on her first leading role since debut, Jo described her character as "a skilled person capable of everything from safe-cracking to murder."

"I was also a big fan of 'The Witch' series, so it's such an honor to be mentioned alongside the previous main characters of 'The Witch.' However, even though it's a connected universe, each character has their own distinct personality and I hope people will see Ja-kyung's unique traits," Jo said.

The new Disney+ series will be released as a four-part series on Aug. 14.