Han So-hee and Park Seo-jun in a scene from the second season of 'Gyeongseong Creature.' Photos courtesy of NetflixMANILA — One of the key charms of the first season of “Gyeongseong Creature” was its blend of a gripping monster mystery with the historical backdrop of Japanese-occupied Korea. However, as the series shifts from 1945 to present-day Seoul in its second season, this change in setting raises a particular question: how does this new era propel the story forward?

“I think in season one, the Japanese occupation was the foe that we could see very clearly. We had people fighting for their independence and their life during this period. But in modern-day Seoul, we have our foes but they remain hidden, so it’s much less apparent [who the enemies are],” director Chung Dong-yoon explained to ABS-CBN News in a recent roundtable interview.

“Because they are much less apparent, it feels like we are compromising very easily to our foes in the modern day. That’s what I wanted to talk about in season two — that we shouldn’t compromise too easily with our foes,” Chung said through an interpreter.

The first season of “Gyeongseong Creature” was set in Gyeongseong, the old name of Seoul during the Japanese occupation. It followed pawnshop owner Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-jun) as he teamed up with sleuth Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee) to infiltrate a hospital, leading to their encounter with a creature born from clandestine experiments.

The seven-part second season, which dropped on Netflix on September 27, advances to the present, revealing that Chae-ok survived the ordeals of the previous chapter. Now, she confronts new mysteries as she becomes involved in a string of crimes and meets Jang Ho-jae, a man who bears a striking resemblance to Jang Tae-sang.

During the interview, the lead actors shared that the new setting required them to approach their characters differently.

“Because it’s modern-day Seoul, I think Koreans would understand this faster, but the way of speech, tone of speech is different compared to 1945. So that was one big difference in my approach to my character,” said Seo-jun, known for starring in popular K-dramas like “What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?” and “Itaewon Class.”

“I think people would have had different ways of thinking in the past compared to Seoul today, so I guess a lot of things were different, including how you approach other people,” he added.

(From left to right) Director Chung Dong-yoon joins cast members Bae Hyun-seung, Han So-hee, Park Seo-jun and Lee Mu-saeng for the press conference of 'Gyeongseong Creature' in Seoul

Han So-hee and Park Seo-jun

For So-hee, the time skip prompted a change in wardrobe for Chae-ok. “First of all, the style, the way I clothed myself was different,” she said.

The actress also noted that while Chae-ok remained a sleuth, she has adapted to using new tools that have emerged over the decades. 

“Because so much time has passed, we have new gadgets and everything becomes more convenient. So Chae-ok is still working as a sleuth, a modern-day sleuth locating missing people, but she uses different, more advanced means,” she said.

Director Chung said “Gyeongseong Creature” also leveled up its game in the second season by introducing new, distinct monsters.

“If you watch season one, we only had one creature, one monster. In season two, we have three, so I thought it was important if we have three creatures with three different characteristics,” he said.

“The first one would be the big one with a lot of muscles, and the second one would have like a shrill voice, maybe a little bit feminine. And the third one would be the humongous one, the biggest one, the most scary one. So we’d have these different characteristics and personalities of the three different creatures.”

Chung added that “the movement of the creatures became even more fascinating,” which is something viewers can look forward to in terms of visual effects.

Park Seo-jun in 'Gyeongseong Creature'

Working relationship

After collaborating in the first season, Seo-jun and So-hee found it much easier to work together in the second season. 

“It took us one year to get really close to each other so in season two, we could really rely on each other because we got much closer and we could root for each other,” said So-hee.

So-hee — whose diverse portfolio includes shows like “The World of the Married,” “Nevertheless” and “My Name” — said it was a “no-brainer” for her to reprise her role as Chae-ok. 

“I was very much drawn to my character because she has a lot of different charms. I also think a period drama has that power that really intrigues you. Also, I was drawn to the creature genre, which I wanted to try,” she said.

Han So-hee in 'Gyeongseong Creature'Seo-jun said the intense action scenes played a key role in helping him and So-hee build a strong bond. “Because we had so many action scenes where we were doing hand-to-hand combat, I think that’s why we became really close. We could have really fierce action scenes until the very end thanks to our chemistry,” he said.

When asked about a favorite theme from the second season, Seo-jun answered: “This show is not just about good and evil, but it talks about what we should not forget… I think the theme that continues from season one is ‘things that we should not forget.’”

“Apart from that, there’s a lot in store [for the audience]. If you want a melodrama, we have it, if you want action and creatures, we have it all in the show. We have different eras as well. Either way, you would have fun watching the show,” he added.

For more news and features on K-pop, K-drama, and K-stars, visit the Hallyu Corner microsite.