Ever since it was announced, fans worldwide have been eagerly awaiting the release of Netflix’s latest K-drama project “The Trunk” (트렁크). The mystery melodrama, directed by the well-known Kim Gyu-Tae (김규태), stars Gong Yoo (공유), Seo Hyun-Jin (서현진), Jung Yun-Ha (정윤하), Jo I-Geon (조이건) and Kim Dong-Won (김동원).
All is well though, because the long anticipated series will be airing in less than a week! In the meantime, here are some fun facts about it to pass the time. Once you’re done reading, we’ll be a few minutes closer to the release!
The plot synopsis reads:
“Noh In-ji (Seo Hyun-jin), an employee at a marriage service NM (short for “New Marriage”), has just completed her fourth marriage assignment and is gearing up for the next. Her upcoming client is Han Jeong-won (Gong Yoo), a music producer whose past traumas have left him in a state of anxiety and loneliness. In a bid to repair his relationship with his ex-wife, Lee Seo-yeon (Jung Yun-ha), Jeong-won reluctantly agrees to the ‘temporary marriage service’ at Seo-yeon’s insistence, embarking on an awkward and uncomfortable cohabitation with In-ji.
One day, a trunk surfaces from a lake, triggering a series of unsettling events. What is the truth that sank to the bottom of the lake along with the trunk? The four characters are confronted with the mystery behind the secretive marriage. What awaits them at the end of this unique marriage?”
1. Kim Gyu-Tae’s first collaboration with Netflix
Kim Gyu-Tae has directed many projects such as “That Winter, The Wind Blows”, “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo” and “Our Blues”. However, despite his large portfolio, “The Trunk” will be the first time that the famous director collaborates with Netflix. We look forward to seeing what this new venture will bring us, because it’s sure to be good.
2. Focus on character dynamics
This thrilling show, though in the mystery genre, will be focusing more on the relationships between each character. The director has mentioned that he’d like to bring out each character’s emotions, and have their arcs be the main point, rather than the plot that they’ve found themselves in. So there is a heavy emphasis on each main character in the cast, and their motivations.
3. Seo Hyun-Jin sees her character as a hermit crab
Wondering what kind of character actress Seo Hyun-Jin will be playing? Well she’s described Noh In-Ji (노인지), the character she plays, as a hermit crab, saying that In-Ji has a hard shell but a soft inside. According to the actress, the character shoulders the burden that she’s made into her home. It seems like a short insight to In-Ji’s past experiences, and hints toward what kind of persona we’ll see Hyun-Jin act out on screen.
4. Seo Hyun-Jin and Gong Yoo were the first casting choices
When it comes to casting actors to play a role, it’s always important to put a lot of thought into it. After all, the one playing a character could make or break the entire show. Even more so when it’s the main characters at stake. And sometimes, you’ll just see people who fit into the character like a glove.
Seo Hyun-Jin and Gong Yoo were the first choices to play Noh in-Ji and Han Jeong-Won (한정원) respectively. Good thing they both accepted the offers, because now we’ll get to see phenomenal performances from two pillars in the K-drama community.
5. Seo Hyun-Jin inspired Kim Gyu-Tae
Normally, a director will help the cast members to set the tone for a character, giving the talents instructions on what kind of portrayal they want to see. A director has a vision for each personality, and the actor will bring it to life.
However, in the case of Noh In-Ji, the one who inspired Kim Gyu-Tae was none other than Seo Hyun-Jin, the actress. In a twist of events, the one who had a vision for In-Ji was Hyun-Jin, and after she set the tone for her own character, Gyu-Tae was able to build on that, allowing him to bring a more complex character to life on screen.
“Noh In-ji lacks courage and gets easily scared, but she is very altruistic. I don’t think anyone could choose contract marriage service as a profession unless they are altruistic. I’m not sure how this will be perceived by the viewers, but I wanted to minimize the external expression of my character. I tried to scale down the portrayal of my character’s emotions to about 1/10 of how I would normally express them, and I hope the viewers can find this approach relatable,” Seo Hyun-Jin was quoted as saying.
6. Jo I-Geon is the youngest member
From watching the trailer, one could believe that all the main cast members are veteran actors and actresses, every character already having layers of complexity, just from a single video. However, Jo I-Geon, the youngest of the main cast mentioned that he hadn’t felt very comfortable at times during shooting.
This talented actor is actually the most inexperienced one among the main five. According to him, his fellow castmates and the director took good care of their junior. They gave him advice and support throughout shooting, helping him to deliver an enthralling performance.
7. Gong Yoo needed to reshoot shower scene because he wasn’t muscular enough
Actors often have to reshoot different scenes that don’t come out satisfactorily. Despite being an extremely skilled actor, Gong Yoo was no exception to having to do this, though it wasn’t a technique issue. Rather, during a shower scene, the problem turned out to be his lack of muscles! He had to go on a two-week diet to slim down and get the appearance of defined ab muscles, before finally completing that one scene.
8. Characters changed to match Jo I-Geon and Kim Dong-Won
Did you know that “The Trunk” is based on a novel by the same name? Each character has already been established, with their personality traits being set. However, when Jo I-Geon and Kim Dong-Won were casted, the director loved their acting so much that he changed his vision for the characters. Kim Gyu-Tae instead tweaked the two characters’ personalities to match their respective actors more, allowing the two more freedom of expression within their roles.
9. Gong Yoo is a Seo Hyun-Jin fan
We can all agree that Seo Hyun-Jin is a talented actress, one of her most well-known roles as Oh Hae-Young (오해영) in “Another Miss Oh” simply an example of her acting prowess. Well we’re not her only fans. As it turns out Gong Yoo is also a fan of the other star, having taken up the offer to join “The Trunk” so that he could watch Hyun-Jin in action. He wanted the chance to perform alongside Hyun-Jin, because of his admiration for her.
10. The show is detail oriented
An important thing to know before diving into the show, is that every single detail is important. Kim Gyu-Tae has mentioned that everything in the show has a purpose, with Hyun-Jin saying that the director would not add in anything that’s unnecessary. So when you watch, make sure to take note of every detail! You never know if you might be missing something.
But even if you do, worry not, you could always go for a second watch.
Trailer:
Catch “The Trunk” when it premieres on Netflix on 29th November.
Janae Lee and Justin contributed to this article.
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