The veteran actor Han Suk-kyu has returned to television, this time as a humble owner Shin project.
At the online press conference held on September 8, Han Suk-Kyu joined the co-protagonist Bae Hyun-Sung and Lee Re, together with the director Shin Kyung-See, to introduce the series.
The drama follows Mr. Shin (played by Han Suk-Kyu), once a legendary negotiator, now manages a chicken shop while secretly resolves the disputes that obscure the lines between legality and justice. Described as a “drama of heroes of conflict resolution”, history aims to offer comfort and hope through communication rather than comparison.
Director Shin Kyung-Soo explained his decision to direct the project: “The script described our times as an era of failed communication. Instead of anger and hatred, the drama tries to show healing through dialogue and understanding. That message attracted me.”
Han Suk-kyu revealed that the preparation for the role required unexpected skills: “I played many professional roles like doctors, but this time I had to become the owner of a chicken shop. This meant that I had to learn to manage chickens correctly. Fortunately, I already knew a little cooking from helping my mother when I was young.”
He added that a true restaurant owner also came to teach him frying techniques, allowing him to personally prepare the chicken in the show.
The co-protagonist Bae Hyun-Sung plays Jo Philip, an elite debuting judge relegated to an employee of the chicken shop. To prepare, he participated in processes and consulted the lawyers, memorizing the legal jargon to portray the professionalism in the court scenes.
Both Han Suk-Kyu and director Shin underlined the connection of the drama with the real world issues. Han Suk-Kyu was reflected on recent violent accidents in Korea, including a tragic stabbing in the Gwanak district: “Such extreme tragedies often do not derive from reason, but to unchanged emotions. Our society seems to lose the ability to communicate, becoming more polarized. This project explores that theme and offers spectators the opportunity to reflect and heal.”
Director Shin also commented on broader issues, from work disputes in Korea under recent arrests of Korean workers in the United States, affirming, “Sometimes like these, I think, if only someone like Shin Sajang actually existed.”
Shin project In preview on September 15th at 20:50 KST on Tvn, promising a mixture of moving comedies, social comments and gravitas by Han Suk-Kyu.
Sources: Daum
