The five lead actors of KBS2’s “The First Night with the Duke” have opened up about the dedicated efforts they put into bringing their characters to life!
“The First Night with the Duke” is a fantasy romance drama about an ordinary college student whose soul is transported into a minor character in a romance novel, Cha Sun Chaek (Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun). After waking up in the world of the novel, she ends up spending the night with the obsessive male lead, Yi Beon (2PM’s Taecyeon).
Seohyun explained, “I approached [my characters] as three different personas: K, the wounded college student who was hurt because she trusted others; pre-possession Sun Chaek, who lives an abundant yet monotonous and empty life; and post-possession Sun Chaek, who lives with a bold and proactive attitude. I focused on different points for each. Especially after Sun Chaek became the heroine, I worked hard to show her growing freely and confidently, unlike her real-life self.”
Taecyeon also infused his own interpretation into Yi Beon, who oscillates between being a cold-blooded tyrant and a pure-hearted man. “On the outside, he seems perfect, but he carries hidden pain, so I had many discussions with the director beforehand,” he said. “There were many scenes where he was so cruel that it was hard to tell if he was a hero or a villain, but I wanted to maintain his underlying gravity in every scene. I tried to express Yi Beon’s emotions more through his actions and eyes than through words.”
Meanwhile, Kwon Han Sol, who plays Jo Eun Ae—the novel’s original female lead turned villain—revealed her intensive preparation process. “Although she appears gentle, Eun Ae hides great ambition. If I didn’t portray the subtle changes in her tone and expressions, her actions wouldn’t be convincing. So I filmed myself repeatedly while preparing, analyzing every tiny detail.”
Seo Bum June also shared his approach to portraying Jung Soo Gyeom. “Since he’s a multi-layered character, I tried to show different sides depending on who he’s interacting with. With Yi Beon, whom he’s comfortable with, I used a more lively voice and gestures. With Sun Chaek or Eun Ae, I acted more calmly, and in front of his father, I emphasized his tension to portray him more three-dimensionally.”
Lastly, Chi Hae Won, who took on her first historical drama role as the villainess Do Hwa Seon, shared, “I worried a lot about my acting tone. Since Sun Chaek is from the modern world, I thought Do Hwa Seon should blend naturally with her rather than using a typical sageuk (historical drama) tone. I focused on expressing Do Hwa Seon’s emotions in her own unique way. Above all, as the queen of high society, I discussed extensively with the production team to portray her glamorous presence.”
“The First Night with the Duke” is now in its final week, with its last two episodes airing on July 16 and 17 at 9:50 p.m. KST
In the meantime, catch up on the drama on Viki below:
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