Joo Won Reflects On The Heartwarming Story Of "The Midnight Studio" That Brought Him To Tears

Joo Won has shared his thoughts on his upcoming drama “The Midnight Studio”!

ENA’s “The Midnight Studio” (directed by Song Hyung Wook, written by Kim Yi Rang) is a fantasy drama that depicts the strange story of a lonely photographer who runs a photo studio only for the deceased and a passionate lawyer. The fantasy story unfolding in the studio will provide an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of not only well-being but also well-dying.

Joo Won was also captivated by this aspect of the story as he reminisced, “When I first read [the script], I could relate to it a lot, and I cried a lot for the first time in a while.” He continued, “I chose this project because it is a heartwarming story that anyone can relate to.”

Joo Won plays the role of Seo Ki Joo, a seventh-generation photographer who owns a photo studio that has been specializing in taking photos of the deceased for over 100 years. Armed with an adventurous camera that helps generations of families ascend in the afterlife, he also inherits a curse that prevents him from living past the age of 35. Regarding his character, Joo Won shared, “Not only does he lack any great expectations and joys in life but he also doesn’t like to bond with people, and he can be unfriendly in some aspects.” Despite Seo Ki Joo’s cold-natured personality, however, he strives to fulfill every deceased person’s request with determination.

Reflecting on the ghost clients, Joo Won shared, “They were ordinary people when they were alive. They were someone’s mother and someone’s child. That’s why I could relate to their stories as if they were mine.” Not only did Joo Won cry a lot on set but many other cast members also teared up while filming as well. In addition to the drama being of the fantasy genre, the touching stories make the drama even more worth watching.

Joo Won also explained that Han Bom (Kwon Nara) is someone Ki Joo needs desperately due to the curse he faces. Ki Joo is severely affected by spirits all day, sometimes facing life-threatening situations, and as his 35th birthday approaches, the frequency and intensity of these encounters worsen. But Bom becomes his “ghost-free zone” because the spirits have no power with her around, thus making Bom the only person who can protect Ki Joo. Consequently, this becomes a turning point for Ki Joo. Joo Won remarked, “He experiences something he has never experienced in his 35 years of living.”

Director Song Hyun Wook explained about the complex role that Joo Won had to portray since Ki Joo is someone who is ordinary but burdened by fate, negative yet genuinely serious toward both humans and ghosts, and a character who is gradually opening his heart to love someone who appeared as if by fate. He praised Joo Won, stating, “Despite the challenging nature of such a role, Joo Won managed to focus on his emotions while ensuring that all actors and staff were comfortable on the set at the same time. We continuously felt touched and awed by him.” Joo Won’s impressive acting skills further raise great anticipation for his return to the small screen.

“The Midnight Studio” will premiere on March 11 at 10 p.m. KST.

While waiting, watch Joo Won on “Alice”:

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