Park Eun-bin sees ghosts as Yang Se-jong panics in Spellbound

From a 2-hour film to a 12-episode drama, an expanded universe

The 2011 film 'Spellbound' is being reborn as a drama 15 years later. At the production presentation for the new tvN Saturday-Sunday drama 'Spellbound' held on the 14th at the Eliena Hotel in Gangnam, Seoul, director Lee Min-soo and actors Park Eun-bin, Yang Se-jong, and Ong Seongwu gathered to announce the start of the project.

The drama tells the story of Cheon Yeo-ri (played by Park Eun-bin), a chaebol heiress who sees ghosts, and Ma Gang-uk (played by Yang Se-jong), a passionate prosecutor who is terrified of ghosts. While based on the setting of the original film, the universe has been significantly expanded to fit the pacing of a 12-episode series. "The movie is 2 hours long, but since the drama is 12 episodes, we incorporated at least six times more new settings," Park Eun-bin explained. "Aside from the name Yeo-ri and the setting that she can see ghosts, it has been transformed into something almost entirely new."

Director Lee Min-soo focused on how occult situations serve as a device to make romantic feelings bloom between the two protagonists. "Don't you feel that romantic feelings bloom more when ghosts appear or occult situations occur? I thought bringing in such a setting could make the drama interesting," Lee said. The horror level is set at around 5 out of 10, and every time a ghost appears, it serves as an opportunity for the two characters to meet.

Park Eun-bin's charisma and Yang Se-jong's pure chemistry

The actors' character transformations are also drawing attention. Park Eun-bin is set to showcase both leadership and charisma as a hotel CEO. Cheon Yeo-ri, who has the unique condition of seeing ghosts when she touches someone, shows the gap between her life as a hotel CEO and her double life that unfolds at night.

Yang Se-jong takes on a setting different from the original. "It is a completely different setting from the original work. Whenever I felt pressured, I focused on the script and searched for new things on set with Eun-bin and the director," he said. In particular, his actual timid personality is reflected in his character. Yang Se-jong joked, "Actually, I sleep with the living room light on."

The two actors, both born in 1992, are working together for the first time in this project. Yang Se-jong described the drama's atmosphere as "pure," while Park Eun-bin responded with "refreshing." Ong Seongwu also defined their chemistry as "cool." The host, Park Kyung Lim, introduced Yang Se-jong's character with the nickname 'puppy-like' and Park Eun-bin as 'keyring-like.'

Ong Seongwu's first villain role adds tension to the plot

A new variable in the drama is the appearance of 'Kang Min-hwan,' a character not present in the original work. Played by actor Ong Seongwu, Kang Min-hwan is a two-faced hotel CEO who drives the core conflict of the series. Ong Seongwu is challenging himself with his first villain role since his debut. "I always had a desire to show a new side of myself. I often hear that I look upright, so I wanted to show a different side beyond that," he said.

Kang Min-hwan is a dualistic character who gives an unsettling feeling from moment to moment. "A villain is a character that can add tension to a work, and I thought it would be thrilling if a character not in the original could exert influence, so I decided to join," Ong stated regarding his motivation. He shared his honest feelings about his first leading role after military discharge, noting that he was nervous enough to have trembling hands during the first script reading.

Director Lee Min-soo expressed confidence, noting the lack of refreshing, eerie, and bubbly romantic comedy genres, saying, "I think we can offer something new to those who have been waiting for such a work." Park Eun-bin emphasized the charm of the multi-genre series, stating, "50% is romance, but it also includes occult and investigative aspects." The new tvN Saturday-Sunday drama 'Spellbound' premieres on July 18.