Director Kim Seong-hun of 'Gold Land' and actor Lee Kwang-soo engaged in a playful debate over who came up with the idea for the "gold tooth gem," bringing laughter to the room.
At the press conference for the Disney+ original series 'Gold Land' (written by Hwang Jo-yoon, directed by Kim Seong-hun), held at the Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 27th, Lee Kwang-soo revealed that he actively worked to embody his character, Director Park, by suggesting the gold tooth gem makeup and props.
However, Lee Kwang-soo expressed his frustration, saying, "The script doesn't detail Director Park's past. So, I wanted to express his difficult life through facial scars and his obsession with gold through gold teeth or accessories. I suggested these ideas, but whenever people show interest in my gold tooth, the director keeps saying, 'That was actually my idea' or 'I said it first.'"
'Gold Land' is a survival thriller about Kim Hee-ju (Park Bo-young), who gets her hands on 150 billion won worth of gold bars from a smuggling ring and fights to keep the gold for herself amidst a chaotic mess of greed and betrayal. Lee Kwang-soo transforms into a powerful villain, playing 'Director Park,' an executive of the organization who persistently tracks down Hee-ju to recover the missing gold.
Before 'Gold Land' began its official promotions, Lee Kwang-soo's gold tooth gem had already garnered attention since last year. Lee Kwang-soo appeared on variety shows such as 'The Game Caterers' and 'GBRB: Joy Pops Laugh Pops' with the gold tooth gem on his teeth, and the reason for his unique transformation was his character, Director Park, in 'Gold Land.' A tooth gem is a decorative accessory attached to the surface of a tooth.
On this day, Lee Kwang-soo repeatedly emphasized that the gold tooth gem was his idea and explained that he never received extra money from the director for the tooth gem makeup.
In response, Director Kim offered a different explanation, saying, "Honestly, I could just let people think it was Kwang-soo's, but I will tell you exactly what happened." He continued, "Kwang-soo asked me, 'How about a gold tooth?' and I said, 'A regular gold tooth is too obvious, let's put a frame on it like a window frame.' Kwang-soo didn't understand what I meant, so I had to draw it to explain." He corrected the record, stating that while it is true Lee Kwang-soo first suggested the gold tooth, the unique styling of the gem was his own idea.
The playful back-and-forth between Director Kim Seong-hun and Lee Kwang-soo regarding the origin of the gold tooth gem idea turned the 'Gold Land' press conference into a sea of laughter. Lee Kwang-soo even went as far as to say, "This isn't something I can just let slide. I will reveal our text message history," continuing to claim his stake in the idea and providing entertainment to everyone until the very end.
The reason Lee Kwang-soo went as far as to use gold tooth gem makeup is for his new villain character, 'Director Park.' Regarding this character, Lee Kwang-soo said, "This is my first time playing a role that is good at fighting, so I worked hard on the action scenes. It's also my first time playing a character with such heavy desires. I hope people will see it differently from the acting I've done before," signaling a villainous transformation unlike anything he has shown before.
'Gold Land,' where you can see Lee Kwang-soo's acting transformation, will have its first two episodes released on Disney+ on Wednesday the 29th. Following that, two episodes will be released every Wednesday, for a total of 10 episodes.
[Photo = Baik Seung-Chul]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)