Following 'The King Land', another acting collaboration between a member of Girls' Generation and a member of 2PM is taking place. Can Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon continue the good vibes of Lim Yoona and Lee Junho? Amid controversies over the destruction of Byeongsan Seowon and injuries to the lead actors, 'The First Night With the Duke' is finally being revealed.
KBS2's new Wednesday-Thursday drama 'The First Night With the Duke' (written by Jeon Seon-young, directed by Lee Woong-hee and Kang Soo-yeon, planned and produced by Studio N and Monster Union; hereafter referred to as 'The First Night With the Duke') is a 'no-break' romance fantasy drama that unfolds as an ordinary college student, possessing the spirit of a backdrop character in a romance novel, spends one night with the most obsessed male lead in the story. It is based on the same-titled Naver Series web novel that has recorded an impressive reader rating of 9.8, and it has surpassed a cumulative view count of 600 million for both the original web novel and webtoon. The drama promises a thrilling and emotionally impactful story that breaks clichés.
Since last year, KBS has been programming Wednesday-Thursday dramas such as 'Perfect Family', 'Dog Bark', 'Face Me', 'Suspicious Woman', 'KICKKICKKICKKICK', 'Villains Everywhere', and '24-Hour Health Club', but the situation is not easy. Most of the productions have exited regrettably, recording lower viewer ratings than expected.
The previous '24-Hour Health Club' wrapped up with a record of 1%, which means 'The First Night With the Duke' cannot rely on any shine from it. Moreover, 'The First Night With the Duke' was embroiled in controversy even before its broadcast due to an injury to the female lead Seohyun and allegations about the destruction of Byeongsan Seowon, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
At the production presentation, director Lee Woong-hee took the microphone and bowed his head regarding the destruction of Byeongsan Seowon controversy. He said, “It’s true that we did something wrong, and we have discarded the footage shot after the incident. KBS has reorganized its guidelines. We’re not looking to boast about what we did but are making moves in response since an investigation is still ongoing. The nature of the wood requires a year of observation, so there hasn’t been any concrete information about the restoration situation yet, but we will keep an eye on it. The drama needs to give viewers energy, and I sincerely apologize for delivering bad news during the production process.”
He continued, “After the incident, everyone at the drama department and the company, including the center manager, went down to Andong to assess the local situation and check the current conditions. There were several people on-site who were criticized for multiple early mistakes; despite this, errors occurred as someone misunderstood, and we had delayed in confirming carefully to prevent further damage. Thus, we appear to have had a tendency to evade in the beginning, and I apologize for that. KBS will also do its best to respond to the investigations currently underway.”
Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon felt a sense of responsibility as lead actors. Ok Taecyeon remarked, “I have become more vigilant through this incident. I think it’s best to ensure it doesn’t happen again. I’m sorry to have to share bad news before the broadcast, but I hope you will judge the footage we have worked hard on.” Seohyun added, “As the lead actress, I want to sincerely apologize again. I believe there is no room for excuses, and I think we must be careful not to let anything like this happen on any filming set again.”
With a sense of responsibility and vigilance towards filming, Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon are the highlights of this project. They have both showcased outstanding performances among the second generation of idols as a member of Girls' Generation and 2PM respectively, successfully balancing group and acting pursuits, serving as role models for their juniors.
Ok Taecyeon stated, “I decided to participate because Seohyun was doing it. I have a lot of trust, and I felt excited and joyful about creating a work with a friend from the second generation of idols. From what I remember, Seohyun was the one who carried books around, and now she is going into the book, which raised my expectations. Knowing that Seohyun was going to do this role was a positive point for my participation,” he shared. Seohyun also revealed, “I was the first to have my participation confirmed, but since Ok Taecyeon was going to do it, I felt like I had to take part, or it would be a big issue.”
Given the collaboration between Girls' Generation and 2PM, it is inevitable that they will be compared to Lee Junho and Lim Yoona, who previously recorded strong viewer ratings. Seohyun remarked, “Although we have not been very close since we have worked as singers for a long time, we have a profound internal connection. Having gone through many experiences together, there is a sense of camaraderie. From the moment we met, it was very comfortable, and we could discuss the work extensively, which contributed to our synergy.”
Ok Taecyeon mentioned, “Having worked since I was young, I have felt a strong sense of fellowship and camaraderie. We met often during our idol days but weren’t very close, so I was happy to work together this time. We became close quickly and helped each other on set. I want to draw on the good vibes from Lee Junho and Lim Yoona.”
As legends of the second generation of idols successfully transitioning to acting, what kind of romance fantasy will Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon presented? Director Lee Woong-hee expressed, “When four of us, including the writer, met in the production company office, Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon were sitting side by side. We came in late, and seeing that two-shot made me think, 'This will work.' If I knew them before, I would surely have thought, 'We know how beautiful and handsome they are', but the reality was different. They looked like they stepped out of a comic.”
The new Wednesday-Thursday drama from KBS2 starring Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon, 'The First Night With the Duke,' will premiere at 9:50 p.m. on the 11th.
[OSEN]