The ultimate military-themed drama 'Shinbyeong' returns with even stronger characters in Season 3.
On the 7th, the production presentation for the Genie TV original drama 'Shinbyeong 3' (written by Yoon Gi-young and Kang Go-eun, directed by Min Jin-ki and Jo Je-wook) was held at the D-Cube City The Saint in Sindorim, Guro-gu, Seoul. Attendees included Kim Min-ho, Kim Dong-jun, Oh Dae-hwan, Nam Tae-woo, Kim Hyun-kyu, and Director Min Jin-ki.
'Shinbyeong 3' depicts the chaotic military life of Park Min-seok (played by Kim Min-ho), who is facing promotion to Corporal, as two unpredictable new recruits join and an unprecedented villain returns to the Shinwa unit.
Director Min Jin-ki, who successfully led Seasons 1 and 2 in 2022 and 2023, takes the helm once again.
Director Min stated, "It's already the third season. We started filming in the winter of 2021, so we are entering our fourth year. As always, we filmed the project fiercely and dedicated ourselves to making it entertaining. I hope you enjoy it."
He continued, "Currently, military service lasts 18 months. Those who watched Season 2 have enlisted and returned home to watch this project," adding, "There is a reason why it takes about a year and seven months. Each season needs to create a reason for viewers to watch it again, which is a key point. That's why preparation time was necessary."
He further explained, "Every time a new season comes around, new characters need to be added to encourage viewers to watch the next season. In Season 2, we focused on the obstacle course training. We aimed to make viewers feel like they were experiencing the sweat and dust of the training at home, as if they were watching a 4D movie. This time, we put a lot of effort into capturing the winter training." He added, "We filmed in cold front-line areas like Pocheon and Cheorwon in temperatures around minus 10 degrees. We filmed in weather where active-duty soldiers wouldn't go out for winter training," and concluded, "'Shinbyeong' Season 3 has more episodes, more characters, and a larger scale. I believe this season maximizes the fun compared to previous seasons."
This season will feature both returning characters from previous seasons and new characters, showcasing new synergy.
Kim Min-ho, known as the "military spoon," returns as Park Min-seok, who is on the verge of becoming a Corporal. Additionally, there are familiar faces like Choi Il-goo (played by Nam Tae-woo), who has no peace even as a Sergeant, the clumsy yet warm squad leader Oh Seok-jin (played by Lee Sang-jin), the resourceful Kim Sang-hoon (played by Lee Chung-goo), the poker-faced Private Lim Da-hye (played by Jeon Seung-hoon), the comedic administrative soldier Noh Hee-jung (played by Jo Jin-se), the reformed Kang Chan-seok (played by Lee Jung-hyun), the acquitted Seong Yoon-mo (played by Kim Hyun-kyu), and Park Min-seok's sister and instructor Park Min-joo (played by Lee Soo-ji), all of whom add to the excitement of returning popular characters from the last season.
In addition, new characters are expected to draw attention, including the globally loved Shinbyeong Jeon Se-gye (played by Kim Dong-jun) and Shinbyeong Moon Bit-na-ri (played by Kim Yo-han), who evokes memories of the past, as well as the company commander Jo Baek-ho (played by Oh Dae-hwan), who spreads love in the 2nd company.
Kim Min-ho expressed his feelings about returning, saying, "I still play Private Park Min-seok. I will repay you with my work." He reflected, "During Season 1, I felt pressure as the main character. It was my first time, and since the original was popular, I thought, 'Even if I do well, I might get criticized?' so I tried hard." He continued, "I was able to let go of my worries earlier than I thought because everyone treated me well, and I relied on the other actors to the extent that I didn't feel the burden of being the main character. We all acted with the mindset that everyone in the cast is a main character."
Kim Min-ho also mentioned, "As we moved into Seasons 2 and 3, I was most worried that I would look older than in Season 1. I tried to manage myself, but the director treated us to drinks so much that I feel like I aged faster. I received a lot of help from the makeup team," and added, "Park Min-seok is now a 21-year-old. He was 20 in Season 1. I tried to portray a youthful early 20s vibe by dramatically acting as an elementary school student, recalling the image of a timid elementary school student wrapped in his mother's skirt."
Nam Tae-woo also returns as Sergeant Choi Il-goo. This season starts 39 days before Choi Il-goo's discharge. Nam Tae-woo remarked, "I thought I would just lie down and get discharged, but I go through hardships that prevent me from lying down," drawing attention. He added, "I need to go home quickly, but the world is making it difficult. Whether Il-goo can go home comfortably is a point to watch."
Nam Tae-woo also explained, "In Season 2, I gained weight to show that I was adapting to military life. This time, as I prepare to go out into society, I've set up many blind dates, so I've lost some weight. Please pay attention to that detail in my character analysis."
Kim Dong-jun, who joins as Shinbyeong Jeon Se-gye, said, "I completed my military service two years ago. I watched 'Shinbyeong' Season 1 while in the military. It was so much fun. I had been thinking that I wanted to participate in a project that deals with military stories after I was discharged."
He continued, "After my discharge, while filming 'The Goryeo-Khitan War,' I happened to meet (Kim) Min-ho during dinner. I had no prior acquaintance, but I said, 'I'm a fan. I'm looking forward to 'Shinbyeong.' It was exactly six months before filming 'Shinbyeong.' We exchanged greetings, and later the director invited me to join, which felt so surreal. I was able to participate in a project that I had wanted to watch and be a part of. I thought, 'Is this fate and destiny?'"
Oh Dae-hwan, who also joins this season, said, "This is the first time a company commander is spreading love throughout the season," and expressed his hopes, saying, "I filmed with a lot of love." He added, "It's been 25 years since I was discharged from the military. Back then, I was a cook. This time, I play a non-commissioned officer, but since I've lived a completely different life, I sometimes get confused and make mistakes." Oh Dae-hwan also humorously responded to the question of whether there was someone like Company Commander Jo Baek-ho back then, saying, "In those days, it was good if you didn't get along. (There was no such company commander)."
Kim Hyun-kyu, who played the strongest villain Seong Yoon-mo in Season 1, returns in Season 3. Kim Hyun-kyu stated, "I was a villain who brought a storm in Season 1. Now I return to a peaceful unit. It will be interesting to see how Yoon-mo returns. It will be enjoyable to see if Il-goo can go home nicely."
Finally, Director Min expressed, "Seasons 1 and 2 focused on the soldiers, but I wanted to expand the story to include the officers. I want to show the story of officers through Oh Dae-hwan and also the very few female soldiers led by Lee Soo-ji." He added, "Having directed 'Blue Tower' for about three years and continuing with 'Shinbyeong,' I can say that I have showcased the stories and materials I wanted to tell while working on military content."
He continued, "The character setting of the original work itself is perfect. The structure is to create new stories based on that, and I made sure that even those who loved the original would not feel alienated. There are added elements, but I believe it will be a smooth immersion. We are going with hyper-realism. The character that maximizes that is Moon Bit-na-ri. I tried to minimize the sense of alienation when entering new stories outside of the familiar story of the original by leveraging the power of the actors."
'Shinbyeong 3' will premiere on the 7th at 10 PM.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
