EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Park Jin Young talks about playing Kim Ga On in The Devil Judge, his focus areas & more

The latest tvN drama stealing all the spotlight all over the world is the dystopian twist on crime and punishment, The Devil Judge. Starring Park Jin Young as Kim Ga On, a beacon of true and righteous justice in a world that is too far gone to consider the virtues of the same; Ji Sung as Kang Yo Han - the devil judge himself, who turns the court of law into a reality TV show, holding public opinion in the palm of his hand; Park Gyu Young as Yoon Soo Hyun, a police officer with a penchant for going by the book and Kim Min Jung as Jeong Seon A, a mysterious and powerful woman who holds the key to this new world. Directed by Choi Jung Gyu and written by Moon Yoo Suk, this drama has a total of 16 episodes, with each episode packed with intricate details, an unimaginable aura of mystery and power play, and an undeniable and palpable chemistry between the characters that will leave you on the tenterhooks until the very end. 

Produced by Studio Dragon, South Korea’s largest scripted television studio whose businesses involve everything from planning and development to financing, production, and distribution, worked hard on making The Devil Judge  a marvelous hit. The company was founded in 2016 as a division of CJ ENM Media Content and has created over 179 series with its team of 231 creative professionals, consisting of writers, directors, and producers. By the end of 2020, Studio Dragon produced 28 series for both Korea’s terrestrial and cable broadcasting networks, and Netflix. In addition to its recent global hit Netflix series, Crash Landing on You (2019), Studio Dragon is also credited in the creation of The Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Mr. Sunshine(2018), and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016). The New York Times listed Stranger (2017) in The 10 Best Shows of 2017, while Mother (2018) was included in the official competition selection of the Cannes International Series Festival. The 10 Best Korean Dramas to Watch on Netflix, an article recently published by Time magazine, listed five Studio Dragon series: Crash Landing on You (2019), Mr. Sunshine (2018), Hi Bye, Mama! (2020), Signal (2016), and Stranger (2017). Studio Dragon, having established its branch in early 2020, hopes to collaborate with leading global production companies to plan and produce local TV series for the global audience. 

Pinkvilla had the incredible opportunity to interview Park Jin Young, who is masterfully portraying the complex character of Kim Ga On. He observes the world around him and reacts to it in a way that is influenced by nobody but his inner voice. This implies that he might not always be right but he's always true to his own self. It is indeed refreshing to see a character that is so dynamic and ever-evolving that the audience can use him as a vantage point into the strange environment that both the character and the viewers are pitched into. Park Jin Young is incomparable in his acting, so much so that he has transformed Kim Ga On into a character that would be impossible to imagine anyone else taking on. 

Keep reading until the very end for a special message Jin Young has for fans, especially in India! 

Ishani Sarkar: "The Devil Judge" has premiered to incredible ratings and reviews, not just in South Korea but all over the world, especially in India. How did you feel when you first received the offer to play Kim Ga On?

Park Jin Young: The setting of the desolate dystopia piqued my interest. And I also found it intriguing that my character was a symbol of last hope in a dying world. I thought Ga On might be a rather humble character since he was struggling to make ends meet in a dystopia, but seeing him grow and change as the story progresses captivated me. 

Ishani Sarkar: Your character Kim Ga On is a dramatic stand-in for the audience who is also trying to figure out the strange world of Kang Yohan. Is there anything special you do to get into your character?

Park Jin Young: I wanted to convey how sensitive he was as a person. In the first half of the story, Ga On mostly reacts to those around him rather than taking the initiative. I believed that working on those reactions and portraying the way he observes the world around him in detail would make the character more appealing. As Ga On was rather similar to me in appearance, I tried to create subtle differences in character that would help the viewers differentiate the character from myself.

Ishani Sarkar: Viewers absolutely love the duality of your character, who is righteous and just in the courtroom, cautious with Kang Yohan and gentle and affectionate with Yoon Soo Hyun. How is your relationship with your co-actors when you’re not filming?

Park Jin Young: Ji Sung and I talk quite a lot. He helped me stay focused whenever I was lost and gave me lots of advice during the shoot. I learned a lot while filming with him.

Park Gyu Young made me feel at home on the set. With her, it was as if I was talking to a friend, not acting. I think we became quite close during the shoot because of that.

Ishani Sarkar: Do you watch the broadcasting of “The Devil Judge” as and when it airs? If so, what is your favourite part about how you’re portraying Kim Ga On?

Park Jin Young: Now that I’m done with filming, I’m watching it at home just like everyone else. What I love about my character is how he maintains his sense of justice in a dystopian world, which would be very difficult to do. And I also like how he changes emotionally as he starts working with Kang Yohan.

Ishani Sarkar: How would you say that you, Park Jin Young, are different from your character Kim Ga On? In the same vein, do you find any similarities with your character?

Park Jin Young: The biggest difference would be the fact that Ga On takes action almost immediately when he decides on something. He pushes forward with things that would otherwise take a long time for me to decide on. But we are similar in a way that we both care a lot about the people around us.

Ishani Sarkar: What is something you especially focused on while preparing for and playing the role of Kim Ga On?

Park Jin Young: There are moments in life where we feel tempted to cave-in to certain things. I hope that our viewers will be able to see how unfaltering Ga On is and find him relatable and take comfort in living vicariously through him.

Ishani Sarkar: “The Devil Judge'' is a drama of an unusual and exciting genre. How did you envision your character when you first received the script? Did you add any of your own elements to Kim Ga On that weren’t originally in the script?

Park Jin Young: I thought I could find all the answers in the script since the writer did such a terrific job. I believed sticking to the script would be more than enough for me to be able to portray the complex and multifaceted character that Ga On is.

Ishani Sarkar: Finally, do you have anything you’d like to say to your fans all over the world and especially in India who love and adore you endlessly?

Park Jin Young: I heard the show is really popular in India. I’ve never met my Indian fans, but I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I hope I can visit them in India once the pandemic is over. I will always wish the best for India. Thank you.

You can watch the trailer of The Devil Judge here:

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