In a recent interview and pictorial for Elle magazine, Yoo Ji Tae, Jeon Jong Seo, and Park Hae Soo dished on their highly-anticipated new remake of “Money Heist”!
Based on the hit Spanish series “Money Heist,” “Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area” follows an anonymous squad of robbers who join forces for an ambitious, large-scale heist on the fictional Unified Korean Mint. Yoo Ji Tae stars as the Professor, the mastermind behind the operation, while his star-studded crew of robbers includes Park Hae Soo (who goes by the name “Berlin”) and Jeon Jong Seo (known as “Tokyo”).
Describing one of the biggest differences between the original series and the Korean remake, Yoo Ji Tae explained, “Two seasons’ worth of plot from the original version were condensed into just 12 episodes [for our remake]. There’s no exposition for exposition’s sake, and we only deliver the key plot points as necessary. There’s a certain pleasure that comes from the fast-paced plot development.”
As for how he prepared for his role, Yoo Ji Tae shared, “In this condensed version, I came to the conclusion that one way I could quickly show the Professor’s charms in one go was through his voice. After giving it lots of thought, I began developing the Professor’s voice while turning to narrations or animated dialogue for reference.”
Meanwhile, Park Hae Soo confessed that there had been a certain amount of pressure that came with remaking such a popular show.
“Of course there were concerns and pressure due to the fact that the original series received such a great response,” said the actor. “But while reading the script, I could clearly see the differences that were unique to ‘Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area.’ There was a fast pace to the story, and the characters definitively gave the Korean version its own strength.”
Park Hae Soo added, “Although Berlin is a fictional character, you could see him as a sort of metaphor for the situation between North Korea and South Korea, which makes his story even more forlorn.”
Finally, Jeon Jong Seo shared her thoughts on the strengths of their new remake.
“[The drama] does a great job portraying the near future,” she remarked. “The North Korea-South Korea situation adds an element of tension and suspense, and it also bears the meaning of unity. This two-sided situation completely fills up the background setting of the Mint.”
The actress also noted that viewers may be surprised by her version of the Tokyo character, commenting, “I think viewers will [go into the show] imagining the free-spirited charms and vibe of Tokyo from the original version. But the Tokyo in our remake is calmer, and she’s someone who steps up and tries to resolve the situation. I tried to maintain a cleaner and more aloof tone [for our version of Tokyo]. You can look forward to seeing a new side of Jeon Jong Seo.”
