Amid surge of Korean medical dramas, 'Hyper Knife' promises unique viewing experience
Disney+ crime and medical drama "Hyper Knife" is to feature "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" star Park Eun-bin as a psychopathic killer.
"Hyper Knife" delves into the story that unfolds after genius doctor Se-ok (Park Eun-bin) reunites with her mentor, Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu). A complication in the story is that Se-ok has been working as a "shadow doctor" since her medical license was revoked, illegally performing operations on patients under the false pretense that a renowned doctor is conducting the procedure.
The series marks a first for Park in many ways — her debut on a streaming service, as well as her first foray into both the medical drama genre and playing a villainous role.
"It was a genre and character I had never done before, so when I first encountered it, I found everything very intriguing. More than anything, Se-ok goes through a process with Deok-hee where they dig into each other's raw selves. So, even though it was my first time working with Sul, every moment acting alongside him felt like a dopamine rush," Park said during a press conference in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday.
Park described Se-ok as "someone who has trouble controlling her impulses and doesn't really feel fear. She'll show a lot of uncontrollable sides."
"In a way, she's so simple that it almost feels childish, making her emotions completely transparent. I thought that aspect would create a stark contrast with Deok-hee. I hope viewers keep an eye on Se-ok to see where her unpredictable nature takes her," Park added.
Regarding her first attempt at portraying a psychopathic killer, Park revealed that her college major played a role in shaping the character.
"I don’t always build my characters on books, but thanks to majoring in psychology in college, I was already familiar with traits of characters who might have antisocial personality disorder," she said.
As for the show’s distinct approach, director Kim Jung-hyun highlighted what sets "Hyper Knife" apart from other highly acclaimed medical dramas such as tvN's "Resident Playbook" and smash-hit Netflix series "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call."
"Our drama is a strange story that unfolds as unique characters come together. Each character is far from ordinary — something rarely seen in Korean dramas -- and it has a strong dark fairy tale vibe," Kim said.
The eight-episode series "Hyper Knife" releases via Disney+ every Wednesday at 4 p.m., with two episodes dropping each week, starting this Wednesday.
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
