Netflix’s upcoming Korean drama Black Knight may be based on a webtoon, but those familiar with the original story will find that the series offers a very different experience. To begin with, the protagonist Sa-wol (played by Start Up‘s Kang Yoo-seok) is a boy instead of a girl, though his admiration of 5-8 (The Heirs star Kim Woo-bin) and the deliveryman program remains the same. The series was written and directed by Choi Ui-seok, who previously teamed up with Woo-bin on the 2016 hit Master.
The filmmaker and star’s familiarity with each other strengthens the unfamiliar world of Black Knight, especially as it provides the opportunity to dig into the psyche of a character as stoic as 5-8 tends to be. The world of futuristic science fiction is relatively new to Woo-bin, who dipped his toe in it last year with Alienoid, and he shared his research process with Screen Rant during a recent roundtable interview. Here’s what the acclaimed actor had to say:
Kim Woo-bin: When I was offered the role, I did take a look at the webtoon. I read it, of course, because the series is based on the webtoon. But while the work is based on the webtoon, it’s a whole different story and a whole different universe. So, the director told me that take a look at the webtoon, but that it’s going to be very different. I did read it, but I focused mostly on the script.
When I prepare for a project, and when I’m building my character, I try to first get a lot of hints from the script in and of itself. Then I talk a lot with the director about who this guy is, and I try to imagine the parts that are not there on the page. And because everyone has so many different sides to them, when I meet a character for the first time, I try to find some common ground with him. Then I try to expand from there so that, as time goes by, I become much closer to my character in that way.
What to Expect From the World of Black Knight
A role like 5-8 in Black Knight requires a lot of mental preparation because he is not an easy through which to convey emotions. The Netflix series begins in the year 2071, introducing viewers to a world in which air pollution has taken control of the environment and left only 1% of the population alive. In order to even go outside safely, citizens must wear gas masks that obscure their faces, meaning an actor like Kim Woo-bin must rely on things like posture and the expression of his eyes to get certain moments across.
As only the basic premise is taken from Lee Yoon-gyun Delivery Knight webtoon, the cast cannot rely solely on the backstories included in the story. Hence, Woo-bin is right to incorporate primarily the director’s notes as well as the script of the drama itself. Furthermore, his role as a delivery knight means that he often acts in a stoic manner, willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good without necessarily explaining why. But Black Knight‘s stellar cast includes not only Kim Woo-bin, but also Esom, Song Seung-heon, and Crash Course in Romance‘s Roh Yoon-seo, and it’s clear they have the talent to expand on the thrilling and terrifying world of the webtoon.
Black Knight premieres May 12 on Netflix.
