▲ This photo, provided by tvN, shows Joo Won at the press conference of 'Stealer: The Treasure Keeper.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo, provided by tvN, shows the poster for 'Stealer: The Treasure Keeper.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo, provided by tvN, shows the cast at the press conference of 'Stealer: The Treasure Keeper.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

 

SEOUL, Apr. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actor Joo Won, best acclaimed for his leading role in the period television series “Bridal Mask,” is set to star as another veiled hero who risks his life to redeem the county’s missing cultural assets in tvN’s upcoming Wednesday-Thursday series “Stealer: The Treasure Keeper.”

During the online press conference for his forthcoming comic fantasy series on Tuesday, the actor gave a brief introduction to the work, saying, “It will be a project that combines all genres, including caper, comedy, and action.”

“Stealer: The Treasure Keeper” will follow the story of an unofficial cultural asset recovery team ironically stealing cultural assets from those who have unlawfully acquired those heritages by brazenly evading the law. Joo Won is set to star as Hwang Dae-myung, a pathetic civil servant who lives a double life as a daring night thief Skunk, specialized in gathering missing cultural assets.

In regards to being dubbed as a “hero-specialized actor,” Joo Won said, “I personally do not think of Skunk as a hero, but it feels more like Dae-myung playing a hero,” adding, “When it comes to retrieving cultural assets, it may sound like we are talking about something heavy here, but we tried to tell our story more comically.”

In the meantime, director Choi Joon-bae, who took the helm of this series, also emphasized that his upcoming work is far from a series depicting the “coolification” of a superhero with exceptional abilities but rather a work that sheds light on ordinary people who are not so perfect.

Choi added, “We do not tell stories of perfect superheroes but those with resolutions that also have some personal deficiencies. Their ups and downs will be captured both seriously and comically.”

Yet, the series will not only be entertaining but also be sending out a meaningful message as it will revolve around the main plot line of recovering missing cultural assets.

“It is a common saying that people who forget their history have no future ahead of them, and those who forsake their cultural assets have no past. We also quote that saying frequently throughout our series,” the director said. “It will capture the battle between those who try to get back what they are obliged to protect against those who try to keep what they have already put in their pockets.”

Joo Won’s well-received acting skills and action scenes have also been reckoned as the key factors that raise expectations for the series. In the highlight video, Joo Won, covered in a sleek black work suit perfectly fitting his body and a matching mask with camera lenses, jumps around from wall to wall, quick as a flash. Even while falling down from a building, he already seems to know what he is doing, making a heart with his fingers.

Joo Won said, “I thought I have done enough action series, but there was something different, more difficult, about Skunk,” adding, “To start off, his costumes and masks were definitely different from those of the Bridal Mask. You will be able to check out some cool and colorful action scenes.”

Veteran actress Choi Hwa-jung is set to star as Chun-ja, a genius hacker who works as a secret partner of Joo Won; in the meantime, Lee Joo-woo, Jo Han-chul, and Kim Jae-won have been slated to play the roles of members of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s cultural property team. Another acclaimed actor Lee Deok-hwa will suit up as the villain Kim Young-soo, a man with power but also greed.

“Chun-ja has both wealth and intelligence. However, she gets unraveled with this mission of retrieving missing cultural assets just out of boredom. She makes all the equipment Skunk needs,” said Choi Hwa-jung during the press conference.

Lee Deok-hwa added with a laugh, “I am just a villain. What other word will there be to describe such a character,” adding that he has been playing several villains lately but he is particularly attached to his upcoming role as it is memorable.

This star-dubbed comedy-action fantasy series “Stealer: The Treasure Keeper” is scheduled to hit the small screens on Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. (KST).


(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)

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