Kim Young-dae discusses challenges of playing 3 roles in K-drama Moon in the Day

You've heard of actors playing dual roles in a series. This Korean actor is taking up three.

Rising star Kim Young-dae is back with the new K-drama Moon in the Day where he plays Do Ha, an elite aristocrat from the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla, and Han Jun-oh, a popular movie star in modern-day South Korea.

The story follows Do Ha who is murdered by his beloved wife Han Ri-ta (played by Pyo Ye-jin). With his vengeful spirit lingering in the mortal world, he then possesses Jun-oh's body to take revenge on Kang Young-hwa (Ye-jin), the reincarnation of Ri-ta.

Although it may seem like dual roles, Young-dae, 27, clarified in a recent interview with AsiaOne: "I actually play three different characters. One being the A-list actor Jun-ho, second, Do Ha in the Silla dynasty, and third, Do Ha's soul possessing Jun-ho's body. I think the third one was the most difficult to pull off."

He elaborated on the challenges of playing different characters in two different timelines.

"What was more important was the feelings and emotions my characters would have felt so I wanted to portray the emotions my character experienced in the past. That was one of my challenges," he recalled.

[[nid:656420]]

We asked him if he believes in past lives and who he thinks he would be in a previous life. He replied laughing: "Personally I don't believe in past lives, but if I were to believe in them and reincarnation… because I'm from the lineage of the Gimhae Kim clan, I think I would've been the king of Gaya, the clan I demolished in the show. I think I might have been King Suro in my past life."

King Suro founded the Gaya confederacy and also the Gimhae Kim clan.

While he's sceptical about reincarnation, Young-dae takes the proactive approach when it comes to destiny. 

"I do believe in destiny but I don't think destiny comes to find you. You have to look out for destiny, and if you think that someone is your destiny, you have to work hard to have that person."

Moon in the Day is currently streaming on Viu.

[[nid:657785]]

syarifahsn@asiaone.com

No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.