[Dispatch=Reporter Lee A-Jin] "It has both mass appeal and thrills!" (Nam Goong-min)

Nam Goong-min has returned to genre films. He shed the face of melodrama shown in his previous work 'Our Movie'. This time, he plays a husband who fights desperately to rescue his wife.

He chose intense action. Running, fighting, rolling. This role is not that of a character skilled in combat like a special forces veteran he has played before. So he clashed more roughly and desperately.

He also wove in delicate emotions. He shows the process of contemplating divorce and how he risks everything for the wife he once hated. Through this, viewers will reflect on the meaning of marriage.

The KBS-2TV new Saturday mini series 'The Completion of Marriage' (written by Jung Jae-ha, directed by Kim Jung-hyun and Kim Min-tae) held a production presentation on the 1st at The Saint in Guro-gu, Seoul. Director Kim Jung-hyun, Nam Goong-min, Lee Seul, Kim Dae-myung, and Lee Sang-hee attended.

'The Completion of Marriage' is a crime thriller. An unexpected kidnapping occurs to a couple whose relationship has already fallen apart. The husband pursues the kidnapper to rescue his wife.

Nam Goong-min plays Kang Tae-ju. Kang Tae-ju is a doctor at a renowned spinal specialist hospital. Both his family background and his skills as a doctor appear perfect. However, inside, he is consumed by hatred and resentment due to his strained relationship with his wife.

Nam Goong-min cited mass appeal as the reason for choosing the work. "I think my previous work was a drama that was hard for many people to relate to. So I wanted to choose the next work to be a story that viewers could easily follow," he said.

He continued, "'The Completion of Marriage' has a story that can be understood without even concentrating. I read the script from part 1 to part 4 without stopping because it was so engaging," he recalled.

He analyzed the drama's flow carefully. "It's a work with strong genre characteristics. So rather than focusing only on the emotion of hating my wife, I tried to look more closely at the overall structure of the work," he pointed out.

Lee Seul plays Goh Se-yoon, Kang Tae-ju's wife. Goh Se-yoon is the director of the hospital where Kang Tae-ju works. She is kidnapped by a mysterious assailant the night after hearing from Kang Tae-ju that he wants a divorce.

Lee Seul and Nam Goong-min worked together as ex-lovers in 'Our Movie'. Lee Seul shared her feelings about their reunion, saying, "I acted more comfortably than before. Even on days off, I visited my senior's office and read scripts together with him."

Kim Dae-myung plays Noh Man-hee. Noh Man-hee is a person who runs a computer academy. He has a good reputation in the neighborhood with his kind tone and demeanor. However, one day he reveals hidden malice by kidnapping Goh Se-yoon.

Though a villain, there is a backstory. Kim Dae-myung said, "I didn't approach the character itself as a villain," but added, "Because he is a kidnapper, I tried to show bold words and actions different from his usual self."

Lee Sang-hee plays Kim Kyung-ae, a mysterious woman. She appears before Goh Se-yoon in dire straits and leads the incident in unexpected directions. Lee Sang-hee said, "My desire to challenge a genre work was strong. I completed the character by seeking advice from other actors."

The highlight to watch is action filled with catharsis. Thrilling scenes unfold that you cannot look away from for a moment. These include the fierce chase between Kang Tae-ju and Noh Man-hee, and the struggle Goh Se-yoon goes through to escape from the basement.

Nam Goong-min led the action scenes. He is an action expert. He has showcased elaborate action in films like 'Black Sun' and 'Lovers'. However, this time, he contemplated realistic action that could be shown within the profession of a doctor.

Nam Goong-min said, "It was more difficult to express than cool action," and emphasized, "Even in running scenes, I acted out being more out of breath. I also drove relentlessly while revealing an inexperienced appearance in the chase."

He exchanged subtle timing with Kim Dae-myung. Kim Dae-myung recalled, "Since we were filming in cold winter, my body wasn't properly warmed up. Both of us had continuous minor injuries. So we tried to keep our bodies in tension at all times."

Lee Seul learned action from Nam Goong-min. "My senior was worried that I would get hurt if I did it that way and taught me in detail how to move my body. When I got injured in the middle, he even made separate time for me to go to the hospital," she said gratefully.

The competing drama against 'The Completion of Marriage' is 'Mr. Kim' currently airing on SBS-TV. 'Mr. Kim' has garnered great popularity by surpassing 15% viewership in just two episodes. Is there any burden about this?

Nam Goong-min answered, "I think our drama has plenty of its own charm that is different from 'Mr. Kim,'" and said, "'The Completion of Marriage' deals with a more realistic and deeper story. I hope both dramas are loved."

He also pointed out points of immersion. Nam Goong-min said, "It would be nice to follow Goh Se-yoon's perspective," and added, "Lee Seul expressed well the fear felt in the kidnapping situation. Though it's a special situation, you will be able to relate to it."

Lastly, Director Kim urged, "Please watch 'The Completion of Marriage' while thinking about what it means," and said, "Although it looks like a story about a couple, each character's narrative will raise curiosity."

Meanwhile, 'The Completion of Marriage' premieres at 9:20 p.m. on the 4th.

<Photo by Reporter Song Hyo-jin>