The cast and director of the upcoming iQiyi Korean drama Shooting Stars had a press conference in South Korea earlier this week on 20th April to discuss the new series, which launched on Saturday, 23rd April.
This is also the first “unmasked” news conference held in South Korea since the pandemic, signifying a watershed moment for the country’s entertainment sector, which has been devastated by COVID-19.
Shooting Stars is now on iQiyi International
Episodes of Shooting Stars, starring Lee Sung Kyung, Kim Young Dae, Yoon Jong-Hoon, Lee Jung-Shin, Kim Yoon-Hye, and Sojin, and directed by Lee Soo-Hyun, will be posted to iQiyi’s worldwide site and mobile app concurrently with the show’s airtime in South Korea.
Lee Sung Kyung plays Oh Han-Byeol, a public relations director at a management firm that represents actor Gong Tae-Sung (played by Kim Young Dae). While he has a great public image, he is actually a bad-tempered person away from the spotlight, and he gets along poorly with Oh.
Speaking about the veracity of Shooting Stars, which is set in the Korean entertainment industry, female star Lee Sung Kyung stated that the script was almost 95% true in capturing the reality of the situation.
“I found the script to be really realistic. So much that I was worried that people would start speculating who the show is trying to portray! Fortunately, the scriptwriter has handled this aspect really well.”
Lee found herself getting to know every function in entertainment better through her role as an artiste manager, and as a result of her newfound understanding, she has developed as a person.
Furthermore, filmmaker Lee Soo-Hyun stated that scenarios such as management agencies clashing with media and managers having to apologise on behalf of their artists after they get into problems are all real-life events.
This is Kim Young Dae’s first time playing the lead in a television series. The actor admits to feeling under strain and adds humbly, “As I am not an A-list star in real life, I found it difficult initially to portray such a role. As I began looking for inspirations and references.”
“I realised that they were around me all along, such as my seniors Lee Sung Kyung and Yoon Jong-Hoon, who are both in the show. I have gained a lot through learning from them as we film,” said Kim.
The stars were also asked if it was feasible for an artist to fall in love with an employee in real life, as seen in Shooting Stars.
Kim answered: “Love has no boundaries. I think it’s definitely possible!”
Lee Sung Kyung added: “If I really was a PR lead, and had to take care of so many artistes, I don’t think I would even have the time to fall in love! But the two characters in the show knew each other beforehand, so it might actually be possible in this case.”
Shooting Stars is the first time Kim Young Dae and Yoon Jong-Hoon have appeared in the same show since the hit Penthouse, and they share more scenes in this new series. Outside of the shows, the two are good friends, according to Kim.
Previously, Lee played his father-in-law, but now he is more like Kim’s “big brother.” Lee also revealed that the two had mutual friends and had visited each other’s homes.
Sojin, who appeared in Girl’s Day, plays an entertainment journalist in Shooting Stars. Despite being questioned frequently, she admitted to not knowing much about the work of a journalist in the past.
She spent three hours interacting with an entertainment journalist to learn about the realities of the job in order to prepare for her role. She is now able to relate better to the mental process of a journalist while producing an article.
In the series, CN Blue bassist Lee Jung-Shin plays a lawyer who represents the management business. He made a lighthearted remark about the role.
“Throughout my showbiz career, I have not seen or spoken to a lawyer before. I hope it stays that way! The actors in this show are all very handsome, and it has spurred me to pay more attention to my own looks. I got a cleaner haircut, and have been exercising throughout the filming process to maintain a good figure.”
He also stated that the screenwriter provided him with a book written by an industry lawyer in order for him to learn more about his character.
Other dramas directed by Lee Soo-Hyun include The Witch’s Diner, Awaken, and Find Me In Your Memory. Aside from the main ensemble, viewers may expect cameos from Choi Ji-woo, Park Jeong Min, Song Ji-hyo, Mun Ka-Young, Kim Dong-Wook, Chae Jong-hyeop, Lee Sang Woo, and other actors who have previously worked with Lee Soo-Hyun.
Catch Shooting Stars on iQiyi International now!
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