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" King Munmu the Great »features a particularly impressive cast to tell the story of one of the most tumultuous periods in Korean history. Ahead of its scheduled November premiere, the historical drama shared photos from its first script reading with Lee Hyun-wook, Jang Hyuk, Kim Kang-woo and Park Sung-woong, as well as a glimpse of the filming that took place amid the landscapes of Mongolia.
Directed by Kim Young-jo, who had previously worked on «Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth,» «The Great King Munmu» will explore how the kingdom of Silla managed to prevail over Goguryeo, Baekje, and the Tang Dynasty, ultimately leading to the unification of the Three Kingdoms.
For this script reading, the director was joined by the screenwriters Kim Ri-heon and Hong Jin-yi as well as a large part of the cast.
Lee Hyun-wook, Jang Hyuk, Kim Kang-woo, and Park Sung-woong naturally took center stage, flanked by Jung Woong-in, Kim Do-hyun, Baek Sung-hyun, Yang Hyun-min, Oh Seung-hoon, Lee Ji-hoon, Park Myung-hoon, Im Ho, Choi Soo-rin, and Cho Seong-ha.
Four Characters at the Heart of the Struggle for the Three Kingdoms
Lee Hyun-wook takes on the role of Kim Beop-min, the 30th king of Silla and future King Munmu. He will play a central role in this period, during which the balance of power among the various kingdoms will be upended.
Opposite him, Jang Hyuk plays Yeon Gaesomun, a powerful military leader of Goguryeo. Portrayed as a true «god of war» but also as a ruthless dictator, the character is expected to be one of the most formidable forces in the story.
Kim Kang-woo plays Kim Chun-chu, the 29th king of Silla, while Park Sung-woong plays Kim Yu-shin, the famous general of Silla.
From the moment they read the script, the four actors reportedly delivered particularly intense performances, already offering a glimpse of the political and military conflicts that will either pit them against one another or bring them together.
But «The Great King Munmu» will also be able to count on a significant secondary distribution. Jung Woong-in, Kim Do-hyun, Baek Sung-hyun, Yang Hyun-min, Oh Seung-hoon, Lee Ji-hoon, Park Myung-hoon, Im Ho, Choi Soo-rin, and Cho Seong-ha were also seated around the table.
The interactions between the characters alternate between confrontations and reconciliations, as each finds themselves caught up in the upheavals of an era in which alliances and power dynamics can change rapidly.
After Reading the Script: First Images from the Shoot in Mongolia
This new preview of «The Great King Munmu,» however, isn’t limited to the reading table. A behind-the-scenes video also offers a glimpse of the vast Mongolian landscapes used for certain scenes in the drama, giving viewers a first sense of the visual scale the production aims to achieve.
The project had already attracted attention for its cast and its ambition to depict the wars that preceded the unification of the Three Kingdoms. These first images now give us a glimpse of the actors in their roles, ahead of the release of the finished film.
«The Great King Munmu» is scheduled to air starting in November. The exact date of its premiere has not yet been announced.
