ENA drama marks Ha Ji-won's return after a four-year hiatus, faces off against 'Mad Concrete Dreams'
Korean heavyweights are returning to television with a major new project, as the political thriller "Climax" unites Netflix's "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call" hero Ju Ji-hoon with a beloved K-drama heroine Ha Ji-won ("Secret Garden") -- who returns from a four-year hiatus with the new series.
Set to air on cable network ENA, the outfit behind the global phenomenon "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," the show follows prosecutor Tae-sup (Ju) as he becomes part of a cartel in his pursuit of political power. Tae-sup is married to Sang-ah (Ha), a former top actress determined to reclaim her place among the industry's A-list.
Plot details remain largely under wraps, though director Lee Ji-won said the story builds toward intense narrative peaks, in keeping with its title. With "Climax," director Lee makes her scripted TV debut after establishing a reputation for gritty, female-led cinema, including "Miss Baek" and "Blesser."
"Since the title is 'Climax,' we put a lot of effort into making sure each episode lives up to that name by crafting a full dramatic arc, much like a film, with a clear beginning, build-up and resolution," Lee said during a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday.
"We tried to capture the actors' intense emotions with the same level of detail you would see in a movie. The biggest difference from film was condensing the longer timeline of a drama into a shorter narrative span, but we approached it with the same level of effort we would put into a film. I'm confident 'Climax' delivers especially strong endings."
For Ju, the project's appeal lay in its accessibility.
"The script was lean," the actor remarked, noting that the political machinations are presented through a relatable lens of human desire. "It boldly expresses the ambitions we all harbor but rarely admit to out loud."
According to Lee, Ju was the first actor she envisioned when developing the role.
"When I first conceived the project, I thought of it as a story about desire," the director said. "So I asked myself which actor working today embodies that sense of desire the most, and Ju immediately came to mind. In the script, the character is described as a Doberman, and he carries that kind of image as well."
For Ha, "Climax" represents a significant homecoming, which ended her yearslong break.
"As soon as I read the script, it felt very intense, and I was fascinated by Sang-ah because she's someone I had never portrayed before," she said. "For the past six or seven years, I've been increasingly curious about people and human relationships. 'Climax' touched on themes that feel relevant to the times we're living in."
The actress added that the role also prompted deeper reflection on her craft.
"I've long wondered what it means to live as an actress," Ha said. "Through 'Climax,' while playing another actress, I found myself reflecting even more deeply on that question. I feel this project gave me a lot as a performer."
"Climax" enters a competitive spring window for K-content. The series will go head-to-head with a slate of high-profile dramas, including tvN's "Mad Concrete Dreams." Notably, the latter marks film veteran Ha Jung-woo’s first television appearance in nearly two decades. A longtime friend of Ju, Ha also formed the grim reaper duo with Ju in the widely popular "Along with the Gods" franchise -- a pairing that went viral with audiences.
"Ha and I recently caught up and celebrated the timing," Ju shared. "I told him I hope his show sees great numbers. It's a win for the industry that our projects are airing back-to-back."
"Mad Concrete Dreams" airs Saturdays and Sundays on tvN, while "Climax" will run Mondays and Tuesdays, starting March 16.
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
