Park Seo Joon Addresses Serious Allegations Stemming From “Gyeonseong Creature”

Park Seo Joon responded to allegations that Gyeonseong Creature was insulting to Korea’s independence fighters.

On January 11, Park Seo Joon spoke with the news outlet OSEN about his most recent hit K-Drama, Gyeongseong Creature.

Despite the show’s popularity with international fans, it has faced its own share of criticism, with some calling out the lack of chemistry while others lamented the show as boring. Park Seo Joon responded to the criticism, stating his positive disposition amid the discourse.

I have never been a part of a project that didn’t receive mixed reactions. There are always fans who are disappointed, just as there are fans who enjoy the project. Seeing this, I have never become emotionally invested in the criticism. I just thought to myself that the project was receiving a lot of attention.

— Park Seo Joon

One point of contention among audience members was the show’s portrayal of good and evil. Rather than depicting the Japanese occupiers as all bad and Korean independence fighters as all good, the show employs a much more complicated moral scale. The depiction of some independence fighters as traitors who ultimately betray the Korean protagonists has sparked criticism that the show was insulting toward them.

Park Seo Joon, when asked about his thoughts on these allegations, rejected the claim and offered greater insight into his character’s motives.

Jang Tae Sang (played by Park Seo Joon) might claim that he has no interest in the independence movement, but his mother was an independence fighter, and I think in his heart, he is one too. Throughout the K-Drama, my character focused on the people he wanted to protect, and the people of Bon Jeong Street were most important. Tae Sang may have claimed that money was most important, but he tried his best to save everyone, and had he not done so, the people wouldn’t have helped him in return. He may have tried to reject (the independence movement) at first, but he always came through for them in the end.

I never tried to demean the independence fighters while filming, but seeing these reactions, I realized it might be portrayed that way. I don’t believe that the K-Drama insults the independence fighters. They are the reason why I am alive today.

— Park Seo Joon

Meanwhile, Gyeongseong Creature 2 will take place in current-day Seoul. You can watch the new season’s trailer in the link below.