“Dark Hole” Cast Shows What Sets It Apart From Other Zombie Series

Today, OCN’s upcoming series Dark Hole held a press conference featuring the director Kim Bong Joo and actors Lee Joon Hyuk, Kim Ok Bin, and Im Won Hee.

Dark Hole is a mutant survival K-Drama about a group of survivors who fight for their lives against mutant humans created after breathing in smoke from a mysterious sinkhole. It is directed by Kim Bong Joo, who directed the thriller movie, The Phone, and is written by Jung Yi Do, who wrote iconic K-Dramas such as Save Me and Strangers from Hell.

This will be the first time Kim Bong Joo is directing a TV series, as he typically works on movies.

The scenario is one where people get infected with dark smoke from a sinkhole. In that situation, I wondered, ‘What choices do people make when the world falls apart?,’ ‘What will people do to survive?,’ and ‘What are the values that we shouldn’t forget even in the worst situations?’ The theme of this drama is about the values we have to protect. I really like zombie and apocalypse stories. When I first read the script, I realized that it would be a difficult project to direct, but I didn’t think I’d get the chance to do something this big again.

—Kim Bong Joo

The director also shared his thoughts about making a series about a deadly infection simultaneously as the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that they spent a long time discussing it with the screenwriter. He explained, “In the zombie genre when people are infected, they act on appetite alone. As soon as they’re infected, they become part of the crowd.” He continued, “But in ‘Dark Hole,’ the infection amplifies emotions already inside the character, such as rage or fear.”

Kim Ok Bin, who plays a police detective named Lee Hwa Sun, revealed that she was afraid that it would be a fairly typical zombie thriller when she first saw the script. However, she decided to accept the role once she realized that it was a new perspective as it blends the genres of zombies, thrillers, science fiction, and mystery.

I never wanted to look cool while playing Lee Hwa Sun. I wanted to show her wild side. There hasn’t been many chances for me to play a character who gets dirty on set.

—Kim Ok Bin

Lee Joon Hyuk plays a former police officer and current tow truck driver named Yoo Tae Han. He shared that he was quite surprised with how much he needed to work with his body rather than his words.

I had a lot of lines in Forest of Secrets, but I don’t have many in Dark Hole. Instead, I used my body a lot. There wasn’t a specific pain, but my whole body suffered. I experienced many things while playing a character who is the complete opposite of me for six months. I think that Yoo Tae Han’s charm is that he keeps running forward even in the middle of chaotic and complicated times.

—Lee Joon Hyuk

Im Won Hee took on the role of Park Soon Il, who is an average “hyung-next-door” type of guy. He was asked to share his thoughts about returning to acting for the OCN channel. He joked, “I was in an OCN series called Coma ten years ago. I’ve been working really hard since then, so I wonder what took OCN so long to have me back.”

I really wanted to show [in Dark Hole] that we all survive, no matter how difficult things get. And that there will always be a guy—an ahjussi—like me. My character pretends to be indifferent, but ends up helping everyone with everything. It’s almost like I’m Lee Joon Hyuk’s pet dog.

—Im Won Hee

The three were asked how they think they would do in a situation like the one in Dark Hole. To this, Kim Ok Bin strictly stated that she would lock the door and never leave. She revealed, “I think that stability and peace are essential, but I don’t think I would go out and help people.”

Lee Joon Hyuk was quite practical and said that he would buy an air purifier and place it in his house. He also said that he would ask Kim Ok Bin to protect him as she is good at action scenes.

Im Won Hee sweetly stated that he would find his mother, who currently lives only 10 minutes away from him. He explained, “You have to protect your family. I think I would try and find other survivors and work out an agreement.”

Finally, the actors were asked to give some final thoughts and promotions for the series.

Im Won Hee: “It’s a Korean disaster show, so it might look dark. However, there are comedic elements that people can look forward to.”

Lee Joon Hyuk: “I think that people who like zombies, monsters, and mutants will enjoy the show.”

Kim Ok Bin: “Like the people in the show, we live in a world where we have to wear masks to protect ourselves. A lot of people feel down because of these difficult times. I wanted to borrow the character of Lee Hwa Sun to show that we shouldn’t blame ourselves for getting stuck in situations that is not our fault.”