'The Murky Stream' heralds return of creators behind Korea’s most celebrated historical dramas and films
| "The Murky Stream," starring Rowoon (Disney+) |
Disney+ Korea has three original series left to premiere this year and one of them is the streamer’s first Korean period drama, "The Murky Stream," from the star-studded creators who helped shape some of Korea’s most enduring historical dramas and films, such as "The Slave Hunters" and "Masquerade."
Set during the Joseon era (1392-1910) along Gyeong-gang — the name by which the Han River was once known — “The Murky Stream” follows characters who dream of toppling the corrupt government. Rowoon, former member of K-pop group SF9 and breakout actor from “The King’s Affection,” plays Si-yul, a lower-class gangster, or “walpae,” who prowls the Mapo wharf where ships dock to trade goods. Shin Ye-eun (“The Glory,” “Jungnyeon: The Star is Born”) stars opposite him as Choi Eun, the savvy salesperson running Joseon’s most successful merchant group.
| Rowoon poses for a photo during a press conference held in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. (The Walt Disney Company Korea) |
According to director Choo Chang-min, “The Murky Stream” marks a rare spotlight for the genre on commoners. "The Murky Stream" is the first-ever series by Choo, who previously helmed the historical flick "Masquerade," which drew around 12 million viewers during its theatrical run and won multiple awards.
“Traditional historical dramas usually focus on kings, aristocrats or the yangban class, but what struck me most when I read writer Chun’s script was the story of the lower classes. I found it especially compelling to portray the commoners living along the Han River who drive the events forward,” director Choo said Tuesday during a press conference in Seoul. Chun Sung-il, the writer of "The Slave Hunter," which reached viewership of 35.9 percent and became one of Korea’s most legendary period dramas, returns to the genre after 14 years.
Visually, the production aims to set itself apart from conventional "sageuk" (Korean historical dramas). “We considered using computer-generated sets, but ultimately decided to build an open set in Sangju (North Gyeongsang Province) and shoot in a real environment. Although the fluctuating water levels and weather brought on many difficulties, it was the best choice to capture a sense of realism,” Choo noted.
Rowoon added, “Our production has almost no indoor sets. About 98 percent of it was filmed on open sets.”
While the series is driven by marquee creators, its cast skews younger and less established than recent high-profile Disney+ Korean originals such as “Tempest” or upcoming tentpoles including Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung’s “Made in Korea” and Ji Chang-wook’s “The Manipulated.”
On his casting choices, Choo explained: “I wanted to work with younger actors. I met the three of them individually, and each had a strong passion for acting. They wanted to transform, to take on challenges and to become better actors. That’s why I made the decision.”
| Shin Ye-eun poses for a photo during a press conference held in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. (The Walt Disney Company Korea) |
While the drama wraps up in nine episodes, Choo hinted at the possibility of more: “It wasn’t made with a sequel in mind, but if viewers embrace it, there’s definitely room to expand.”
“The Murky Stream” premieres Friday with the first three episodes, followed by two new episodes dropping every Friday thereafter.
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