Daniel Dae Kim: "At the Heart of the Mid 'Butterfly' is a Korean Heart"

The American drama "Butterfly" is preparing to meet viewers with the heart of Korea. Korean American actor Daniel Dae Kim has drawn attention by revealing that he reflects his identity through this work.

Produced by Amazon MGM Studios, "Butterfly" features a large cast of Korean actors including Kim Tae-hee, Kim Ji-hoon, Park Hae-soo, Sung Dong-il, and Lee Il-hwa, set against the backdrop of Korea. The drama is expected to showcase a unique charm by harmoniously blending Korean elements with American sensibilities.

Daniel Dae Kim, who serves as the executive producer and lead actor, explained that "Butterfly" resembles his own life. He mentioned that while he built his career in the United States, his goal was to return to Korea and participate in drama production. He also added that he aimed to honestly portray the life of a Korean American, someone who is neither fully Korean nor fully American.

Daniel Dae Kim analyzed that the global interest in Korean culture has led to the creation of works like "Butterfly." He stated, "Five to ten years ago, interest in Korea was not as high as it is now, making it difficult for production companies to accept this project." Thanks to the rising popularity of Korean culture, such as K-food, K-drama, and K-beauty, he explained that "Butterfly" has had a great opportunity to be produced for the American market.

Daniel Dae Kim played a leading role in the production process, actively reflecting Korean elements in the drama. Setting the protagonist's surname as 'Jung' was intended to embody the concept of 'Jeong' (情) in Korea. He stated, "Since this work is about family and relationships, I considered the element of 'Jeong' to be important."

Additionally, Daniel Dae Kim enhanced the Korean flavor by casting his favorite Korean actors and changing characters that were not Asian in the original work to Korean. The production team also actively involved Koreans not only in the practical staff but also in leadership positions to enhance the quality of the production.

"Butterfly" is based on a graphic novel of the same name and is a spy action drama about a former U.S. intelligence officer who returns to his hometown and confronts another agent trying to assassinate him. The main setting of the drama is Korea, and filming took place over six months in Seoul and Busan.

Reina Hardisty, who plays Rebecca, the daughter of David and an agent, expressed her thoughts, saying, "I had never been to Korea before filming, but through this shoot, I became deeply immersed in Korean people and culture."

"Butterfly" is also notable as Kim Tae-hee's first Hollywood debut. Kim Tae-hee, who plays the role of Eun-joo, David's wife, shared that she struggled with the challenges of acting in English, but thanks to the writer coming to the Korean set to guide her, she was able to deliver a more polished performance.

Kim Tae-hee revealed that the support from her husband Jung Ji-hoon (singer Rain) was a great help. She said, "Since I participated as a supporting role rather than a lead, I hesitated to attend the New York premiere event, but my husband actively supported the promotion."

Kim Ji-hoon, who plays the assassin, dedicated himself to practicing English lines for his role as a taciturn killer and made efforts to showcase Korean-style action by utilizing Taekwondo kicks.

"Butterfly" was released on Amazon Prime in the U.S. on the 13th and will be available in Korea on tvN on the 22nd.