‘Young Kim Daekun’ tvN 3-part drama, Yoon Si-yoon portrays the young priest Kim Daekun, creating a buzz!

The drama ‘Young Kim Daekun’ is planned as a historical drama and a narrative of youth growth, capturing the journey of Father Kim Daekun, who became a path that did not exist in the world with a passionate heart and opened the door to modern Joseon, as a spectacular adventure. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Father Kim Daekun's birth, scenes and narratives that were not included in the movie ‘Birth’ have been added, and the entire structure has been reborn in the format of a TV drama. It deals with the detailed story of Kim Daekun's youth, which has not been well known until now, along with Jeong Ha-sang Paul and Choi Bang-je Francesca during their studies in Macau. It also captures the delicate emotional lines along with the situation of the court after being arrested upon returning to Joseon after nine years. 

Recently, actor Yoon Si-yoon, who played a cold villain in the SBS drama ‘Taxi Driver 3’ and played a significant role in the rise of viewership ratings, portrayed the young Kim Daekun. To prepare, he dedicated 5-6 hours a day for a month before filming to study five languages including Chinese, Latin, French, and English, practicing to the point of hurting his tongue. Additionally, even in the cold maritime filming and the demanding shooting schedule, he immersed himself in the character while maintaining a balance of physical strength and emotion under the interpretation that “the young Kim Daekun is always a character who moves forward.” It is rumored that during the filming of Kim Daekun's martyrdom scene in the latter part of the drama, he became so emotional that he could not leave the set for a while.

The work does not limit Kim Daekun to just a religious figure. It highlights Kim Daekun as a global talent who was knowledgeable about Western culture and world geography, translating and coloring maps, and working as a translator, geographer, and trader, capturing the vision of a young man who wanted to modernize Joseon in a three-dimensional way. This impresses upon the viewers the face of ‘Young Kim Daekun’ who dreamed of the future, rather than ‘Saint Kim Daekun’.

The drama ‘Young Kim Daekun’ movingly depicts the pioneering aspects of the versatile global leader Kim Daekun, who dreamed of a new Joseon, as well as his growth and martyrdom as the first priest of Joseon. It has been structured to allow viewers to emotionally resonate deeply with the character's journey, while further detailing the historical context that thoroughly prohibited diplomatic relations with the West.

The drama ‘Young Kim Daekun’ has been planned by the production company Minyounghwa since the film's production, capturing the tumultuous modern history that a society had to experience beyond its religious background, providing overwhelming emotion that transcends generations and religions. 

The 3-part drama ‘Young Kim Daekun’ can be enjoyed on TV with blockbuster-scale maritime filming, vast locations, and verified costumes. Director Park Heung-sik stated, “I have reorganized the composition to include everything that was immersed in the movie. Unlike the busy movie, the TV drama will be more approachable and allow for much better emotional immersion.” He added, “As it is a historical piece, I hope many will watch it at the end of the year.” The tvN drama ‘Young Kim Daekun’ will premiere on December 24 (Wednesday), 25 (Thursday), and 26 (Friday) at 5:50 PM on tvN.