The Marvels director Nia DaCosta has revealed how the K-drama Itaewon Class led her to cast Park Seo-joon in the upcoming film.
DaCosta recently spoke to South Korea film magazine Cine21 ahead of the release of The Marvels in the East Asian country on November 8. During the interview, she revealed how she ended up casting Park Seo-joon in the film.
The 33-year-old director, known for her work on 2018’s Little Woods and 2021’s Candyman sequel, said that it started during the COVID-19 pandemic when she rediscovered her love for K-drama.
“I love K-dramas. It’s been years since I’ve been into them. It all started in my teenage years. My favourites were On Air, Soulmate and My Lovely Sam Soon,” she said, per SBS Star. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was recommended Itaewon Class by some of my friends who told me that I would like the show.”
Itaewon Class aired from January to March 2020 on JTBC in South Korea and on Netflix globally, and starred Park Seo-joon as its lead character. The series would go on to become one of the most popular and critically acclaimed K-dramas of the year.
“So, one day, I binge-watched Itaewon Class to return to those days. And Seo-joon’s acting in the drama really impressed me,” DaCosta continued, adding that the show led her to checking out some of the actor’s other works.
“When I was offered to direct The Marvels, I thought hard on who to choose for the role of ‘Prince Yan’. Then, suddenly, Park Seo Jun came to my mind,” she said.
The Marvels will hit theatres in the United Kingdom and the United States on November 10. Watch a trailer for the upcoming film here.