Sweet Home is a South Korean web series starring Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, and Lee Si-young. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan, which recorded over 2.1 billion net views. The first season was released on Netflix on December 18, 2020. The second season was released on December 1, 2023. A third season is also in production

Starring: Song Kang Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young, Lee do-Hyun, Park gyu-young 

TV Network: Netflix

Premiere Date: Dec 18, 2020

Genre: Drama

Press Conference with Actors Song Kang, Lee Jin-uk, Lee Si-young, Ko Min-si, Jung Jin-young, Yoo Oh-seong, Kim Moo-Yeol and Director Lee Eung-bok

 

Q : All right. so Season 1 just swept the world, and everyone loved Sweet Home. And now you’re back with Season 2 and I remember fans really loved Sweet Home Season 1. Did you really feel that? That so many people were loving Sweet Home? Kang? 

Song Kang : Of course I did, of course I did. At the time, I know that we were in top 10 in a lot of the countries. We were very happy and delighted and thankful. And thanks to the love of the fans, we were able to put our hearts and souls once again into this show. 

Q : What about you, Jin-uk? Did you feel the love of the fans? And you’re back with the Season 2. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes, of course I did. We received so much love from fans all over the world and it was just so fascinating and we felt so grateful. And we could really pour everything into the show. 

Lee Si-young : Same here I received so much love from so many people. I was so thankful and as Kang said before, because we had so much interest and love from fans, we could create Season 2. And that is what kept us going and what kept us motivated, all of us– cast and crew alike. So we were very happy and delighted. 

Ko Min-si : When Sweet Home Season 1 was released, thankfully, people around the world really enjoyed our show. And thanks to their love, we were able to create Season 2. It was about four years that I was in my character Eun-yu, and I’m just really happy to be her. And I’m very thankful to the fans for their love and support. When Sweet Home Season 1 was released, it was the wintertime. Season 2 is coming back to you in the wintertime. So, I’m again very happy, delighted. My heart’s fluttering. 

Q : All right. Fans and viewers all over the globe are just on the edge of their seats waiting for Season 2. And we have new additions to the show. We have amazing new creators. So I’m curious how you feel. Jin-young, when you knew that you were cast for the show, how did you feel? 

Jin-young : Well, I was a big fan of Season 1. So being able to be part of the show was a big honor. And as I was filming the show, the directions from the director and the scale of the set, it was just amazing. And I knew that this was going to be huge. 

Q : All right, so I’m curious what’s going to happen in Season 2 listening to all of you guys talk. And as Season 1 was such a global mega hit, it was announced that Season 2 and 3 are going to be produced at the same time, which is a very rare case. After Season 1, you created Season 2 and three at the same time. So how did that come about? And how did you think of the extended world view? Director Lee? 

Lee Eung-bok : Well, when we were in Season 1, I didn’t expect that we’re going to have seasons two and three. I just wanted to challenge myself. But Netflix gave us so much support and the fans really loved the show. So at first, I felt a bit of a pressure. But I tried to dive into the original webtoon and I talked with Kim Kanbi, who is the creator of the webtoon, because there are things that weren’t dealt with in Season 1. So we came up with a framework for the other seasons. And we have the worldview of the webtoon, and then we wanted to extend that. And we wanted to add more characters along with the original characters. 

Q : All right, so we see various types of people in Season 1 and in Season 2, it’s going to be even a more diverse array of people and it’s going to provide people with a lot of food for thought for sure. So what did you want to talk about in Season 2? Director Lee? 

Lee Eung-bok : So Season 1 is about them being confined to the premise of Green Home. But Season 2 is about those people going out of Green Home and finding their way to survive. And they also think about why all this happened, and they have to struggle to fight against the monsters. And you’re going to see these layers of charms of these characters fighting the monsters and fighting their way to survival. So we were very thankful for Season 1 and I think we had our shortcomings in Season 1. So we wanted to make sure that Season 2 was even more perfect this time. 

Q : So you have an extended universe, it’s going to be even more powerful and intense in Season 2. So what are the highlights of Season 2? We prepared a highlight clip for you so that you can have a sneak peak. Here It is. 

[Highlight clip on Green Home] 

Q: Wow, with that “Doo Doom” at the end, we cannot wait to see what’s in store. Having watched that, not only are there a lot of points that we want to look out for, but it seems like it’s a lot more granular and amidst the monsterization process, the question about really what is right and what is wrong, and how the character dynamics are going to play. I cannot wait until we hear and know about that. So let’s dive into the characters. Song Kang, tell us about how your character Cha Hyun-su plays out in the second season. 

Song Kang : Yes. So Hyun-su, in the monsterization crisis, carries with him this guilt that he wasn’t able to save more people or protect them. And so he goes to the Bamseom Emergency Management 

Bureau as a special infectee, and lives a very grim and oblique life. And to fight against all of it by himself, amidst the process, you’ll see a lot more mature Hyun-su. 

Q : I see. And you know, since you wrapped up Season 1, because this was a shoot in about three years, we heard that you were quite daunted and there were some fears within you. But when you were there, Hyun-su just came out. 

Song Kang : Is that right? Did I say that? 

Q : Yes, I think you did. That’s what you said. I heard that you were surprised to see the Hyun-su inside you sort of jump out. 

Song Kang : Really? Are you sure? 

Q  : You said that. 

Song Kang : Are you talking about the first day of the shooting? 

Q : Yes, I heard that you were quite concerned. 

Song Kang : Oh yes, I think it was more about… I felt even more drawn to the charms of the genre. 

Q : I see, and what were some of your inner struggles that you had before you began shooting? 

Song Kang : Well, this was what I talked about with the director. But because we wanted to portray Hyun-su in a way where he had matured, that was one of the areas that I was quite focused on. 

Q : I see. To be able to depict a Hyun-su that’s a more mature than the first season. So I heard that Kang, you tried so hard to be into the character Hyun-su. So even outside of the shoot, when something was really exciting or something you felt really light or happy about something, you tried to suppress those feelings?

 Song Kang : Well, I’m quite playful. That’s just my personality. I like to joke around. But I felt like if I’m on set and I joke around and then when the camera rolls, I get into character I felt like it just didn’t quite… it wasn’t as grounded. So of course, I won’t be able to live like Hyun-su every single day, but I wanted to at least be reminded of him in whatever I did. So I tried to really think about Hyun-su’s emotions. 

Q : Director Lee, did you know that Kang was trying this hard outside of the set off camera? 

Lee Eung-bok : I didn’t know, actually. No, I was not aware of that. But what I can say for sure is Kang definitely portrayed Hyun-su in a more mature way compared to Season 1. And when we were doing the pre-shoot meetings with the cast, we met at my office and he was already there. You know, he showed up as a more mature man. Obviously a couple of years had passed since then as well, but it was really moving. I remember Kang and I facing each other and we were a little bit choked up about that. So I think that emotion was maintained all throughout. 

Q : I see. So it’s almost like Hyun-su’s growth is in line with Song Kang’s growth. 

Lee Eung-bok : Yes. 

Q : Wow, that’s so amazing to hear. Now, as an actor, I know that this was a genre that he has always dreamt of doing. I heard that every time you were returning home from the set, you felt proud. Tell us about that. 

Song Kang : Yes. That was when we were shooting in Busan. When I would just take off my makeup and return to where I was staying for the day, I would be reminded of all of the scenes. It was almost like, you know, how when you finish a hike you feel so refreshed. 

Q : I see. So that was how it was when you were shooting. 

Song Kang : Yes, I felt so proud and refreshed and happy. So I thought that this is probably one of the charms of this genre. 

Lee Eung-bok : I wonder what day was it? What did we shoot that day? 

Q : I love that question, Director Lee. 

Song Kang : Yes. So that was the scene when I was sort of dragging Jin-uk. 

Q :  Ah, yes, I see. You felt very happy almost like you had finished a hike for that scene when you were dragging Jin-uk along. All right. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes, I remember just being dragged all along. 

Q : I see. I cannot wait to see what that scene is going to be like. It’s tomorrow, ladies and gentlemen. We’ll get to check out that scene. Now, why don’t we talk about your character, Jin-uk? Tell us about your character. He seems quite out of the ordinary. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes. So, my character, I know those of you already know. But he’s Pyeon Sang-wook, but not quite Pyeon Sang-wook. He feels that monsters are superior to humans. That was the thought of the character Jung Eui-myung. So he becomes the host of Pyeon Sang-wook’s body. 

Q : Wow, that sounds extremely challenging, because you have the body of Pyeon Sang-wook, but the mind of Jung Eui-myung. And that complex character change must have been very difficult. How did you approach that? 

Lee Jin-uk : Right. So I thought that if I took a complex approach, it could just go downhill. It could just be too overly complex. So in the beginning, I got the help from actor Kim Sung-cheol, who played the role of Eui-myung. I asked him to read my lines. So despite his very busy schedule, Sung-cheol did an amazing job. He recorded the lines and sent them to me. 

Q : Wow, I see. 

Lee Jin-uk : Right, and of course, obviously I can’t do my lines exactly in a way Eui-myung would say them. 

Q : Right, because you’re still Sang-wook. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes. And you know, human memory, if you think about it, it’s not only in your brain, right? I do not think that that’s the only organ in your body that dictates you as a person. So I felt like somewhere in the body, Pyeon Sang-wook still lives. So I tried to take a very subtle approach in bringing the character. 

Q : I see. Those very subtle and complex emotional changes and nuances, you did a perfect job capturing it. And I was especially impressed by your look. Your eyes, was that something you practiced? 

Lee Jin-uk : Well, you can’t really practice. I don’t think any actor does that. You know, practicing just what you’re going to do with your eyes. But in the process of preparing for your character, your eyes, that glance is part of it. But I admit I did some practices in front of the mirror. 

Q : Wow, see? Now you admit to it. But I ask you because you know, Hyun-su and Eui-myung, the two of you come against one another. And in those conflict scenes or those action scenes after you were all done, I heard that you told Kang that you need to stop working out. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yeah, because when we were doing action, I’m sure all of you know how hard Song Kang works out. 

Q : Right, three to four hours a day. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes. Oh man, it was tough for me, you know, because I had to match his level of energy. So I was like, you need to not work out as hard, but it was a joke. I think it’d be better if I worked out more, right? 

Song Kang : No, it’s because Jin-uk is so strong, I had to work out for me to match his energy. 

Q : Wow. So the both of you, because the other opponent was strong. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes. I think in that scene both of us did our best, but we were kind of keeping it a secret from the other one. 

Q:  That’s a great way to end it. I think on that beautiful note, let’s just say that both of you did your very best. 

Lee Jin-uk : Can I say just one more thing? So, playing the role of Pyeon Sang-wook, where his body’s host is Jung Eui-myung. I personally try to think of it this way. Half of my face is Jung Eui-myung, and half of my face so the other half would be Pyeon Sang-wook. That’s sort of how I approached my performance. I don’t know if that’s going to come off on screen. 

Q : Wow, that is really. I think we can feel that nuance. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes, I hope. There is a subtle change. 

Q : I think that’s a first in Korea, isn’t it? You play a two-faced character. Ladies and gentlemen, Korea’s first two faced character played by Jin-uk. I hope you look forward to it. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Even if it doesn’t seem that way, if you try to think of it as you watch me, hopefully it’ll be convincing. 

Q: All right, I cannot wait. 

Lee Jin-uk : But again, we have Director Lee, so no worries. 

Q: Wow, I see, as long as it’s Director Lee, it’s not about two faces. How many faces can you portray? Unlimited? All right. Unlimited number of faces can be portrayed in the trustworthy hands of Director Lee. Tell us, Si-young, about your character. 

Lee Si-young : From the beginning of Season 2, Yi-kyung parts from the residents of Green Home, former residents. And finds her husband, hears that her husband is in Bamseom Emergency Management Bureau. And so all of her narrative begins as she starts her journey to head for Bamseom to search her husband. And during the process, you all know she’s pregnant and she goes into labor in that process. 

Q :  I see. Now Si-young, you portrayed such an amazing female warrior-like character in the previous season. And in Season 2, I hear that we can see the mother side of you, too. Not only about motherhood or motherly love, but also that dilemma of being human and mother. Tell us where you put your focus. 

Lee Si-young : This goes for all characters in Sweet Home, but each character has their own complex emotional layers and my character is also one of them. And Yi-kyung’s biggest change or the turning point is her child as she gives birth, right? Because well, she has to, she’s pregnant. And the events that she goes through and the emotional responses… there was some fear within me about, am I going to be able to handle that emotional depth? But it was really thanks to Director Lee. I really depended a lot on him, and leaned on him, and communicated a lot to do that. 

Q : I see, and it’s wonderful to hear how the members of the cast have such great trust in the director. And I heard, Si-young, that you talked a lot about that emotion with the director. Is that right, Director Lee? 

Lee Eung-bok : Yes. I don’t know if it’s about sharing, but I was just personally really touched about the stories she shared. The writer did an amazing job in writing the script, but the nuanced emotions of being a mother and that long narrative which actually bleeds into the third season, too, she did an amazing job of capturing it. Sometimes Si-young would share her thoughts with writing and what was written into the script by the writer too. You’re going to be in for an emotional ride. 

Q : I see. I cannot wait to watch that. And I heard, Si-young, that you write your own acting notes? Tell us about what that’s about. 

Lee Si-young : Well, first of all, the role of Yi-kyung, it got more challenging. And Director Lee is, he’s the asking questions type, right? He always asks the actors even when we’re shooting on set, he likes to ask for our opinions. And he asks me, how do you feel about this scene? When we were discussing the feelings of a mother, Director Lee suggested that “Si-young, if you would like to, you get any new ideas along the way and in the preparation process, try to write them down.” So, I actually just tried doing that. I took down memos and I would just jot down whatever thoughts came up in my mind as a mother, and I sent them to Director Lee. And he read all of them, even the most trivial memo, and he applied that to the character. Because while Yi-kyung is pregnant with a child, when you’re pregnant, you constantly worry about, you know, is this child going to be okay? 

And in the case of Yi-kyung, she has this fear of, is this child going to be human or a monster? You have that fear when you’re a mother. And even when you give birth, when the child is out there, what am I going to be able to do? Because according to Yi-kyung, monsters will change or humans will change into monsters based on their desires. And because it’s an infant, they don’t have particular desires or their personal backstories. So if this baby ends up being a monster, isn’t that all on the mothers right? Isn’t it all because of me? And all of those complex emotions, the director and writer did an amazing job creating such impactful scenes to portray those. 

Q : So that truly is complex. And because you chopped down some memos, you were able to collaborate with Director Lee to create your character. And I really can’t wait to see Season 2 now that we’ve heard from you. Let’s move on to Min-si. So Eun-yu is in Season 2. What kind of character is she? 

Ko Min-si : Eun-yu was in Season 1, and she escaped from Green Home at the finale of Season 1. And she didn’t get to see if her brother was dead or not. So she can’t bear the fact that he might be dead. She refuses to believe that he is dead, and she senses someone’s protecting her whenever she finds herself in danger. But she’s frustrated because she doesn’t know who that is. And if that person who is protecting her is Eun-hyeok, then whether he’d be a monster, whether he’d be a corpse, she wants to see him. It doesn’t matter to her what he has become. She just wants to see him for one last time. So she’s very desperate to see her brother, and she goes after the traces of her brother to find out what has happened to him. She would keep on going outside of the stadium to find her brother. 

Q : I think Eun-yu is the character who goes through a big evolution both externally and internally. What can we expect from Eun-yu in Season 2? 

Ko Min-si : Externally, she cut her hair from being long hair to short hair, and she doesn’t wear ballet shoes anymore. She wears military boots. And she always has a knife in her hand, or a weapon in her hand and she’s full of scars. Her whole body is covered in scars. And when I was reading the script for Season 2, I thought that Eun-yu has hardened. She’s become stronger, but I think she’s become even more warm hearted. I think she’s gone through some personal growth, and she doesn’t want to lose anybody else. She wants to keep everyone, and she knows how to sacrifice for people as well. So I think she’s gone through a lot of personal growth, and I think I, as an actress, could also experience a personal growth. 

Q :  All right. So Min-si, you got out of your ballet shoes and you’re wearing military boots. You probably have action scenes and wire action together with the monsters. You went to an action school, right? Every day, and I heard it was strenuous. 

Ko Min-si : Yes, of course. it was really tiring. About three months prior to going into shoot I went to the action school to do all the basic training and other kinds of training on top of that. There was a variety of physical training. I wouldn’t say there were a lot of action sequences, but I had to be very courageous. And I thought I wasn’t the coward type, but it wasn’t the case. I was quite scared at a few times and I at least thought to myself, when is this going to end? But now that it’s really ended, I feel like I have no fear about using my body and doing these action scenes. So I’m very thankful for the challenge that Sweet Home Season 2 has posed to me. 

Q  : So Sweet Home gave you more courage, right? 

Ko Min-si : Yes, it did. It was courage itself. 

Q  : All right, the other people are all nodding. It looks like you’re very proud of her. In Season 2, instead of Eun-hyeok, there’s this guy by the side of Eun-yu, which is Jin-young playing Park Chan-yeong. Can you tell us about him? 

Jung Jin-young : Of course. After the monsterization crisis, he enlisted in the army voluntarily. And he is the play-by-the-book type. He sticks to his principles no matter what, but he’s a really caring person, and he has a very strong moral compass. He’s a very good guy and he has the duty of transporting survivors of Green Home to the safety camp. And Eun-yu captures his attention, because her actions are very impulsive. And as they live together in the stadium because Eun-yu would, you know, go out of the stadium, he would just follow her because he’s worried that she’ll find herself in trouble. 

Q : All right, I’m curious about the dynamics between you two. You said that he’s got a good moral compass and he’s a good guy. Director Lee, I heard that Chan-yeong is just like Jin-young himself. 

Lee Eung-bok : Yes, I created the character based off of him. You know, he is such a good guy. He’s so disciplined. And I think even in this apocalypse, I hope there’s someone who plays by the book and who really has a good heart. And I got to meet Jin-young, who is that guy. I mean, there might be differences between the character and himself. But a lot of the sides of Jin-yeong is what I put into the character of Park Chan-yeong, and he pulled it off so well. 

Q : Did you know of that? 

Jung Jin-young : He did tell me a little bit about that a few times, I felt very grateful. And he made sure that my character was kind of like myself. So yeah, I referred to that

Q :  All right, so we have Chan-yeong inside of Jin-young. And I know that Jin-young, you look up comments and reviews for every show you’ve done, right? 

Jung Jin-young : Yes, that’s correct. 

Q : Kang is saying that it’s going to take him a long time to look up all the comments. You’re going to use up a whole year to look up all the comments. Ok. And we have someone with overpowering charisma in Season 2 and that is Yoo Oh-seong. Wow, people are clapping for you. So you play Sergeant Tak In-hwan. Who is this guy? 

Yoo Oh-seong : He is a master sergeant. His name is Tak In-hwan. He has some troubled family history. We can’t tell you more about him. 

Q  : All right, so he has a troubled past and he’s a soldier. OK. So as you joined Season 2, you said that you felt very grateful to the younger actors who started Season 1. Why did you feel that way? 

Yoo Oh-seong : As I said before, there’s Director Lee and there are casts of Season 1 who’ve done so well that has led to this show being a mega hit. And that’s why we have a Season 2. I think they’re the hosts and I’m like the guest, right? Because they made the whole show in the beginning. Because Season 1 was such a mega hit. I’m keep repeating myself. But I was able to be on Season 2, so I’m very grateful, and as Jin-young said just now, we want to surpass Season 1. I’m not sure if that’s going to happen, but I want to make sure that the fans will not be disappointed. That’s my little belief. 

Q :  OK. As you were filming, you realized why this was such a global mega hit. And you said that this was your first time, you know, working with virtual characters like monsters. How did you feel? 

Yoo Oh-seong : Yes, it was my very first time. I’ve been working as an actor for 30 years, and this is my first time being in such a major, big show with a big budget. And as I was filming, I realized why it’s so loved and supported by everyone all over the world. As I was working together with the creators, it’s not just about the VFX or the CGI. You know, there could be some tough circumstances on set. But all of the cast and the crew, the creator, they were working in perfect harmony. So I was very fascinated at how focused they were on their pursuit for this drama. 

Q :  It doesn’t matter which show, it doesn’t matter which circumstance, you are always a master of acting. So we’re going to look forward to your performance in Sweet Home Season 2. And the polar opposite of Master Surgeon Tak in Hwan is Sergeant Kim Yeong-hu, who leads his team members like his family. Moo-Yeol, tell us about him. 

Kim Moo-Yeol : He is also a soldier, he is part of a platoon to swipe out the monsters after the monsterization swept the world. And he has to fight against the monsters together with his team. And he is treating his team members like they’re his own and his family. He is very… he has a sense of duty and responsibility for the team members. 

Q : And you are a Navy Special Warfare Flotilla in the show, part of that. And you actually worked together with actual former UDT soldiers, right? And I heard that you went to great lengths to look like a real soldier and to have that camaraderie between you guys, right? 

Kim Moo-Yeol : Yes, we had Yuk Jun-seo who is a former member of UDT soldier as well as Jung Jong-hyun. I acted alongside them, actors who were from the special forces like Jung Seo-won. He was from the Korean Navy. I think, I was very delighted to be able to work together with them. I was very thankful because I could learn from them, and it reassured me. Them and the soldiers, right now, they are serving the nation. So I wanted to make sure that I keep their pride up. I wanted to pull off my character, so nobody would be disappointed. I felt that sense of duty. And I got so much help from those soldiers on set, or former soldiers on set. Their presence in and of itself was a big help to me. I want to use this opportunity to thank all of them, all of my team members. 

Q : All right, he’s thanking his team members. That’s so sweet of him. And you said that you are a big fan of Sweet Home, you binge watched the whole show in one sitting, right? 

Kim Moo-Yeol : Yes, I did get a little bit sleepy because I pulled an all-nighter, but we watched the finale, right? Yes, I did. 

Q : All right, so you’re a big fan of Season 1 of Sweet Home. As you were filming, how did you feel? 

Kim Moo-Yeol : As Oh-seong said, I felt the same way about the grandness of Sweet Home. And the reason why it could become a global mega hit is because of the teamwork of the crew and the cast, and their hearts and souls that they put into this work. I could really feel their passion. For example, Director Lee would be very helpful. He hurt his leg once, so it was difficult for him to walk around quickly. But he would always come to me and tell us about the character, tell us about what situation the character is in. He really put his heart and soul into this work. And there are a lot of amazing actors who couldn’t be here today. We have a whole array of casts. 

There’s one thing that I remember about them. There’s one actor who was here in the show as a monster. And monsterization comes from humans, it stems from humans. So some of the monsters do have humanity inside of them. And that actor seriously did an amazing job pouring everything into that scene. And I saw those tears rolling down his face. I’m not supposed to feel moved, but it was just so moving as an actor to see that. I always had that gratefulness, thankfulness inside of me, and I also put everything into this work. I think all of those passion came together to create this a wonderful show. I think this is the epitome of all the passion that we have put into the work. And that’s what led me to pulling an all-nighter to binge watch the show. 

Q : For the director, this is my question. And what I’m kind of worried about Season 2 is that you know, if we see some of the Season 2s, you know, they want to, you know, show a bigger worldview, a bigger scale. But sometimes you lose track of the first season. So that’s the concern that I have about Season 2. I bet you also pondered on that aspect. So can you talk about that? And for the four actors in Season 1, you know, Sweet Home was such a big hit and you guys have become the sons and daughters of Netflix almost. Over the past three years, you know, Netflix has grown in size, and you also have had some personal growth. And Jin-uk was in Doona!, you’re going to be in Squid Game Season 2. So what does Sweet Home mean to you in your career?  

Lee Eung-bok : So the question, I think I asked that very question to myself in the beginning as I was planning the second season. I’m not a fan of anything that’s too complicated or tough. But now that the people have left Green Home, if we aren’t able to show them the world that the characters see outside of Green Home, we cannot tell the story any further. And so, in order to intensify and expand the story and the universe, there were some steps that needed to take place. And in the process, I think if there’s anything that lacks, I think that’s on me. But I can say that I did indeed do my very best. And I know that sometimes, you know, subsequent seasons sometimes lose the magic of the original season. But I can tell you that we also have Season 3. And just the sheer amount of affection and passion that the cast and crew have for the show. I think hopefully I can talk more about the show and these feelings through a separate interview. 

Q : I see. I hope that we all can look forward to all of the effort and passion of all of those who worked on it. Si-young, tell us about, you know, what changed after Sweet Home? 

Lee Si-young : For me, I cannot thank it enough. Once Sweet Home was released globally, I really didn’t expect it to be this well received. I knew that it was going to be a great show, but the response and love that was shown by the audiences was so much greater than what I ever expected. And throughout my acting career, I never, you know, this was the very first show that did so well. So in that sense, personally, Sweet Home holds great meaning in my heart. And in 

Season 2 and 3, like was said before, we truly stand behind the show. We are not ashamed of it one bit. And I truly hope that this will be loved just as much. 

Q : Thank you for that. Jin-uk, tell us about what things have changed? 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes, for me, I think I’m probably one of the people who probably gained the most throughout these years. Personally and also my career-wise, Sweet Home was definitely a turning point for me. It also awakened a sense of possibility and potential within me as an actor too. And I just want to thank Director Lee who took a chance on me. 

Q : Wow, thank you so much for that. And from Love Alarm to Sweet Home, Kang and Min-si, you too can be dubbed as the son and daughter of Netflix. Tell us about what that feels like, and what has changed since you first appeared in Sweet Home Season 1? And how does global love feel? 

Song Kang : When I was first beginning and preparing to become an actor, I did have concerns about will I ever do one that’s a genre show. And it was really almost unbelievable that Director Lee took a chance on me and to have the results be so amazing. I was just awe struck, and I was so happy about it all. And that, in turn, made me want to do even more and even better. So whatever came my way, it just gave me a mindset where I want to go all in and do my very best. And so, Sweet Home to me is just an amazing and grateful first step. 

Q : I see. I think that your answer just goes to show how much you matured as a person too. Min-si? 

Ko Min-si : For me, at the time, when Sweet Home Season 1 was released, I remember doing an interview and saying that this has been a turning point in my career. At the time, this was the very first creature or monster genre that I worked on. On set there were so many new experiences that I had never done before. And to have that showcased to the world through Netflix, it was just fascinating and be able to be loved by so many fans globally. This time around as well, I am just very confident and I think this is going to be a show that will not disappoint. 

Q : Wow, great, and also congratulations on your recent award as well. 

Ko Min-si : Thank you. 

Q : My question for Kang. This is going to be your last show, or is it, before you go to the military service? Tell us what other schedules you have remained. I think you know you must feel certain more emotions because of that. Director Lee said that compared to the previous season, you as a person grew so much and you had matured so much as a person. Tell us about what’s going on in your mind. 

Song Kang : Yes, that’s the way things are. And it’s obviously something that is my responsibility. So I will fulfill my duty as a military serviceman, and I will be back healthy and well. 

Q : All right. I’m sure that because it’s your last show before your military service, it must have felt a little different. 

Song Kang : Well, no, it didn’t really affect it. Not so much about it being my last show before the military service, but it’s more about how Sweet Home is the very show that made me who I am. It holds a very special place in my heart. When I’m writing in my diary, I would write about Hyun-su. Because it’s a fantasy s creature or monster genre show, it’s not grounded, right? It’s a little bit different from our reality. So anytime if there is something that I didn’t quite understand about the story or the character, I tried really hard to understand it and really get into character. I tried always to think about Hyun-su, what he must feel like, and his need or want to really save everyone and to save the world from this monsterization crisis. So yes, that’s what I thought about. 

Q:  Director Lee. I don’t quite remember the exact wording, but you said that during Season 1 there were some things that you tried to complement or supplement in the second season. What exactly were those areas that you felt like were shortcomings in the first season? I think in Season 1 there was a lot about the OST, Imagine Dragons OST, there was a lot of divide among how people reacted to that. Was that part of it? 

Lee Eung-bok : Well, so when you get into your show and what you created, I think it goes for everyone and every aspect where you say, you wish you could have done things better, right? So I think I tried to do everything better. It wasn’t so much pertaining to just that OST song that you mentioned. But for me, first of all, I wasn’t someone who was an avid watcher of creature/monster genre shows. And of course, the original is a webtoon. I’m more drawn to stories that are about human nature and human growth.

And I liked how both of them were in line, and were mixed. The show was a mix of that. I think in the first season I focused more on the human side of things and less about the creature side of things. So the more focus was placed on humans and the human side of the story. But with time, I got to experience more things, and whether art or camerawork, and also VFX. VFX technology advanced throughout those years as well. So that provided great opportunities for me to really utilize and to better express the story. And I think I went into it a lot more concentrated and cautiously to make it even better. 

Q :  Kang, I saw the first three episodes. And Kang, there was some nudity in the show, and you said in a YouTube show that you were very satisfied with that nudity. Why were you satisfied and what were some of the efforts that you put in to pull off that scene? And did you feel any pressure about preparing for that scene? And to Jin-young, my question is that because your character is a new character, you probably felt some pressure you know, getting into your character. And Director Lee said that you are the play-by-the-book type, the really good guy. So what kind of first impression did you show to Director Lee that led him to believe that? And you know, Jin-young, because you helped him create your character, like, how did you help him out? 

Song Kang : Yes, I did put a lot of effort into that scene. It shows my back, so I did a lot of back work to make sure that I have muscles in my back. And I communicated a lot with Director Lee to create that scene. I was very satisfied, because it was a very nice picture of the scene. It looked great. So that’s what I liked about the scene. And while I was filming that scene, I’m usually the very shy type. 

Q :  You’re the introvert, right? 

Song Kang : Yes, I am an introvert and I’m very shy. But after doing that scene, well, thank you to the director, I feel less shy, much less shy now. 

Q : Great. 

Song Kang : So I really want to thank Director Lee. And every time I see him, he makes sure that I go through personal growth, and I go on to my next level. So seriously, I really thank him. 

Q : You can call him father, then. 

Song Kang : Father. 

Q : It looks like you guys are like teacher in pupil. Okay. 

Lee Eung-bok : Just to add on to that, I think the most important part of that scene it is like the end of that scene. He cries because he feels what the monster feels, but the monster is not actually there when you’re filming. But he did so well and pulled off that scene so well even without the monster being in place, he was able to show that emotion. So I think he’s grown into such a good actor. 

Q : That’s great. I feel like we need to give you some flower bouquets, give him a thank you letter or something. Kang,did you prepare a flower bouquet and a thank you letter? 

Song Kang : Of course, of course. But due to the time, I’ll give it to you later. 

Q : Song Kang has changed. He’s transformed. He’s not an introvert anymore, he’s becoming more extroverted after filming that scene. We just witnessed that change inside of him. Jin-young, what kind of first impression did you give to Director Lee that made him think that you were perfect for the role? 

Jung Jin-young : At first, the question was how I prepared for my role. I’m a soldier, but he’s a former baseball player. So I practiced baseball a lot to show you that part of my character. And about the first impression, I don’t really know. I just tried to be nice to him and we just talked about the character. I don’t know why, but he saw good things in me. So I’m very thankful for that. And I think that part of myself worked well with my character. So I’m going to be a good guy from now on. 

Q : He doesn’t know how charming he is. Yeah, so it’s kind of, you might feel a little bit shy to brag about yourself. But if you watch Season 2, you will realize how good of a person he is. Did you want to add? 

Lee Jin-uk : Yeah, so when we’re interviewing, we’re going to tell the reporters about the charms of Jin-young. Because he doesn’t seem to know about it himself. 

Q : And Oh-seong. This time around, were there some special preparations that you had to go through for this role? 

Yoo Oh-seong : I just tried to not be late to the shoots. I went to the set on time and earlier. 

Q : Okay that’s great. Go early and get ready. What about you, Moo-Yeol? 

Kim Moo-yeol : Because Oh-seong was always there earlier, and even when it’s not his scene, he would be there on set. So I think I have to work harder and be earlier than he is. And then be there even when it’s not my day or not my day of shooting. 

Q : All right. Thank you very much to all the press members for your questions. And with that, we will wrap the Q&A session and close by going around and saying your last words to the viewers around the world who’ll be waiting for the second season of Sweet Home. Kang? 

Song Kang : Well, thank you very much for your insightful questions. I know that Season 1 was beloved all across the globe, and I hope that we will not let you down with Season 2. It’s going to be a visual feast and we have an addition of amazing actors. I hope you stay tuned and enjoy the show. Thank you. 

Lee Jin-uk : Yes, Sweet Home is finally back. With new amazing actors, we have a brand new season. so please stay tuned and love the show. Thank you. 

Lee Si-young : Fans across the globe, thank you for waiting. It’s just one day away now. I know that your anticipation is really high and you won’t be let down with our bigger scale and amazing stories. Thank you for your time today. 

Lee Eung-bok : It’s been already three years after the release of Season 1. We’re back in three years.
Sorry for the long wait, but we really prepared hard for it. In season three, you won’t need to wait for an extra three years. It’s going to be there quite quickly. 

Ko Min-si 

Thank you for waiting for Season 2 of Sweet Home. I know that we have so much in store for you. In Season 1, because of the COVID pandemic, we could only see you on zoom, but I’m very happy that we got to see you in person today. So tomorrow, please stay tuned and watch the show. 

Jung Jin-young 

Thank you for coming despite your busy schedules and joining us online as well. I know that a lot of the global fans are waiting for Season 2. I’m a new character, but I want to make sure that you won’t be dissatisfied with the show. Thank you so much. 

Yoo Oh-seong : Well, thank you very much for your time today. Sweet Home tells us that we are the mankind and we all live on Earth together in harmony. 

Kim Moo-yeol : We really poured our hearts and souls into this show. And I know that you’ve been waiting for Season 2. I hope that you enjoy watching the show. 

Q : Thank you so much. All right, desires turn into monsters and monsters evolve into something more than just evil. And there are people who have to survive in the midst of all that. What choices will they make at the edge of despair, and will they be able to remain human or will they give in and turn into monster? Tune in to Season 2 on December 1st to find out only on Netflix. All right, so let’s all get up and wave goodbye to all of the press members watching. Thank you everyone for your time. Thank you. That wraps the press conference for Sweet Home Season 2. Thank you, everyone. 

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Here’s the trailer of the film.