Known for her famous roles in Full House and Descendants of the Sun, actress Song Hye Kyo showed her seasoned acting prowess in her new series on Netflix, titled ‘The Glory.’ Song Hye Kyo prepared for the new Kdrama since the acting genre is new to her.
Global fans of the Korean actress were left in awe, seeing how mature she got while shooting the series. Hye Kyo mentioned that she really aged, which is common, and that actually adds magic to Dong-Eun’s portrayal, how she represents trauma, sadness, and revenge.
When she held and read the script for the first time, she knew that Moon Dong-Eun’s character would be a role she needed to portray. Seeing Hye Kyo’s shoulder-length bob cut as well as the suit she always wears throughout the series also speaks about the heavy character of the lead role. The first part of the series consists of 8 episodes, and fans are now waiting for season 2 of the drama that will be aired on Mar 10, 2023.
Scars, Scars, Body Scars
© The Glory Episode 1 | Netflix
Song Hye Kyo’s character Moon Dong-Eun tells the story of long-term school violence, and bullying. Due to her high school violence incidents, Dong-Eun's pale face shows little emotion which makes the character more challenging.
In an interview with Elle Korea for the February 2023 cover, the 41-year-old actress explained that her character Moon Dong Eun has lived a hard life, and it would not make sense for her to appear as if she has been well-cared for. When asked about the possibility of using a body double for a nude scene in the show, Hye Kyo stated that she was surprised when the writer asked her to perform the scene herself.
She said she agreed right away, as it was an important scene that shows why Dong-eun is taking the actions she is, and using a substitute would have made her feel uncomfortable. The scene is powerful, showing the scars, burns, and keloids her character gained throughout her life.
R16 Rating
Kim Eun Sook, writer of the series stated that while choosing the title of the drama, she came across several posts by victims of school violence who asked for genuine apologies instead of compensation. She explained that in today's harsh world, she pondered about what could be gained from a sincere apology. She realized that it's not about gaining something, but rather reclaiming what was lost. In instances of violence, intangible things such as dignity, honor, and glory are taken away.
Soompi reports added that Eun Sook believed that an apology is necessary to regain one's starting point and hence named the drama "The Glory." The title serves as an encouragement to characters such as Dong Eun, Hyeon Nam, and Yeo Jeong who are victims in the story.
Kim Eun Sook stated that "The Glory" has a 16+ rating due to the presence of verbal abuse and extreme school violence, as well as its theme of personal revenge rather than revenge through the legal system. Since the drama does not endorse private revenge, the writers deemed it appropriate for mature audiences who are capable of making informed judgments. The rating was set as 16+ so that adults can watch the project.
For more Korean-related content, visit Seoulbox Blogs and order the newest box on our latest edition of Korean snack boxes. Watching Kdramas will be better when you have authentic Korean snacks and novelty items with you.
Remember that: ‘There will be no mercy, so there will be no glory either,’ catch “The Glory” on Netflix.
Author: Joshua Castillo
