What would you do to get rich? This is the pivotal question in the new 16-episode Korean drama series The Golden Spoon, featuring names like Yook Sungjae, Jung Chaeyeon, Lee Jongwon and Yeonwoo. Based on a popular Korean webtoon, we follow how one magical decision by main character Lee Seungcheon changes the lives of everyone around him.
A Society Where Only The Rich Survive
The story revolves around the students of Seoul Jeil High, an elite and prestigious private school whose students come from rich families and have net worths valued in the trillions (in Korean Won). That is, except for Lee Seungcheon (Yoo Sungjae), who comes from a poor family that’s 40 million Won in debt and works two jobs to keep him and his family afloat.
Seungcheon purchases a magic golden spoon from an old lady, who shares that he can use it to switch bodies with any other person his age by eating 3 meals at the chosen person’s house. He chooses to switch with his classmate Hwang Taeyong (Lee Jongwon), heir to Doshin Group, the biggest real estate development company in Korea. Seungcheon lives vicariously in Taeyong’s shoes and impacts the lives of everyone around him – including their parents and peers Na Juhee (Jung Chaeyeon) and Oh Yeojin (Yeonwoo). The characters each have hidden agendas that reveal themselves as the story unfolds, and Seungcheon slowly learns the implications of having so much money on his hands.
Characters That Challenge The Cast
Despite their stellar on-screen performances, many of the cast members found it challenging to portray their multifaceted characters. This was especially so for Yook Sungjae and Lee Jongwon, who had to continuously code switch between playing Seungcheon/Taeyong. “I basically had to play 2 characters,” Lee Jongwon shared, “I wanted to take the opportunity to challenge myself.” The new actor had only just made his filming debut in the past two years but has made a name for himself in shows like My Unfamiliar Family and XX.
This is also Yook Sungjae’s first K-drama role after completing his military service in October 2021, a character which he was greatly drawn to. “Usually, I play a character that’s a prankster, but Seungcheon is a darker character.” Sungjae said, “I want to increase the kind of characters I can portray.” Yeonwoo, who plays the fashionable but elusive Oh Yeojin, shared the sentiment that her character is very different from her real life persona. “I thought if I could play her character well, it would take me to another level in my acting”, she shared, “I took on this role because it’s a new challenge.”
The lineup also includes veteran actors like Choi Won Young, Son Yeo Eun, Choi Dae Chul and Han Chae Ah, who play the parents of Lee Seungcheon and Hwang Taeyong. They all highlight authenticity as the key, aiming to create compelling on-screen relationships that are pivotal to the development of the story and characters. In particular, Son Yeo Eun has a unique place in the cast. She plays Seo Young Sin, Taeyong’s step mother and a new character that doesn’t exist in the original webtoon. Both mysterious and slightly antagonistic, Son Yeo Eun knew that she had to get the role because of the script. “It was a page turner,” she shared, “I had not read the webtoon, but the premise was so interesting!”
Unfortunately, Jung Chaeyeon had sustained an injury on set, but her co-stars have nothing but kind things to say about her. “She always had a smile on her face,” Yook Sungjae shared, “She was the one who really pumped up the energy on set.” Jung Chaeyeon embodies her character to a tee, one that is optimistic with a strong sense of righteousness and fierce independence.
If you’re up for an interesting high school drama with a good injection of mystery, tension and romance, check out The Golden Spoon on Disney+!
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