‘Jewel in the Palace’ star grateful for Pinoy warmth in PH film shoot

Nineteen years after it first aired in the Philippines, “Jewel in the Palace” remains a sentimental favorite among local K-drama fans. This came as a surprise to one of its stars, Park Eun-hye, who recently visited the country to shoot a Filipino-Korean movie.

“Doing ‘Jewel in the Palace’ was a very good and unexpected opportunity for me. So, I’m very happy to hear that the drama is still very popular here in the Philippines,” Eun-hye said at a recent press conference for the upcoming action flick, “The Guardian.”

“Jewel in the Palace” is held in high regard for being one of the first Korean series that helped set off ‘Hallyu,’ or the Korean Wave, around the world. The popular historical drama is based on the story of Jang-geum (played by Lee Young-ae), who is said to be the first female physician of the Joseon Dynasty.

For playing Jang-geum’s best friend—and later on, the King’s concubine—Eun-hye became one of the show’s most recognizable faces. “This is my first time visiting the Philippines, but I was able to meet so many kind people. I’m so happy,” she said.

Shot 100% in PH

Directed by Jeong Jang-hwan, “The Guardian” is produced by Will Studios, Viva Films, Parallax Studio and Ovation Productions. The plot follows the loving but strained relationship between a gambling-addicted mother, Mi-jin, (Eun-hye) and her loving son, Do-jun (Nam Woo-hyun, main vocalist of the K-pop group Infinite).

Do-jun leaves a promising career in taekwondo in Korea to move with his mother to the Philippines. There, things take a turn for the worse. Mi-jin falls deeper into addiction and ends up being kidnapped by the largest Korean criminal organization operating in the Philippines. And so, Do-jun risks his life and puts everything at stake to rescue his mother.

The film also features Filipino actors including Yassi Pressman, Wilbert Ross, Eric Ejercito, Jeric Raval and Joko Diaz.

The movie, according to Parallax Studio’s Wesley Villarica, was shot “100 percent in the Philippines” but will be post-produced in South Korea. The project is being eyed for an international release, some time between May and October. The producers also plan to send “The Guardian” to international film festivals.

While the language barrier was a challenge, it didn’t stop Eun-hye from making good memories while working in the Philippines.

Good memories

“I had an experience shooting in Taiwan before. I was the only Korean actor. But even though there was a language barrier between me and the Taiwanese artists, I had very good memories with them. And when I came here, I had the same feelings working with the Filipino actors and staff,” he said.

As a viewer, Eun-hye said she likes thrillers and dramas best. As an actor, doing an action film has always been on her bucket list. And it so happened that “The Guardian” combines these genres.

“When I saw the script for the film, I saw that there was going to be a lot of action scenes. But there’s also family and love between a mother and son. I think this movie is probably going to be one of my favorites,” said Eun-hye, who’s known, more recently, for her work in the hit fantasy series “Alchemy of Souls.”

Asked by the Inquirer how she prepared for the role, Eun-hye said that playing a mother wasn’t difficult for her, because she is one in real life.

“I have sons (twins). So, when I read the story, it felt relatable to me… It’s the same when I deal with my sons. So, doing the film felt natural… It wasn’t that hard,” Eun-hye related, adding that she made sure to discuss the script with Woo-hyun, who committed to calling her “umma” (“mother” in Korean) even outside taping.

“We talked and practiced our lines a lot. We made sure to feel the same way, not just in the story, but also in real life. We exchanged the feelings between a mother and a son,” the 46-year-old actress said.

Eun-hye returned to Korea last Jan. 24, happy to have brought with her “good memories” from the Philippines. “Filipino people are so warm,” she wrote in a recent Instagram post. “Shooting with warm people in a warm country warms my heart. I’m glad I have good memories in my heart.”