EXCLUSIVE: Hong Su Zu talks about her first lead role; sharing screen with Lee Jae Wook and Lee Jun Young in The Impossible Heir: “Both helped me so much throughout the production of the series”

The Impossible Heir will premiere on February 28 on Disney+ Hotstar.

By Monica Yadav -

February 26, 2024 - 4:58 PM IST

In simply two days, Lee Jae Wook returns to the small screen with an interesting drama The Impossible Heir starring alongside Lee Jun Young and Hong Su Zu. While the male actors have established themselves as stars, this drama marks the first lead role for Hong, who has been part of several music videos and made her debut with Ji Chang Wook and Kim Ji Won starrer Lovestruck in the City. The Impossible Heir will premiere on February 28 on Disney+ Hotstar.

EXCLUSIVE: Hong Su Zu talks about her first lead role; sharing screen with Lee Jae Wook and Lee Jun Young in The Impossible Heir: “Both helped me so much throughout the production of the series”

The Impossible Heir logline reads, “After years of abuse at the hands of his vicious stepfather, Han Tae Oh uses his sharp intellect to get his stepfather thrown in jail. Seeking a fresh start, Tae Oh and his mother flee to a new town where Tae Oh begins to pursue a better life through academic excellence. After being accepted into a new school Taeo Oh's impressive grades draw the attention of the town bully, Kang In Ha. The illegitimate child of the head of the Kang Oh Group conglomerate, In Ha, has spent his life living as an outcast, using his connection to the group to intimidate people into doing what he wants. As Tae Oh and In Ha come to heads, Tae Oh refuses to be cowed, instead proposing that he work with In Ha to claim his rightful place at the top of his father's empire.”

“Together the pair form an ambitious alliance, working tirelessly, seizing opportunities, and becoming the embodiments of excellence, with In Ha in the spotlight and Tae Oh secretly pulling the strings. As they get closer to their goal, their friendship and plan begins to falter with the surprise arrival of Hye Won, a beautiful woman with a similar past intellect and drive as Tae Oh. As the series unfolds, a complex web of lies, betrayal and ambition gets weaved ever tighter threatening to bind the trio together or cut them down completely,” the logline concludes.

In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Song Huzu, who plays the role of Hye Won, answered some questions about the upcoming drama, and her experience working on the set with Lee Jae Wook and Lee Jun Young.

1. What did you think of the script when you first read it, and what made you decide to star in the series?
As I read through the script for the first time, I noticed how the characters’ emotional arcs were portrayed with nuance and subtlety, it was fascinating to observe the dynamics between them all. | loved how proactive and ambitious Hye Won was and | was also curious to find out what kind of synergy | would be able to create with the other cast on set. With all these factors in mind, I knew I had to take this role!

2. Can you tell us about your character Na Hye Won, the daughter of a woman who is constantly in debt but who dreams of rising in society?
I was drawn to the character because she was a proactive and ambitious female character. I loved how smart, driven and confident she was, despite her family background.

3. What did you focus on when creating your character? Is there anything in particular you discussed with the director?
Hye Won's background is dark and unfortunate, and she doesn't have a good relationship with her mother, which is sad. While this could have made Na Hye Won a very dark character, the director proposed that | portray her differently, particularly during her school days. He asked us that I use a higher tone of voice to represent this period of the character's life. I was mainly focused on creating a clear distinction between Hye Won as an adult and as a student.

4. The Impossible Heir is the first series where you play a leading role. What was that like for you?
I was scared and concerned at first as to whether I could pull it off! To overcome that fear, I studied the script intently could absorb as much of the character as possible. I read the script repeatedly so that | would have a solid understanding of the overall story arc of the series. In terms of fine-tuning the tone of my performance, | had a lot of conversations with the director to make adjustments before we went into each shoot. Every moment in this process taught me so much – I felt grateful throughout.

5. What was it like working with Lee Jae Wook and Lee Jun Young?
I've loved both of their works over the years and working on the series gave me an amazing opportunity to watch their performances up close. Both helped me so much throughout the production of the series. I always tried to do my best so I wouldn't cause them any trouble.

6. What was it like working on the set of The Impossible Heir?
I had no prior experience working on a project of this length, so I was ready to learn every single time I stepped on set. Everyone there was more experienced than I was, so I had so much to learn. The senior actors were so nice to me and looked after me in many ways beyond acting. Working on the series, I was exposed to so many new experiences, which helped me grow significantly.

7. What do you think will appeal most about The Impossible Heir to international fans?
It's a tightly written story filled with exciting developments. It also features a number of talented actors whose performances are amazing to watch. There's a whole range of captivating character dynamics as well that will keep audiences guessing throughout.

8. What would you recommend Disney+ viewers look out for when they watch The Impossible Heir?
The director paid a great deal of attention to the details of Hye Won’s style. Hye Won undergoes an extensive psycho-logical transformation throughout the course of the show, and these internal changes we represented externally in her appearance. Make sure you keep an eye out to see the changes!