Yi Bang-won, on a quest to become the third king of Joseon Dynasty, in SBS’ period drama “Six Dragons Flying” was actor Yoo Ah-in’s last acting role before he serves his military service.

In a report published by local daily Herald Business on Tuesday, Yoo, 29, said that he had a hard time finding out the best way to reinterpret the character who is familiar to many Koreans.

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Yi, the fifth son of King Taejo, the founding father of the dynasty, defeated other princes to claim the throne. For decades, the story of Yi ousting and assassinating princes and government officials to consolidate his power has been a staple for many TV historical series and novels in Korea. To Koreans, Yi symbolizes a man blinded by ambition.

However, Yoo didn’t want Yi to be viewed as an absolute villain.

“I never thought that he is a man with a villainous personality. Yi in his 20s had no choice but to kill someone to survive. He, a prince, was born that way, to keep someone closer to himself or to ditch someone by killing, just to survive.”

Yoo added that this character was the most multi-dimensional role he has ever taken.

“Yi is known for his cold-blooded nature in history, but I wanted to give viewers a fresh perspective,” Yoo said. “I thought, he must have been fragile on the inside, in contrast to his invincibility on the outside.”

(SBS)

Yoo focused on how Yi’s personality changes as his drew closer and closer to gaining power.

“Yi at first was strong-willed and faithful, but soon his pursuit for power changed him into an ambitious person,” Yoo added. “This reminds me of politicians these days. Their moves are based on a will to win in the election. But many people hold disdain for their political decisions.”

Another thing that Yoo realized was that Yi’s ambition has similarities to his aspirations as an actor.

“I am an ambitious person as an actor, but I’m seeking a new way to fulfill my desire, by sharing what I have with others,” he said.

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The drama series “Six Flying Dragon” achieved record national viewership ratings of 17.3 percent for its finale on March 22.

By Son Ji-hyoung (json@heraldcorp.com)