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Extraordinary stories of ordinary police officers

  • Published : Mar 6, 2018 - 21:31
  • Updated : Mar 6, 2018 - 21:31



TvN’s new Saturday-Sunday drama “Live” features countless police officers.

But there aren’t any amazing heroes, thrilling cases or exciting mysteries. Rather than focusing on spectacular events, the overall plot centers on the everyday lives of average police officers.

Jung Yu-mi and Lee Kwang-soo play the lead roles, as rookies who just started at a busy patrol division. Rather than learning to catch criminals and apprehend suspects, they are trained to handle drunken citizens, find lost children and help out with the daily difficulties of the public. Bae Jong-ok and Bae Sung-woo took the roles of veteran cops who aid them.

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Jung Yu-mi (left) and Lee Kwang-soo pose for photos at a media briefing Tuesday at Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul. (tvN)
The script is written by famed scriptwriter Noh Hee-kyung, who is known for her detailed portrayals of ordinary people. She was motivated to write the script from her experience of participating in the candlelight vigils that took place from late 2016 to early 2017, in a move against the corruption of the government.

“I wondered why the police (at the protest scenes) weren’t able to look me straight in the eye. Are they here because they want to be?” Noh said at a press conference held Tuesday in southern Seoul. “Sparked by curiosity, I began to look into their lives.”

Growing up in the 1980s under an authoritarian government, the writer didn’t have a positive attitude toward the police. They were considered a symbol of governmental authority at the time.

But after doing in-depth research about police officers, she was shocked by the poor treatment that they receive and also the amount of work that they do.

“The average life span of police officers is 63, the shortest of all public service workers,” she said. “If one expects a hero’s story or a satisfying revenge, that person might be disappointed. It’s the story of ordinary people who say that they are living a life in the forefront, as cannon fodder.”

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The poster for tvN’s “Live.” (tvN)
Actress Jung Yu-mi, currently enjoying mega-stardom after appearing in entertainment show “Yoon’s Kitchen” on the same network, shared her wish to deliver the emotions of police officers.

Speaking of their hardships, Jung was emotionally charged, unable to continue her speech for a while.

“As I have not been much of a brave person, I haven’t been an actress who delivers a social message,” she said. “After listening to the synopsis, however, I wanted to take the role to let viewers know about the hardships of police officers.”

It is actor Lee Kwang-soo’s third time working with the writer and Noh revealed her trust in the actor. “Lee works hard. His diligence outshines his talent,” she said.

The actor, widely known for his appearances on popular entertainment show SBS’ “Running Man,” is confident that his role would not be shaded by his humorous aspect.

“Many close to me share the worry (about my comic image). But I believe people will see me as my character in the drama if I devote myself to the work,” Lee said.

The 18-episode show “Live” will start airing on Saturday at 9 p.m. on tvN.

(silverstar@heraldcorp.com)