Blackpink’s Jisoo, Park Jeong-Min on Zombie Rom-Com ‘Newtopia’
In prime videos ‘Newtopia’, love not only survives the Apocalypse – it thrives in it. The Korean series combines Blackpink’s Jisoo and the much-praised actor Park Jeong-Min in a romantic comedy with undead twists and turns that is announced as a new view of the Zombiegenre.
The series follows Lee Jae-Yoon (Park), a late military, and Kang Young-Joo (Jisoo), a Rookie professional, whose relationship is first tested by a break and then by a zombie outbreak in Seoul. Under the leadership of Yoon Sung-Hyun, “Newtopia” wants to combine heartbreaking action with airy romance.
“It is more cute, humorous and airy-a real zombie-romantic comedy, a ‘summer com’, says Park Variety. “That uniqueness was why I wanted to be part of this project.” The actor, who admits to be a Blackpink fan with signed albums to prove it, found immediate chemistry with his CO star. “From the very first moment the chemistry between us was great and it was easy to form a close band.”
The role offered unique creative opportunities for Park. “Being placed in situations that I have never experienced – and probably will never do – was the most intriguing aspect of working on this series,” he explains. “It opened endless possibilities for imagination, so I think about the different choices that I could make if I found myself in those situations.”
The cooperation between the two leads was reinforced by the presence of Jisoo on the set. “Jisoo is such a great person who never shows signs of negativity,” says Park. “Working with her helped me to stay connected to the emotions of my character during the film process. Thanks to her, it made her romantic partner in the series felt natural and pleasant. “
For Jisoo, her success in Disney+ and JTBC’s “SnowDrop” with “Newtopia” offered new challenges, especially in the action department. “This was my first time I worked on a project that took place in a zombie apocalypse, and I discovered how much I enjoy filming action scenes,” she reveals. The role required almost a year of filming and extensive physical preparation. “I have always worked on my days off, stretched before I filmed and remained focused during rehearsals to prevent injuries,” she says.
The K-pop-star actress was confronted with demanding action scenes, including a particularly incriminating series with zombies. “One of the most difficult scenes included fighting and running from Zombies in a single take,” she says. “It demanded a lot of physical strength and keeping track of all running was a challenge.” Her dedication reached further than filming hours: “On days with many action scenes I followed recovery routines such as hot baths and stretching to prevent muscle pain, what time we are ready on the set.”
Park compares the series with a “fairytale disguised as a zombie series” and draws comparisons with the Zombie cult film “Warm Bodies” from 2013, which suggests that viewers can find a similar new attraction. He credits the innovative approach of director Yoon Sung-Hyun and notes how the maker “gets away from traditional formulas to present a new story and an innovative narrative style.”
Jisoo emphasizes the unique balance of elements of the show: “A zombie apocalyps can feel like a heavy theme, but ‘Newtopia’ brings grimness into balance with characters that navigate in unique ways, all while retaining a sense of humor.”
The series will premiere on Friday on Prime Video and Korean Streamer Coupang Play on Friday.
