Nam Joo-hyuk lost 7 kg during grueling shoot for Netflix's 'The East Palace' [Interview]

Actor Nam Joo-hyuk has returned from his mandatory military service. Having said throughout his service that he was "desperate to act," he chose Netflix series "The East Palace" as his comeback project. In the show — a blend of Sageuk drama and occult that delivers a distinctly K-occult flavor — he plays Gucheon, a man with the ability to cross between the world of the living and the realm of spirits.

As if releasing the pent-up hunger for performance built during his absence, Nam delivers a layered portrayal as Gucheon moves between reality and the spirit realm. His steeled gaze carries both the desperation of a man yearning to escape the palace and the resolve of someone determined to protect others, while his deepened action work shines throughout the eight-episode series in scene after scene of combat against spirits.

"I did a lot of romantic comedies in my 20s. While I was in the military, I wanted to try playing a stronger character — and that's when I came across Gucheon."

Nam, who sat down for an interview Tuesday at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul, described his encounter with the character as "fate." The distinctive passion and determination visible throughout his performance reflect a thirst for new challenges.

Starring Nam Joo-hyuk, Noh Yoon-seo and Jo Seung-woo, Netflix's "The East Palace" follows those who plunge into uncovering and resolving a deadly curse that has descended upon a Joseon palace. Set against the backdrop of the royal court, the series weaves together fantasy, occult and mystery, and has drawn a strong response from viewers at home and abroad thanks to the cast's nuanced performances.

"The East Palace" reached No. 2 on Netflix's global top 10 non-English TV chart just three days after its Friday premiere. It also topped the top 10 series chart in South Korea and appeared on the top 10 lists of 27 countries, including Hong Kong and Thailand.

"We spent everything from a hot summer to a cold winter together, all trying our best to make something great. Hearing that people are enjoying it makes me so happy. Even the tough shoots feel like good memories now."

Gucheon's role in the story goes well beyond what audiences might typically expect of a lead character. He performs high-intensity action in every episode and dives into a pond numerous times to cross between the real world and the spirit realm. As Gucheon gradually loses his vitality — drained of his yang energy by spirits the longer he remains in the palace — his struggle to survive grows more desperate with each passing episode.

The mounting physical and emotional toll was not confined to the character alone. Between a punishing shoot schedule and the effort required to embody Gucheon's deteriorating condition, Nam lost 7 kilograms during filming.

"I read the script while I was in the military. I was absolutely full of passion at the time. Every episode had a big action sequence, and I'd have to get in the water too, so I thought, 'OK, this is going to be a bit rough.' But the moment we shot the first action scene, I immediately felt, 'This is going to be really rough.' (laughs) Personally, I'm satisfied with every single action scene set in the spirit realm — not one exception."

Gucheon is a character who seems conspicuously out of place in the palace. Dragged there solely because of his ability to travel between worlds, he accepts the king's order to exorcise spirits only as a means to escape. He makes no effort to observe court etiquette and comes across as neither reliable nor particularly driven. Yet for all his grumbling and free-spirited nature, Gucheon never stops pursuing the quest to break the curse — right to the very end. Capturing that unpredictable personality fell entirely to Nam.

"The palace is a place where only people with strong energy gather. My first thought was, 'What kind of fun could come from having a free-spirited guy in the middle of all that?' I focused on letting him express himself freely, even while grumbling. I wanted Gucheon to feel like someone who simply doesn't belong in the palace."

The core emotion Nam sought to convey for Gucheon — across both the real world and the spirit realm — was fear. He added, though, that "the real world was so chaotic that, as an actor, the spirit realm actually felt more comfortable and easier to work in."

"From Gucheon's perspective, nowhere is comfortable. He hates reality, but to escape it he has to enter the spirit realm, which he equally dreads. So Gucheon is constantly afraid and anxious in both worlds. In either realm, I think his mindset was always the same: 'I have to do this just to survive.'"

Nam has now entered his 30s, having passed through his mandatory service years. With "The East Palace" marking a strong return, he says he is ready to run full speed into the second chapter of his career. His outlook remains unchanged: to leave audiences with one memorable performance at a time.

"I try to act with the question in mind: how can I best present the character I've been given to the audience? I will study, do my research, and throw myself completely into the work — so that I can keep encountering great projects like 'The East Palace.'"