Praise is one of Netflixmost popular K-dramas so far. This thriller takes viewers on the harrowing quest of a woman seeking revenge against school bullies who have grown up… but no wiser.
Praise has its share of shocking moments on screen, but what happened behind the scenes is just as intriguing. Here are 6 facts about creation that can change the way you see Praise.
1. Takes inspiration from true stories of bullying.
IN Praiseprotagonist Moon Dong Eun (portrayed by Hye kyo song) endures traumatic physical, emotional and verbal attacks from classmates. He then spends the next 18 years plotting revenge.
In Kyushu, Japan, a boy experienced similar violence at school and plotted his own revenge. Like Dong Eun, he chose his school and career with revenge in mind, majoring in chemistry. This gave him the knowledge and resources he needed to carry out his plan 12 years after being bullied. The Kyushu Man intended to kill forty of his former classmates and five former teachers at a class reunion he organized, but his revenge plan was ultimately thwarted. The same cannot be said for Dong Eun…
PraiseBullying may seem extreme and even unrealistic, but according to a school commissioner in Korea, it is far from fiction. Some victims of school violence have truly lived through the horrors, such as Dong Eun.
During this time, the victim suffered severe burns and a protruding tailbone. It required 5 to 6 weeks of hospitalization… The perpetrators also admitted that they punished the victim by scraping off the scabs that had formed on her scars with their fingernails.
— Choi Woo Song, MBC radios
2. The cast was screened for previous incidents of bullying. The director wasn’t.
In an ironic twist of fate, Praiseproduction director Ahn Gil Ho pleaded guilty to being a perpetrator of school violence after the accusations went viral. In a statement released by his legal counsel, Ahn Gil Ho apologized for his past behavior.
This is Kim Mun Hui from Jipyong law firm, representing PD Ahn Gil Ho.
Please understand that there was a delay between the first report and our announcement of our position.
Ahn Gil Ho had a girlfriend whom he started dating while he was studying abroad in the Philippines in 1996. When he heard that his girlfriend had become the object of teasing at school, he became very emotional in the heat of emotions and caused an unforgettable wound on another human being.
He asks for forgiveness from those who have been hurt by him. If he has the opportunity, he would like to meet the victim in person or at least contact them by phone to express his apologies.
He also apologizes for causing controversy over his unfortunate incident.
— Kim Moon Hui
Unlike PraiseAccording to PD, the cast was screened for a history of bullying, according to the actress Cha Jo Young.
(The actors) were screened (if we had a history of bullying) before (filming) started.
— Cha Jo Young
3. The snake is real.
If you thought that the snake in one of the Praisethe most controversial scene was pure computer graphics, you are not alone.
In an interview with the actress Kim Hieora revealed that “Sunbae-nim Snake” was on set with her during the scene where her character, Lee Sa Ra, hallucinates.
I was lying on my back when the staff said, “The snake is here.” They showed it to me and said, “Say hello. This is the second star you will play with. It was a BIG snake in a box. [. . .] I’m told the snake has been on a lot of shows, so that’s it sunbae-nim snake.
– Kim Heora
4. The double was (and was not) used in nude scenes.
Praise took some heat for his NSFW scenes, including a nude scene involving Cho Joon Young. The actress revealed that she used a body double in her hot tub scene where she was shown a rear view, but not in this topless scene.
In the scene with Jae Jun where my back is visible, a doppelgänger was used. But in the scene where I’m wearing a shirt and taking it off, it’s my body. Yes, that part was my body. But there was some CG editing in this scene.
— Cha Jo Young
5. Controversy surrounding the white dress
Cha Joo Young’s character, airline stewardess Kim Hye Jeong, sparked drama in both Praise and online. In an interview with To lurethe actress revealed that a less revealing outfit than this white dress was originally made, but the director allegedly talked her into wearing it.
Internet users criticized the director for making Cha Joo Young uncomfortable. Since then, the actress has defended the creative decision and explained her earlier statements about the white dress.
When I sighed before, it was directed at me. We have prepared some costumes for the stage. In the end, I wore (a white dress) because after trying it on, I understood (why the director wanted me to wear it). It was the perfect scene to show Hye Jeong. However, I was worried about whether viewers would understand the tight dress, and so I sighed. We prepared a dress that we thought Lee Sa Ra would actually wear. I agreed (to wear a dress) after realizing that instead of being factual, it was more important for the scene to express Hye Jeong’s character.
— Cha Jo Young
6. Song Hye Kyo went on a grueling diet for Moon Dong Eun.
One of the most heartbreaking scenes is when Dong Eun reveals her scars so that her “headman” will understand how much abuse she has endured. To prepare for this scene, Song Hye Kyo barely ate or drank in the days leading up to the shoot.
I was on a strict diet until this scene. I only ate bananas for three days and didn’t even drink water the day before. Because of this, I felt like dying while applying special effect makeup. I think the scene came out better because my body was struggling.
– Hye kyo song
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