The behind the scene of the star-studded world has been finally revealed in Shooting Stars

Each one of us is, without a doubt, fascinated by what happens behind the scene of the stardom. Korean entertainment, in particular, has transformed its vision of it, offering us an overwhelming number of contents and the idea of tireless celebrities.

Shooting Stars, whose title plays on a word joke putting two ** in the middle of the word “shooting”, is one of the last dramas from tvN and Studio Dragon. It offers us a spotlight on the usually invisible people that work behind our favorite celebrities and tries to clean up their messes.

The story revolves around Oh Han Byul (Lee Sung-kyung), the head of an entertainment agency's PR team, and their top client, Gong Tae Sung (Kim Young-dae), who can do no wrong for the safety of his image. Being in high school and college make the couple sworn enemy. But is that really true? Their constant bickering might hide something very different and much more complicated for them.

If Kim Young-dae plays the star's role in a compelling way, it’s Lee Sung-kyung, the real star of this srama. She carries on the whole script, even the poor part of it added in the attempt to garner some cheap laughs. Her supporting characters, played by Sojin, Yoon Jong-hoon, and Kim Yoon-hye, come together forming the perfect picture of what this K-drama really wanted to tell: an honest behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry's PR teams, managers, and reporters as they scramble to clean up the messes created by their stars.

Panorama.it had the chance to conduct a double interview with the show's stars, Lee Sung-kyung and Kim Young-dae.

Congratulations on your new roles. What was your first thought when you read the script and met each other?

[Kim Young-dae] I felt like I had met a new celebrity.

[Lee Sung-kyung] The site was filled with laughter, and it was so comfortable that I didn’t even realize it was our first time meeting. I couldn’t wait to begin shooting.

[Lee Sung-kyung] Shooting Stars is about the showbiz world and the behind-the-scenes workers. You are usually the star, but you play the part of the staff this time. How did you prepare for the role, and how do you relate with your staff now? Has something changed?

It was very easy for me to relate to the lives of the staff members as Han Byul due to my friendships with the marketing/PR team that I had worked with in the past. Playing the role of PR team leader, I realized that this job is something one cannot do without genuine affection for the specific actor. I saw that they are amazing people, always showing love and support for the success of their celebrity behind the scenes even though it can be difficult to befriend and interact with them. I am so happy to have represented their wonderful jobs and hearts through the role of Han Byul.

[Kim Young-dae] You are a world top star in the drama. But you are in reality too. How did you prepare for the role? Do you have any role models you relate to in this industry?

My role models are other cast members in this drama: Lee Sung Kyung, Yoon Jong Hoon, Kim Yoon Hye, Park So Jin, and Lee Jung Shin. I was able to learn a lot from them while shooting together. In order to prepare for this role, I studied the way real top-stars and A-listers compose themselves in public and wrote journals about Gong Tae Sung’s life as if it were my own.

If you have to describe your roles with one word, which will it be and why?

[Kim Young-dae] Human. No matter how perfect Gong Tae Sung looks like on the outside, he is still just another human being like everyone else.

[Lee Sung-kyung] Workaholic. The character Oh Han Byul is someone who is very smart and passionate when it comes to work, but is so caught up in it that she cannot live her personal life, let alone have a love life.

You played a lot of different roles; if you had the chance to make a wish to a shooting star and were given an opportunity to act in a drama you didn't star in, which role would you have loved to play? And why?

[Kim Young-dae] There isn’t one specific role I would choose; I would like to continue to try many different kinds of roles in new dramas.

[Lee Sung-kyung] All roles are still challenging and new to me. Sometimes I think, ‘maybe it’s time for me to show people a different side of me’. Then I turn around and think, ‘what is something I can do best? Maybe it would be in my best interest to focus on that instead’. It has always been a back and forth ping pong between those two thoughts. However, at the end of the day, I would love for all the fans to enjoy my performance whichever way I decide to go.

And talking about your past roles, which are the most memorable for you and why?

[Kim Young-dae] It would have to be Kim Tae Yeol from “Undercover". I think one of the greatest values of being an actor is being able to explore history vividly through acting. I was able to do so through the role of Kim Tae Yeol in “Undercover”, which was very memorable for me.

[Lee Sung-kyung] I would have to choose “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo". It’s because I was able to try many different things, was most deeply immersed within, and received the most love while playing that role.

Is there a trait in your characters in Shooting Stars that made you think: Oh my, this is really like me?

[Kim Young-dae] Whenever I play scenes where I’m lying on the bed or the couch, it reminds me of myself at home.

[Lee Sung-kyung] One thing that I think is very similar between Han Byul and I would be the fact that we take our career seriously. Although, I like to take my personal life seriously as well. (she laughed)

Can you please send a message to the Italian public?

[Kim Young-dae] It is such an honor to connect with you all through this amazing opportunity. I will continue to try my best to see you again in a different drama. I hope you are always healthy and well. Thank you.

[Lee Sung-kyung] Greetings to all Panorama readers in Italy! Thank you so much for always showing me so much love and support from afar. Your love and attention is my motivation to grow into a better actor. I hope to meet you all one day in your beautiful country Italy.