The Worst of Evil, which recently concluded its run on Hulu in the US, is much more than a typical Korean police procedural. Starring renowned actor Ji Chang-wook (known for projects such as Healer and The K2), the series follows police officer Kang Junmo as he gets entangled with one of the largest gangs in Gangnam. Though he was sent on official business, the bonds he forges and the actions he is forced to take begin to dilute his moral compass even as the mission expands to include the drug trade in Japan and China.
The Worst of Evil takes place in the 1990s, following police officer Kang Jun-mo as he goes undercover to infiltrate Gangnam’s deadliest underground organization. Gangnam Alliance is run by mob boss Jung Gicheul (Squid Game star Wi Ha-jun), who had a past romance with Junmo’s wife, fellow police officer Yoo Euijeong (True Beauty‘s Lim Se-mi). As the investigation draws him deeper into Gangnam’s illegal drug trade, Junmo finds himself caught in a web of deceit that spans Korea, Japan, and China.
Lim Se-mi cut her teeth on scene-stealing support roles in romantic comedies such as Shopping King Louie, When the Weather is Fine, and the global hit True Beauty. But she’s also gained experience from police shows and spy dramas like Two Cops and Terius Behind Me, leading to the genre flexibility she displays in The Worst of Evil, where she plays a cop roped into a love triangle when her husband Junmo goes undercover to investigate her childhood crush Gicheul (portrayed by Squid Game star Wi Ha-jun).
Screen Rant interviewed Lim Se-mi about her experience working on The Worst of Evil, the delicate balance in her dynamics with both Wi Ha-jun and Ji Chang-wook’s characters, and her hopes for more action-heavy roles in the future. Note: This interview was conducted over email and answers have been translated from Korean to English.
Lim Se-Mi Talks The Worst Of Evil
Screen Rant: What first drew you to The Worst of Evil and the role of Euijeong?
Lim Se-mi: I breezed through the script. The story felt somewhat familiar, but I thought it would be an interesting opportunity to re-imagine this story with actors who are living in 2023. I was also drawn to what Euijeong experiences between Junmo and Gicheul.
Euijeong and Junmo are introduced as a loving couple, but the stress of his mission and distance have pulled them apart. How would you describe their relationship as the show progresses?
Lim Se-mi: It seems that the closer they try to be or the harder they try to win the other person’s heart, the more desperate and irreversible their relationship becomes. Even though they are married, I see Junmo and Euijeong’s relationship as a festering scar that has not been properly treated and healed. They seem lost despite their wish to mend their relationship.
Given Euijeong’s career path, Gicheul doesn’t seem like the kind of guy she’d normally go for. What does their past mean to her now?
Lim Se-mi: I believe the past must have been painful for Euijeong. Euijeong and Gicheul didn’t get to end their relationship on their own terms and never managed to treat each other as well as they wanted to. As much as Gicheul and his sister suffered unnecessary pain when they were too young and innocent, I’m sure that Euijeong got hurt in her own ways.
I think reconnecting with Gicheul, Euijeong must have remembered how she tried to forget about him all those years and how much she regretted not extending her help in the past.
You have intense scenes with both Ji Chang-wook and Wi Ha-jun. How do you build different dynamics with them, and what is your favorite part about working with this cast?
Lim Se-mi: Both Chang-wook and Ha-jun are amazing actors. I couldn’t help but be impressed whenever I watched their action scenes. I loved simply being around them because both of them were so committed to their roles. I also learned a lot from Chang-wook; he shared great advice and supported me throughout, so I am grateful to him as a colleague. Interestingly, I shared a lot more scenes with Ha-jun than with Chang-wook, who played my husband in the series. Ha-jun is such a sweet person, so I felt comfortable working with him.
Even though I didn’t have any sweet or romantic scenes with Junmo, throughout the production, I kept in mind that there must be some form of connection that Euijeong must have with him that she never wants to let go. I thought whatever Euijeong had that Junmo lacked, and vice versa, would inevitably make them reluctant to let go of each other. Despite the apparent resolution of a series of events, I felt that Junmo and Euijeong experienced an ever-widening gap between them as they found something that they couldn’t provide each other.
As for Gicheul, the strongest impression I had of him was the boss of the Gangnam Gang, who could never forget his first crush. Given this background, I thought it would be effective to build their relationship, after they reconnect, by occasionally flashing back to their past. At the same time, Euijeong took a step closer to Gicheul whenever she felt that Junmo was getting deeper in danger in his undercover assignment as Seungho and tried harder to win Gicheul’s heart.
Euijeong has to play a role with Gicheul, but she seems to be falling deeper and deeper with him. Does she cross the point of no return?
Lim Se-mi: I think everyone in the story has crossed the point of no return. All of the characters in The Worst of Evil have. They cannot return to how things were or end up finding themselves out of a situation that they desire. Has Euijeong crossed the point of no return? If Euijeong and Gicheul seem to be falling deeper for each other, then it is indeed the worst of the worst, given Gicheul’s storyline. But if you follow their story from Euijeong’s point of view, I think it may seem a little different.
What has been your most challenging scene to play so far in The Worst of EvilI?
Lim Se-mi: Portraying her confusion was both the most fascinating and challenging for me. Euijeong constantly finds herself in a situation where she cannot express herself as she truly feels. She is always faced with a situation where she cannot reveal her true intentions and has to hide and hold back what she thinks or how she feels.
Euijeong is a cop, but she doesn’t have as many chances to be involved in the investigation. Are action scenes something you’ve prepared for, and do you hope to do more of that genre in the future?
Lim Se-mi: Euijeong thinks that she is involved in the investigation, but I think she ended up having dates with Gicheul more than she participated in the investigation. [Laughs] Well, it was part of her investigation.
I had one action scene in episode 8, when Haeryun, Gicheul, and Seungho all gathered in the Gangnam gang’s office. It was edited out in the end, so Euijeong was portrayed as being protected by the two men. But it did not disrupt the overall flow of the story, so it turned out well. I do hope to have the opportunity to do a proper action project with a female-led story before I become physically less capable and older. I’m always open to new projects.
You’re currently filming Wonderful World. What can you tell me about that experience, your character, and your costars?
Lim Se-mi: All of the cast members, including Kim Nam-joo, Kim Kang-woo, and Cha Eun-woo, are working very hard on the production of the series. I think it will be released next year. It also has an incredible story, so I hope the viewers will find it fascinating.
About The Worst Of Evil
A husband and wife, both detectives, volunteer to participate in a dangerous mission to stop a drug trafficking organization.
