[HanCinema's News] Ko Sang-ho Talks About "Ghost Doctor"

Actor Ko Sang-ho is a relatively new face to South Korean television dramas, making his television debut as one of many named ensemble characters in the prehistorical semi-fantasy drama "Arthdal Chronicles" back in 2019. He then earned more named roles in "Dr. Romantic 2" in 2020 and "Vincenzo" in 2021 and most recently, in "Ghost Doctor" which concluded on February 22nd. There he played Dr. Ahn, a junior associate of the lead character played by Rain for the past four years.

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In a recent interview Ko Sang-ho discussed his work portraying that arc, of the betrayal in the storyline as well as the admittied wrongdoing in search of ambition. Ko Sang-ho appreciated the spiritual dimensions of the role, noting that the story has redemptive qualities and even reconciliation despite the more villainous undertones. Ko Sang-ho felt that such an arc left room for a lot of heart.

Doctor Ahn was not the first medical role for Ko Sang-ho, his having played Doctor Yang in "Dr. Romantic 2" who was also a surgeon. Ko Sang-ho described the work involved in such medical roles as difficult at first, but that he's gained more skill for it as time went on. Ko Sang-ho described his role as encapsullating the mindset of a person who sees a problem and tries to fix it. And so he strives hard to present the most complete possible picture.

Ko Sang-ho also expressed appreciation for the tedious work involved in being a surgeon, noting that his surgery scenes are always the ones that take the longest time to film. Ko Sang-ho then noted important differences between the roles. While Doctor Yang saw the surgeon's gown as a badge of honor, Doctor Ahn saw it as a mere work uniform. This attitude led Doctor Ahn to making bad choices, leading to his complex character arc.

On "Vincenzo" Ko Sang-ho played a similar role as a man who betrays the protagonist. Ko Sang-ho expressed some ambivalence about playing such villainous characters, but said he regarded the experience optimistically, giving him a chance to show depth as an actor. Ko Sang-ho also spoke highly of Rain describing him as an older brother. Ko Sang-ho has no confirmed upcoming projects.

Written by William Schwartz