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To attend Korea’s National Police University, students must pass an entrance exam, a physical exam, a fitness test and an interview. While attending, students must pass courses in criminal investigation, police law and administration. It’s not easy getting into the four-year university, but actress Chae Soo-bin, is convinced that her Rookie Cops co-star Kang Daniel would ace both the academics and physical training.

“I believe Daniel can pull it off,” said Chae. “One hundred percent. Because the drama series requires a lot of physical training and you have to be fit for the action sequences. I am not that fit. I am not cut out for those kinds of action sequences. It was very difficult for me to pull that off. I think if I ever take the test I know I am going to fail right away but Daniel can do it and he will make it.”

In the Disney+ Korean drama Kang plays Wi Seung-hyun, an honors freshman starting out at the National Police University. Seung-hyun is very idealistic and idolizes his father, the chief of the National Police Agency. Playing a rookie cop is the first acting role for Kang, a popular singer, songwriter and former member of the k-pop group Wanna One. He likes a challenge.

“This drama is my second hand experience of what it takes to become a police officer and it was a great experience,” said Kang. “I found it very rewarding and I feel like if I am given enough time I would love to try it again in real life and take the test, because I think it’s a valuable effort and I think I should be able to do it. I should be able to pass the test and I really want to. It’s not only training on a physical level but also you have to study very hard on the legal procedures/foundations. If I am given the opportunity and time I would love to try it again.” 

He was nervous when he began acting in his first drama, but ultimately it was a positive experience. 

“Everything I experienced ended up being more than I ever imagined and expected it to be,” said Kang. “A lot more fun and I feel that all these great memories I made on the shoot will stay with me for a very long time.”

He shared some memories with Chae just before the interview and they agreed it was a fun set to work on. “I keep on going back to that time,” said Kang. “It was such a good time. I feel like I have my second 20s back again.”

Chae plays Go Eun-gang, a student who enrolls at the police university to follow her one-sided crush. The character’s impulsive behavior has earned her the reputation of being a troublemaker. Chae says she is as impulsive as her character.

“I’m very much a spontaneous person,” she said. “I don’t plan out things at all, so in that sense I am a one hundred percent match to my character.”

The actress was attracted to the drama because of the vivacious energy that students in their 20s have. She loved the story of the eight police academy students and their exciting campus life.

Chae has starred in quite a few romantic dramas and films, including the dramas A Piece of Your Mind, Where Stars Land, I’m Not a Robot and Strongest Delivery Man. She can also be seen this year in the drama The Fabulous and plays a pirate in the film sequel Pirates 2.

“If I see the kind of TV series and films that I like, I would say I prefer romance over thriller or action films,” said Chae. “My filmography accumulated in such a genre so that’s one of the reasons I get offered similar roles on similar projects. Now I feel I want to try out a new genre and a new character.”

In previous interviews Kang has spoken about how shy he is. Seeing the drama as a group effort helped him overcome some of his shyness.

“Yes, I’m shy, but from time to time I’m not that shy so I can kind of turn it on and off,” said Kang. “Making this TV series I realized that it’s a group effort. It’s not something that I carry on my own. I do it with my fellow actors and the crew and we became a good family. I felt very much supported. It’s a journey that everybody takes together and that was one of the ways that helped me overcome my shyness.”

Rookie Cops is the first Korean original drama produced by Disney+. Park Sung-joon plays Yoo Dae-il, a fan of police-themed dramas and Min Dohee plays Woo Joo-young, who dreams of becoming a forensic science technician. Kim Woo-seok will play the freshman Seo Beom-joo, who likes to make plans and has unexpected dance skills, whereas Chun In-seo will be the ulzzang freshman Shin Ah-ri.

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