Lee Jung-hyun plays a major role in the new Netflix horror K-drama Parasyte: The Grey. As the leader of the anti-parasite task force Team Grey, the singer-actress will be seen in some of the most action-packed scenes fighting off the parasitic creatures as they try to conquer the Earth. Amid these battles, little did fans know that the Peninsular had just given birth to her first child three months after the production began. Hence, in between looking after a newborn, Jung-hyun revealed her preparations for the show’s production.
Also known by her stage name Ava, Jung-hyun gave birth to her daughter, Park Seo-ah, in April 2022. She was officially confirmed to play the role of Choi Jun-kyung in Parasyte: The Grey in August 2022. At the same time, Netflix confirmed the production of the new series, managed by Climax Studio and Wow Point. Now, at a recent press conference, Jung-hyun revealed how she prepared for her role, including carrying a “really heavy” five-kilogram rifle.
“First, I needed to have some muscles in my arms in order to hold up the rifle well,” she said via Yahoo! News Singapore. “So, I would have 3kg dumbbells around me all the time, then I would do some arm exercises first, and then hold the rifle. It made it much easier for me to work with the rifle.”
The 44-year-old added that she trained hard with the series’ stunt team to ensure she had the stamina for her action scenes, considering that her role was “swift and speedy.” She also revealed she badly wanted to play the role after director Yeon Sang-ho, with whom she had worked in the 2020 horror movie Peninsula, offered it to her.
Fortunately, at the time when Sang-ho was only working on the initial part of Parasyte: The Grey’s script, she was already pregnant, and everything came promptly when she gave birth and the production began. Jung-hyun was thankful for how the timeline worked out, though Sang-ho brushed her claims off, stressing it was only a coincidence and her child was the most important.
What is Parasyte: The Grey about?
Parasyte: The Grey follows the story of Jeong Su-in (Jeon So-nee), who manages to co-exist with the creature that lives inside her. The series features the aftermath of when too many parasites fall onto Earth to take over humankind by penetrating their brains and making them their hosts. This will give birth to the group called The Grey, which aims to eradicate the threat by any means necessary. But amid this battle, Su-in has to survive.
You can read the synopsis below:
One day, mysterious parasites fall from the sky. They enter humans as their hosts and also murder other humans. The parasites begin to create their own force. Humans must now fight to stop the invading creatures from taking over the world.
The new K-drama series is based on the horror manga titled Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaka. First serialized in Kodansha’s Morning Open Zokan in 1989 and later published in Monthly Afternoon from 1989 to 1994, it’s considered one of the best-selling manga of all time, having over 25 million copies in circulation as of August 2022. It was first published in English by Tokyopop, followed by Del Rey, and lastly by Kodansha USA.
With its success, it was adapted into two live-action movies in Japan in 2014 and 2015. Madhouse also produced its anime adaptation, titled Parasyte – the maxim, released between October 2014 and March 2015 in Japan. Adult Swim released the anime on the Toonami programming block in North America between October 2015 and April 2016.
What are the release date and times of Parasyte: The Grey?
Parasyte: The Grey is scheduled to release on Netflix on Friday, April 5, at 12 AM PT/ 3 AM ET. For other release times based on your region, you can check the list below:
12:00 AM Pacific Time
3:00 AM Eastern Time
3:00 AM (Toronto), 12:00 AM (Vancouver) Canadian Time
4:00 AM Brasilia Time
8:00 AM Greenwich Mean Time
9:00 AM Central European Time
10:00 AM Eastern European Time
3:00 PM (Perth), 5:00 PM (Sydney) Australian Time
7:00 PM Coordinated Universal Time
2:00 PM (Jakarta), 12:30 PM (New Delhi) Indian Time
3:00 PM Philippine Standard Time
3:00 PM Hong Kong Time
3:00 PM Singapore Standard Time
4:00 PM Japan Standard Time
9:00 AM Central Africa Time
Known as one of the top international acts from South Korea, Jung-hyun has only proven her professionalism in her works for Parasyte: The Grey. That said, fans have to see what she’s about to bring to the table when the new horror series finally releases.
