Carrie Wong on pushing herself for Kidnap Game role and teaching Lee Joon-gi Singlish

In a career spanning over a decade, Mediacorp actress Carrie Wong, 32, has appeared in a wealth of memorable productions, including Against The Tide, 118 and A Quest To Heal. This year, the multi-Star Award winner is taking her talents to the global stage, starring in the thriller series Kidnap Game.

Set to premiere on streaming platform Viu on Tuesday (Oct 6), Kidnap Game centres on seven simultaneous kidnappings throughout Asia. The victims’ families then become entangled in a deadly game.

The international production also stars K-drama icon Lee Joon-gi as Han Ki-joo, a retired surgeon whose daughter is kidnapped, as well as Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi as Toshiro Niide, an elite detective whose wife becomes one of the victims.

Also in the cast are regional stars Alice Ko, Stanley Yau, Joel Torre and Praew Narupornkamol Chaisang.

Carrie Wong stars as Janice, a cheerful flight attendant, whose fiance gets kidnapped. The role also saw her filming numerous scenes with Lee Joon-gi in Singapore, with places like Joo Chiat and Merlion Park appearing in the drama.

Wong shares with CNA Lifestyle what it was like shooting for an international production and her on-set memories with Lee Joon-gi.

What drew you to the script of Kidnap Game?

The genre. It’s something I’ve never explored before, but have always wanted to try – especially after watching so many survival and psychological game shows myself.

I was excited by the idea of finally stepping into that kind of world as an actor. My character’s quite different from who I am in real life. I think roles that take me outside of myself are always the most exciting.

Kidnap Game brings together actors from across Asia. Did you have to adjust stepping into an international set?

I didn’t really go into it thinking that I had to make any major adjustments. More than anything, I was just incredibly excited because it was my first time working on an international set. My mindset was simply to give it my best, enjoy the process, and stay open to learning. Being surrounded by people from different parts of Asia was such a valuable experience.

You share quite a few scenes with Lee Joon-gi. What was he like?

He’s actually a very funny and warm person, and also naturally curious. Like, he would ask about Singapore, our culture, and Singlish. He’s very open and easy to communicate with, and he has this ability to keep the energy on set positive.

As an actor, was there anything you picked up from watching Lee on set?

Despite being such an experienced actor, he never made the people around him feel pressured or intimidated. He was always open to hearing different opinions, asking what others thought, and genuinely listening to and respecting their perspectives.

I think that kind of openness and humility, especially after being in the industry for so long, is an amazing quality to have. It’s definitely something I admire and hope to carry with me in my own journey as an actor.

Any particular scene with Lee that you found especially memorable?

There were definitely quite a few memorable and challenging scenes that we shared. Although I can’t reveal too much for now, I really appreciated having him as my co-actor. He was very attentive and supportive.

What was the most challenging scene for you to shoot?

At the heart of the story is the question of how far you would go to save someone you love.

Some of the most challenging scenes for me were the highly emotional ones where my character is pushed to her limits, struggling with the fear of losing her fiance while doing everything she can to save him. Sustaining that level of emotion while keeping it truthful was definitely challenging.

What surprised you about how this production was run compared with Singaporean sets?

I think what stood out to me most was the scale of the production and how specialised each role was. There were many more people on set, with everyone very focused on their specific area, so it was interesting to experience a slightly different way of working.

How does an international production differ from a Singaporean one?

Except the scale I mentioned, another thing was that the set was largely run in Japanese. We had translators with us, so communication was never really an issue, but it was quite amusing at times because it genuinely felt like I was filming overseas even though all my scenes were shot in Singapore.

More than anything, I really admired the energy and passion everyone brought to the set. There was such a strong sense of dedication to the work, and it was inspiring to be part of that environment.

Did you feel any pressure representing Singapore?

Of course there was some pressure. But I’ve always tried to see pressure in a positive way. I think when you feel that sense of pressure, it usually means that what you’re doing genuinely matters to you. That makes you want to work harder and give more of yourself to it. So rather than letting it overwhelm me, I focused on doing my best and making the most of the opportunity.

Among the international cast, who did you bond with most and why?

I spent the most time with Lee Joon-gi simply because we shared the most scenes together. A lot of our scenes were quite emotionally intense, so some nice moments were actually the lighter ones in between takes.

I remember teaching him a bit of Singlish, which was always funny and a nice change of pace from the heavier material we were filming.

What do you hope Singaporean viewers take away from seeing you in this regional cast?

Singapore is a relatively small market, but I think we have many talented, passionate people who constantly push themselves to grow and do better.

There is always something we can learn from working with larger markets and different industries, but at the same time, I hope Singaporeans can feel proud seeing our local talents being part of regional and international productions.

I also hope it encourages people to continue supporting our local industry and the people within it, because that support really does mean a lot to us.

Would you like to participate in more international productions after this?

Absolutely. I’ve always enjoyed exploring new territory as an actor and taking on roles that push me beyond my comfort zone, because I think that’s where a lot of growth happens.

I’d love to play someone completely unexpected, like a villain or a psychologically complex character. It would be fascinating to explore a character whose mind and choices are so far removed from my own, and to find the humanity and complexity within someone like that.

Why should viewers catch Kidnap Game?

Kidnap Game isn’t just an intense and suspenseful survival thriller. It explores very human themes of family, love, loyalty, and the choices we make when we’re pushed to our limits.

How far would you go to save someone you love? Who would you be willing to betray along the way? And when everything is at stake, what does it really mean to be a good person?

There are so many layers to the story, and I think those moral dilemmas are what make it especially intriguing to watch. I personally love the story a lot and I hope all of you will like it too!

Kidnap Game premieres Oct 6 on Viu.