Seoul: ENA's new series "Climax" is a work that "scratches exactly where it itches," actor Ju Ji-hoon said Tuesday. "The script felt like giving voice to the desires that everyone carries silently but never dares to speak aloud," the actor said at a press conference in Seoul. "That was what drew me to participate in it."

According to Yonhap News Agency, Ju Ji-hoon portrays Bang Tae-seob, a man who "has no connection, no ties and no network, and gets knocked around and worn down by the world, yet burns with a desperate ambition to rise above it all, struggling with everything he has." Tae-seob transforms himself into a prosecutor of relentless ambition and ice-cold judgment, who pursues power at any cost and makes one devastating choice after another in his climb to the top.

Actress Ha Ji-won makes her small-screen return after a four-year absence since the KBS drama "Curtain Call," taking on the role of Choo Sang-ah, a once-celebrated actress and the wife of Tae-seob. Ha described her character as someone caught between "a glamorous past and an anxious, unstable present living side by side." She said she aimed to capture the wavering and vulnerable mental status of a woman who seeks to reclaim her former glory while making coldly calculated decisions to get there.

Ha Ji-won mentioned her curiosity about people and human relationships over the past six or seven years, noting that this project resonated with themes of desires, power, and choices. The challenge of portraying an actress led her to work closely with the director to fully embody Sang-ah, prompting introspection about her identity as an actor.

The 10-episode drama marks the television debut of "Miss Baek" director Lee Ji-won, who also wrote the script for the series. Lee emphasized her effort to give each episode its own climax and a cliffhanger ending, admitting to experiencing burnout during the writing process. Her inspiration for the series draws from firsthand experiences and observations since entering the film industry in 2001.

Actress Nana plays Hwang Jung-won, a mysterious woman who assists Tae-seob on secret missions. She was cautious about revealing too much, as her character involves major spoilers for the drama. "Climax" premiers at 10 p.m. on Monday on the local cable channel, with simultaneous releases on Genie TV and Disney+.