Daniel Dae Kim has spent years navigating two identities: one is Korean by heritage and the other is American by upbringing. His latest project, Butterfly, a Korean spy thriller, is a culmination of that experience.
In an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrol recently, Daniel agreed that it was a huge responsibility on his shoulders to present his country, Korea, responsibly in the series.
“It was a big responsibility because I wanted to get things right,” he says about stepping into the producer’s chair while also leading the cast. “Not many actors get to create a show from the ground up. I thought, now that I’m in this position, what lessons can I bring from my past work? One was casting the right way—getting talented actors who are good people. That’s how Reina came on board.”
Since Butterfly explores the emotional side besides being just an espionage thriller, actor Reina Hardesty wasn’t just cast for her action skills.
“We wanted a good actor who could move well, not an action star without much acting experience,” Daniel explains.
Respecting the Korean backdrop
Daniel further said that shooting in Korea wasn’t negotiable. “I wanted to make sure we shoot it there in a way that’s respectful of the culture and authentic to my experience as a Korean-American. It’s a great chance to bridge two cultures through the actors and storyline.”
This blending of worlds runs through the entire project, even the music. The choice of J-Hope’s 'What If' was deliberate.
“It riffs off an ODB song, so it’s like a Koreanized version of an American song. That’s exactly what we’re doing with the show, bringing together two perspectives," he told us.
Butterfly is more than just a spy story
While the show delivers tense action sequences, Daniel and Reina worked hard to ensure emotional depth wasn’t lost. “I’ve been lucky to train in both action and classical theater,” Daniel says. “Why not do both? And Reina can do the same.”
Reina found the duality of her character compelling. “Rebecca might seem cold-hearted, but it’s all self-protection. She’s someone who’s been deeply hurt and is trying to survive. Playing that push and pull between opening up and shutting down was fascinating.”
The cultural bridge
Daniel sees the show as part of a bigger picture. “I have friends who are South Asian and Asian American; we share that experience of knowing two cultures intimately. So often we get the purely Asian perspective or the purely American one. This is the Asian American perspective, told through our eyes. It’s about the spectrum of our experiences.”
For both Daniel and Reina, that spectrum isn’t just professional—it’s personal. She is Hapa Asian American; he is Korean American. Together, they’re telling a story that reflects the complexity of their own identities.
And in doing so, they might just be creating something that resonates far beyond the world of spies.
Butterfly will stream on Amazon Prime Video from August 13. It also stars Reina Hardesty, Piper Perabo and Louis Landau in pivotal roles.
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