Jamie Chung Hints At Lovecraft Country's Love Triangle Outcome - Exclusive
It seems as if the writers and producers of Lovecraft Country are trying to score the record for the wildest and most bizarre sex scenes in television history. Just when you thought that the sixth episode's blood-gushing mating ritual (which involved a man being suspended in the air and penetrated by all of the appendages of a nine-tailed fox spirit in disguise as a human woman) was enough to make you lose your lunch, wait until you witness episode 8's literal flesh-melting, blood-soaked copulation complete with magic-induced shapeshifting. It's almost as if showrunner Misha Green heard someone say, "Whoa, those sex scenes in American Gods are insane," and Green replied, "Hold my beer."
The star of episode 6 (titled "Meet Me in Daegu"), who plays that aforementioned nine-tailed fox spirit (also known as a Kumiho), is Jamie Chung (Once Upon A Time, The Gifted), who plays Ji-Ah, the Korean war nurse who met and fell in love with Lovecraft Country's lead hero Atticus (Jonathan Majors). One night during their brisk romantic fling, Ji-Ah eventually deflowers Atticus. Yes, he was a virgin — and thankfully, their first sexual encounter didn't end with Atticus' body bursting into a bloody pulp. But during their second time, Ji-Ah struggled to tame the beast within, and her nine tails emerged and, not only absorbing his memories, but also providing a glimpse into his future. Unlike all of the unfortunate souls who have fallen into the clutches of the Kumiho before, Atticus survives, but he understandably freaks out, darting out the door. Can you blame the guy?
Ji-Ah is a rare type of role for an Asian American actor
We knew Ji-Ah wouldn't be gone for good, right? She seems to have a major role to play in Atticus' endgame. After all, she's armed with some knowledge that she didn't get a chance to share with him — she saw into his future and witnessed his impending doom. In episode 8 (titled "Jig-a-Bobo"), she leaves Korea and tracks him down in Chicago, only to run into Leti (Jurnee Smollett) first. As regular viewers already know, Leti is carrying Atticus' future son and the two have developed a strong relationship ever since Atticus returned from the war. So, are we in for a bizarre love triangle?
"Ooh, I don't know. I mean, what they've shared in Korea was really quite special, but then it also ended in such an abrupt way," Chung tells Looper when asked about who was ultimately the better romantic match for Atticus. "What's interesting is, I do think that now that we've set up this love triangle, you will see that play out. You will see that come to a head and be confronted. But the whole time Atticus is running away from his past, and sometimes it's better not to live in the past... Without giving anything away, I think that it's more suited for Leti and Atticus to be a couple, than Ji-Ah and Atticus."
Lovecraft Country is certainly a one-of-a-kind show. It's not only a mashup of the fantasy, drama, and horror genres, but it also shines a light on relevant social issues like racism, misogyny, and homophobia. "Meet Me in Daegu" broadens the scope of these themes beyond Black Americans and shows us the racism faced by Asians in the mid-20th century. Ji-Ah herself is a very complex character — not only is she dealing with family issues relatable to both lead hero Atticus and well as viewers, but she's also a Kumiho, a succubus of sorts that devours men while also absorbing their memories.
The entire sixth episode is totally devoted to Ji-Ah, setting her up as a possible force to be reckoned with during the upcoming season finale. Atticus may have coldly kicked her to the curb, but Ji-Ah didn't travel all the way to America only to be dumped. It seems her biggest moments are yet to come. When she first read for the part, Chung instantly recognized the show's potential and was over the moon about the unique opportunity to play a layered character like Ji-Ah.
"It's so rare that Asian American women get these kinds of roles to play," she says. "In fact, being in the industry for over ten years, I've never had an opportunity like this, or never did I read of an opportunity like this, let alone get to play one. So, I'm just so honored and so grateful that I got to live through this character arc of Ji-Ah. I mean, there's so much going on in this episode — love, loss, and revenge. And the first time she falls in love, the first time she meets her best friend, thinking from a perspective of 90 souls, 90 men, that she has absorbed, and only having their perspective. And then learning how to be a woman through Judy Garland movies. It's just layers upon layers of so much meat that you can sink your teeth into as an actor. This is unreal. I've never had an opportunity like this."