Directing television's new John Le Carré adaptation, The Little Drummer Girl, was always going to be a challenge as the BBC strives to repeat the success of The Night Manager.

But for Park Chan-wook, there was an added hurdle: directing the cast and crew without speaking any English.

The South Korean auteur relied on an interpreter to convey his vision for the six-part drama, which begins next Sunday on BBC One. Set in the 1970s, it stars Florence Pugh as a young actress recruited by Mossad to infiltrate the PLO.

The result, according to the cast, was a resounding success, with all agreeing that the language barrier was swiftly overcome.

“Park Chan-wook doesn’t speak English, although I think he understands more than he lets on," said Charles Dance, who plays a British intelligence officer. "Having a director from a totally different culture is a great idea and the fact that he doesn’t speak English is not a hindrance at all. He has a wonderful eye.”

Daniel Litman, who plays a Mossad agent, said: "Director Park is an amazing person. He doesn’t speak English, he speaks Korean, and yet you listen to him even though you don’t understand what he’s saying.”