Actress Bae Doona (45) has returned as a mother in 'Family Plan'.
The Coupang Play series 'Family Plan', which premieres on the 29th, tells the story of a mother with a special ability to edit memories at will, who teams up with her family to bring hell to the villains. Bae Doona, along with Ryu Seung-beom, Baek Yoon-sik, Roman, and Lee Soo-hyun, stars in the series.
In 'Family Plan', Bae Doona plays the role of 'Young-soo', a family fixer with the special ability of brain hacking.
In a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Bae Doona said, "When choosing a project, previous works influence my decision. I wanted to try black comedy after a long time. I found myself smiling bitterly while reading the script. It was also exhilarating, and my character Young-soo is someone who has been trained in a unit that trains human weapons since childhood and possesses brain hacking abilities. She can implant memories or traumas."
She continued, "When Young-soo tells the criminals, 'If you make the victims shed tears of blood, then you should taste that level of hell,' the scenes where she punishes the criminals are brutal yet exhilarating. So, it feels both bitter and exhilarating. I usually don't like brutality, but I liked the characters who are not perfectly heroic and have a sense of humor, appearing both like outsiders and ordinary people."
Bae Doona shared about her character Young-soo, saying, "I got hints while discussing with writer Kim Jung-min. I learned about Young-soo's history. We need to understand the life our characters have lived. The emotions that came during filming were significant. There is music that plays when Young-soo 'brain hacks', and listening to that music made me think of the past."
Regarding playing a character lacking emotions, she said, "I thought that being emotionless means it's hard for someone to express emotions. I discussed with the writer how the character would act; she mercilessly trains children who lack empathy or compassion. Young-soo would have been like that too. After escaping, she tries to lead a normal life. That's why the mother is always wearing an apron and cooking, trying to express a kind of tenderness that seems learned from books. In episodes 5 and 6, emotions will be expressed."
In a prior interview, Ryu Seung-beom praised Bae Doona, saying, "Her insight into interpreting the work is incredible," adding, "It feels like looking down from another world, and she paints a big picture. It's truly on another level."
Bae Doona, feeling shy about Ryu Seung-beom's compliments, responded, "I think if there's something to learn in the last scene of episode 6, it should be built up from episode 1. I think that's what he meant."
She continued about Ryu Seung-beom, "His energy on set is different. There’s an energy he brings when filming a scene. There’s air we need to fill, and we ensemble together as actors. All our characters are strong, but he shows a lubricating performance. It's truly amazing."
When asked about their chemistry as a couple, she said, "I had worked with Ryu Seung-beom in the film 'Revenge is Mine', but this is the first time we acted together. It's nice to meet after our youth. Since we are both strong actors, I think we couldn't meet in one work before. It was nice that we could blend smoothly. Our acting chemistry was great. We relied on each other mentally. He brought a cheerful healing atmosphere on set. It felt like achieving enlightenment."
Bae Doona expressed her fondness for 'Family Plan' being a family story, saying, "I like family stories. I don't know why, but it resonates with me the most. Isn't the most important thing in life what we have as humans? Whether or not there are people who feel like family, even if they are not blood-related, seems important. I believe that family in 'Family Plan' is good because I don't think family has to be tied by blood. So, I support this alternative family, and I liked that meaning."
Regarding her recent works or characters being serious and heavy, she mentioned wanting to play a bright and cheerful character.
She said, "I think there are trends in works. I hope a trend for bright and hopeful works comes. I want to do romantic comedies too. I also want to play a cheerful and lively character. I did a lot of that in my early debut. In my early 20s, I did a lot in 'My Name is Kim Sam-soon'. These days, I get a lot of serious roles. I feel like I need to do something fun, even if it's just rolling in a variety show. I want to do that too. I can do cheerful and lively roles well."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
