(Following Interview①) Hong Hwa-yeon played the role of Yeo Eun-nam, the granddaughter of Chairman Cha Gang-cheon of Daesan Group and an employee at Daesan Energy's Seoul headquarters in 'Treasure Island.' In the drama, Yeo Eun-nam secretly cohabited with the office couple Seo Dong-joo but chose a strategic marriage to become the daughter-in-law of the powerful Yeom Jang-seon. However, she soon realizes that her choice was wrong.
When asked how she set up and portrayed the character of Yeo Eun-nam, Hong Hwa-yeon said, "She is an independent child. She grew up in the Daesan family without a sense of belonging or attachment to family, so there might be an independent aspect to her. However, I think she inherently has the determination to act on the decisions she makes."
She continued, "Yeo Eun-nam makes bold and unexpected choices. I did a lot of character research to understand the reasons behind those choices. During that process, the director and writer shared stories about Yeo Eun-nam's childhood narrative, which helped me a lot in portraying the adult Yeo Eun-nam."
The boldest choice Hong Hwa-yeon identified for Yeo Eun-nam was 'marriage.' She betrayed the person she loved the most for power.
“Watching what Yeo Eun-nam says, I thought, ‘She will cause some trouble someday,’ but in the first episode, she ends up marrying Yeom Hee-cheol (played by Kwon Soo-hyun). Before that, we showed the deep relationship between Seo Dong-joo and Yeo Eun-nam, but she marries someone else, which led to a lot of viewer reactions saying it was 'shocking.' I felt proud that viewers recognized the parts I intended to portray in my acting. (laughs)”
Another scene that sparked as much discussion as the marriage between Yeo Eun-nam and Yeom Hee-cheol in the first episode was the kissing scene between Seo Dong-joo and Yeo Eun-nam. The first episode of 'Treasure Island' features a total of four bold kissing scenes.
Hong Hwa-yeon said, “I knew there would be such scenes since the audition, so it wasn't shocking. What I appreciated was that they scheduled the kissing scene about two months later to avoid any awkwardness at the beginning of the shoot. So, I was able to film the kissing scene with Park Hyung-sik in a comfortable state. Also, I remember that both Park Hyung-sik and the director asked for my opinions and treated me carefully from the rehearsal stage.”
When asked about her parents' reactions to the kissing scene, she said, “Once, we ended up watching a rerun together. But my father kept asking unrelated questions like, ‘Is Park Hyung-sik wearing a tailored suit?’ about the drama scene. Then he suddenly went out to throw away the trash, which was a sight I had never seen before,” and burst into laughter.
So, what thoughts did Hong Hwa-yeon have as she wrapped up her first leading role in 'Treasure Island'?
She said, “I remember thinking about my colleagues who must be struggling too, and how they were being considerate. Watching the attitudes of those seniors taught me the mindset I should have on set. It was a work that I filmed with such precious feelings, and perhaps even more than that, I received greater interest and love, which made me grateful and happy throughout. I hope viewers can savor the lingering feelings and lessons it gives at the end and send 'Treasure Island' off well,” expressing her affection for the fellow actors and the work.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
