Actress Lee Bong-ryun (44) has created another 'life character' (life character). In 'Someday, a Wise Resident Life', she plays the role of Professor Seo Jeong-min, an obstetrics and gynecology professor who criticizes mistakes but gives praise when deserved, earning the support of viewers as a 'true mentor'.
In an interview held at a cafe in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 20th, Lee Bong-ryun expressed her feelings about the end of the drama, saying, "I'm surprised that so many people watched and liked our drama. It feels like it ended too quickly, and I feel regret. While filming, I looked back at the photos taken with the other actors and thought, 'I should have taken more pictures'."
The tvN drama 'Someday, a Wise Resident Life' (created by Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung, written by Kim Song-hee, directed by Lee Min-soo, hereafter 'Unsljeon'), which ended on the 18th, is a spin-off of 'Wise Doctor Life' that depicts the growth of residents dreaming of becoming doctors as they go through a period of denial.
Lee Bong-ryun shared her experience of joining 'Unsljeon', saying, "Like many actors, I auditioned as well. I was excited about how I could enter this world, so I prepared hard, and I remember feeling thrilled when I was told, 'Let's do it together'."
This project was originally scheduled to air in May last year as a follow-up to 'Queen of Tears'. However, due to conflicts surrounding the increase in medical school quotas and the subsequent collective strike and resignations of residents, the airing was postponed indefinitely, and it returned to viewers after more than a year.
When asked if waiting was difficult, Lee Bong-ryun replied, "We filmed hard, but the broadcast was delayed by about a year. There were friends debuting with 'Unsljeon', so I felt regret every time I heard such news, but everyone was working hard personally, so I think we endured well. Once the broadcast started, we received a lot of love, so all that regret melted away."
Starting with a viewership rating of 3.7% (Nielsen Korea, nationwide), 'Unsljeon' presented laughter, emotion, and empathy as socially inexperienced young adults face life and death in the obstetrics and gynecology department, growing through their experiences. As a result, it recorded its highest viewership rating of 8.1% in the final episode, achieving a successful conclusion.
“The viewership ratings gradually increased, and in the end, it surpassed 8%. I felt good that the viewers' hearts, which matched the title 'Someday, a Wise Resident Life', were reflected in the ratings. I often talked about this with the actors I acted with, and I think I was able to meet them happily because we achieved the highest ratings at the end. (laughs)”
In the drama, Lee Bong-ryun transformed into Professor Seo Jeong-min of the obstetrics and gynecology department at Jongno Yulje Hospital, becoming a role model that residents aspire to be like, yet also someone they would prefer not to encounter. By simply wearing blue surgical scrubs or a doctor's gown, she exuded a professor's aura and received praise for portraying a character that is ordinary yet unique in her own way.
When asked how she set up and acted out her character, she explained, “Doctors meet patients as part of their job, so there is a part where they try to communicate accurately and clearly. I tried to bring out those aspects from my own voice and way of speaking to create the character.”
She continued, “I think I completed the character of Seo Jeong-min by gathering the experiences of doctors I have encountered in my life. I even visited a hospital, and I found many people with similar hair lengths and glasses to mine. So, I wore glasses in the work, and at that moment, I felt an inexplicable influx of knowledge, which helped me a lot. The comment that was most impressive was, 'I want to go to Professor Seo Jeong-min to have a baby,' which made me laugh.” (Continued in Interview ②)
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
