"Oppa Son Seok-koo was always full of curiosity. He is an actor with various perspectives, and I learned a lot from him."
Actress Kim Da-mi (30) spoke about her collaboration with actor Son Seok-koo (42) in 'Nine Puzzle'.
On the 5th, Maeil Business Star Today met with Kim Da-mi at a cafe located in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the conclusion of Disney Plus's 'Nine Puzzle'.
‘Nine Puzzle’ is a mystery thriller that unravels the secrets of a serial murder case that has resumed, featuring 'Ina' (Kim Da-mi), the only witness to an unsolved case from ten years ago and a current profiler, and 'Han Saem' (Son Seok-koo), a detective from the violent crimes unit who continues to suspect her as a suspect.
Since its release, 'Nine Puzzle' has topped the list of the most-watched Korean content on Disney Plus worldwide and in the Asia-Pacific region in 2025, gaining popularity.
Kim Da-mi expressed her joy about the news of being number one in the Asia-Pacific region, saying, "I felt good that many people loved it. I could feel the interest as many people around me asked about the content. It made me realize that it was a drama that sparked quite a bit of curiosity."
She also mentioned that she went through a lot of contemplation to portray the genius profiler character 'Ina', who has quick calculations and decisions. "Ina herself was a somewhat high-tension character. Since her tension is always floating, I had some concerns. It was a bit different from my usual self, so I tried to lower my tone as much as possible," she explained, adding, "I wanted to emphasize speaking quickly to give character to her."
There were many questions about the character. Kim Da-mi, who played the unique and unconventional Ina, noted that some people compared Ina to the cartoon character 'Conan'. In response, she said, "The childlike tone of Ina was something we decided in discussion with the director. We highlighted the cartoonish aspects, and it seems that viewers perceived it that way, which was interesting. However, I didn't reference Conan."
Regarding the mixed opinions about the character 'Ina', she said, "I thought there would be mixed opinions. There are awkward parts in her speech, so she might seem somewhat detached, but I believe that even that is a characteristic of Ina."
Ina spent ten years being accused of being the culprit after witnessing her uncle's death during her student days. She later becomes a profiler and investigates the case. "Seeing my uncle's death was a huge shock, right? But I didn't want to express it outwardly; I wanted to show subtle and delicate emotional acting through small eye movements," she said.
She continued, "Since there is always an underlying feeling of anxiety, she was a character with a fast breath. There were also many explanations, so I used a lot of hand gestures. I wanted to show a cartoonish and fairy-tale-like aspect by giving rhythm to my speech."
There are many scenes where she faces Han Saem, the only person who pointed to Ina as the culprit in the unsolved murder case. Kim Da-mi expressed satisfaction about her acting chemistry with Son Seok-koo, saying, "Oppa Seok-koo made me feel very comfortable on set, so I had no difficulties. Since there were many things we had to create character-wise, we talked a lot. We often shared opinions over the phone."
When asked about Son Seok-koo from her perspective, she praised him, saying, "Oppa was really full of curiosity. He was someone who tried various things with a mindset of wanting to try this and that. I learned a lot from seeing that."
Additionally, Kim Da-mi gained attention as the first female lead of director Yoon Jong-bin in 'Nine Puzzle'. Regarding this, she expressed her gratitude, saying, "He paid a lot of attention to me. We talked a lot before filming started. He created situations where I could do well, and he is someone who gives clear direction, so I could follow along well."
This drama featured many talented actors such as Baek Hyun-jin, Lee Sung-min, Lee Hee-joon, Ji Jin-hee, Park Sung-woong, and Kim Eung-soo in special supporting roles, adding strength to the production. Kim Da-mi reflected, "I was happy to meet many senior actors in one drama. I learned a lot, and it was a set where I could feel energy."
In conclusion, Kim Da-mi left a remark about preferring story-centered roles rather than character-centered ones, saying, "I am continuously filming works and learning a lot. Acting is still difficult, but I hope that if I work hard, I will become a slightly better actor than before in the future."
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
