Group Red Velvet's Yeri has made a proper impression as actress Kim Ye-rim (26). This was through 'Cheongdam International High School 2'.
On the 1st, the final episode of the drama 'Cheongdam International High School 2' was released on domestic OTT platforms such as Netflix, Wavve, and Tving. This work depicts the events surrounding a murder case that occurred at the elite Cheongdam International High School, and it met viewers again on July 3rd after Season 1, which aired on May 31, 2023.
When asked about her feelings after finishing the project, Kim Ye-rim smiled and said, "The fact that Season 2 is being produced means that it has received a lot of love from many people. The pressure to receive good reviews was so great that I drank makgeolli and cried a lot before filming. I started with a huge burden, but fortunately, many people are viewing it positively, so I feel rewarded."
'Cheongdam International High School' is a high-teen psychological thriller centered around class structure and power games. In Season 1, the story focused on Kim Hye-in (played by Lee Eun-sam), the only witness to a high school girl's murder case, transferring to Cheongdam International High School. In Season 2, the narrative of Baek Je-na (played by Kim Ye-rim), who is threatened in the succession structure due to her father's mistress's pregnancy, is depicted.
In 'Cheongdam International High School 2', Kim Ye-rim played Baek Je-na, the heiress of the Han Myung Group, who possesses money, honor, and beauty. Although Baek Je-na lives a glamorous life as the queen of the 'Diamond 6' group, which consists of the highest class at Cheongdam International High School, she is a character who carries inner pain inflicted by her family.
“When I saw the script for Season 1, I thought, 'This is all or nothing.' If I do well, there will be good reviews, but if I don't, I feel like I will get a lot of criticism. (laughs) I usually like street food stalls and have often been told that I seem a bit silly. However, Baek Je-na is a completely different character from me, so I tried to change my tone and manner of speaking while analyzing the character.”
She also paid great attention to her appearance. Kim Ye-rim reflected, “In fact, I flipped the styling for Season 2 from the original concept. I thought it would be nice if the weakening inner Baek Je-na tried to appear more glamorous on the outside. So, I discussed with the director and stylist, considering everything from hair to outfits to nails. It was a process to create a more Baek Je-na-like appearance.”
The actor Kim Ye-rim had the most chemistry with in the project was undoubtedly Lee Eun-sam. The two portrayed characters representing 'gold spoons' and 'dirt spoons', depicting a power struggle that spares no means to protect their own.
When asked if she became close with Lee Eun-sam during the project, Kim Ye-rim began, “We became friends to the point where I thought, 'When will I have such a connection again?'”
She continued, “This project has been going on for three years, and if you think about it from the script reading, it has been much longer. After a project ends, the frequency of meetings usually decreases, but Lee Eun-sam feels like a neighborhood friend. We go to restaurants together, go to cafes, and sometimes she stays over at my house.”
Although both were born in 1999 and are the same age, Lee Eun-sam is a senior in acting.
Kim Ye-rim said, “This time, the two of us led the play, and Lee Eun-sam was a great support.” She added, “Recently, Lee Eun-sam came to the premiere of the movie I shot, 'Gangryeong', and said, 'Have you improved your acting a lot?' At that moment, it felt more like recognition than any compliment I had ever received. Since we are friends, I pretended to be nonchalant, but I think it’s because I look up to her as my acting senior.” She smiled brightly. (Continued in Interview ②)
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
