Actress Gong Seung-yeon (real name Yoo Seung-yeon, 32) has made her first theater challenge after 14 years since her debut with the play 'The Secret of Flowers'.
The play 'The Secret of Flowers', which has been performed since February 8 at the Link Art Center's Bux Hall in Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, is set in a rural village called 'Villoperosa' in northwestern Italy and deals with the antics of four women disguising themselves as their husbands to collect insurance money. Directed by Jang Jin, it has returned with even stronger laughter to celebrate its 10th anniversary since its premiere in 2015.
Gong Seung-yeon, a graduate of an arts school majoring in acting, made her theater debut in the role of Monica, showcasing her outstanding beauty.
Meeting Gong Seung-yeon at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 4th, she said, "I was very nervous since it was my first play. Meeting the audience in person brings joy. It makes me happy to feel their reactions on my skin," and added, "Other actors said, 'Is Seung-yeon going to leave the stage?' After 'The Secret of Flowers' ends, I thought that if a good opportunity to perform in another play comes, I would like to stand on stage again."
Since her debut in 2012 with tvN's 'I Love Italy', Gong Seung-yeon has been active in dramas and films. What made her take on a theater challenge after 14 years of debut?
Gong Seung-yeon explained, "I just didn't have this opportunity until now. Director Jang Jin personally contacted me and suggested we work together. I was in the middle of going to see plays. I started to think about wanting to stand on stage, and at that time, he made the offer, and there were also comments from those around me that if I were to do it, I should do it with such great seniors. So I didn't think much and decided. The script was so fun. I thought I would learn a lot from the great seniors, so I decided to give it a try."
Gong Seung-yeon was triple cast in the role of Monica along with Lee Yeon-hee and An So-hee. During the rehearsal period, she discussed the character with them, saying, "We tried to share each other's strengths. We complimented each other, saying, 'An So-hee does this scene well,' and 'Lee Yeon-hee is really good,' and I think we had a friendly competition of 'How can I do well?'"
She continued, "An So-hee is so cute and lovely. I didn't know how to express loveliness, so I tried to observe her expressions well. Lee Yeon-hee has warmth. And she is very pretty. I think I tried to study by watching them," and then added, "I think I get angry more than the other Monicas and my emotional ups and downs are a bit more intense."
As it was her first theater stage, there must have been considerable pressure. Gong Seung-yeon said, "During rehearsals, I had a lot of dreams about forgetting lines and skipping them," and added, "I still remember the first performance when I went on stage. I had to open the door and go in, but I made eye contact with the audience. I went in trembling. Everyone was asking if I was okay. At first, I tried not to look, but now it's okay even if I see the audience. I've gotten used to it a lot. I've now escaped from nightmares. I'm thinking, 'What if I make a mistake behind the stage instead?'"
Her younger sister, Jeongyeon (real name Yoo Jeong-yeon) from the group TWICE, also visited the theater to support Gong Seung-yeon's first theater stage. Gong Seung-yeon shared, "She said it was so much fun and then said, 'Unnie, your vocalization is lacking.' She doesn't say I'm doing well, but the seniors said I did really well."
What has Gong Seung-yeon learned from her first theater challenge? She said, "In dramas or movies, I've never practiced scenes with other actors. In theater, we gathered every day and tried saying this line 50 times, 100 times. I was worried, 'Will the emotions be maintained? Will I act mechanically?' but it wasn't like that. Every time I acted 50 times, it was different each time. I learned a lot about relationships, improvisation, and how to breathe together. And I learned how to stand to stay alive, and when seniors came to the practice room, I learned tips by watching what they did first."
Gong Seung-yeon, who wants to return to the theater stage if given the opportunity, said, "I find myself drawn to works that feature only women. When I saw the play 'Dressing Room', I thought there are roles I can play at my current age and roles I can play later when I get older, so I thought it would be good to do it," and added, "I really enjoy meeting the audience now. If I receive a good work proposal, I would gladly want to stand on stage."
'The Secret of Flowers' will be performed until May 11. How does she want to wrap up the remaining performances over the next two months?
Gong Seung-yeon said, "Now I've met all the actors. I hope it doesn't feel like the first performance anymore. I'm thinking about who I meet and whether I can match with them. In the future, I want to finish the remaining two months comfortably without being flustered no matter who I meet," and expressed her desire to hear, "It fits well with the stage, and I want to hear that I can continue performing on stage."
Gong Seung-yeon will present a new work during the performance of 'The Secret of Flowers'. The Netflix original series 'The Curse', in which she stars, will be released on April 4.
Gong Seung-yeon said, "This year, I challenged theater and finally entered Netflix. I think it will be a really happy year. I hope that what I have worked hard on and prepared will shine this year. I hope to get through it safely," expressing her wishes.
[Shin Young-eun, Star Today Reporter]
