“I had no burden about the exposure. I knew what I was getting into when I applied. (laughs) I was asked to bulk up, so I ate freely and gained weight.”
She is a delicate yet bold newcomer who broke through a staggering ‘2500 to 1’ competition rate. Bang Hyo-rin is the protagonist of “My Horse,” a modern reinterpretation of “The Wife of a Horse.”
After the release of the Netflix series “My Horse,” she met with reporters at a café in Samcheong-dong, greeting them with a bright smile and said, “I’m happy and proud that a project I filmed two years ago is finally out. The reactions from those around me are also good,” she smiled brightly.
“My friends said the art and costumes were beautiful, but above all, they loved the lines. Some friends who saw my acting for the first time told me, ‘I’m glad to see your acting,’ which moved me. Now I’m starting to feel the reality of the project being released.”
“My Horse” is a Netflix series that tells the story of top star ‘Hee-ran’ and rookie actress ‘Joo-ae’ bravely confronting the dark reality hidden behind the glamorous spotlight during the birth of erotic films that swept Korea in the 1980s.
Bang Hyo-rin plays the role of ‘Shin Joo-ae,’ a bold and fresh newcomer selected as the lead in “The Wife of a Horse,” and showcases a woman’s romance with the seasoned and elegant ‘Hee-ran’ (played by Lee Ha-nee). She also handled high-level exposure and bed scenes.
After a fierce audition, she secured the ‘Joo-ae’ character, saying, “At first, I filmed a video for a non-face-to-face audition and then had a meeting with the director. After going through three rounds of auditions, I received the acceptance notice,” adding, “I read all the lines from part 1 to part 6 with the director. Then I saw the director crying. At first, I thought I was mistaken, but he was really crying, which surprised me. The assistant director was also crying, and I cried too,” she recalled.
“The director told me he liked how I performed each line with care. He said he had never met an actor who expressed his written lines so well. Hearing that, how could I not be moved?”
Regarding the exposure scenes in the work, she said, “I had no burden at all.” She explained, “I knew there would be exposure in the work when I applied for the audition, and the director showed me the storyboard in advance, so I knew exactly how the scenes would be shot and how they would appear on screen. I handled all the exposure scenes myself.”
In particular, she mentioned that she gained weight at the director's request. Bang Hyo-rin said, “At that time, I was much thinner than now, and the director wanted me to gain a lot of weight. I practiced horseback riding and went to the gym every day, working out hard and eating well to bulk up overall,” she explained.
“I didn’t measure my weight specifically; the director checked through photos. At that time, I think I was able to eat a lot without stress and gain weight freely. (laughs) Of course, it was based on the diet plan provided by my trainer.”
“I felt something beyond just meeting actors and seniors on set.”
She couldn’t leave out the story about Lee Ha-nee, with whom she closely collaborated throughout.
Bang Hyo-rin said, “The senior not only took care of my acting but also my entire life. I just want to be like her,” adding, “Thanks to her, I was able to finish ‘My Horse’ despite my many shortcomings.”
“She took care of everyone, including colleagues and staff, and brightened the atmosphere on set. Of course, when she acted, her concentration was incredible.”
She recalled, “I always remember that after every ‘cut,’ she would hug me right away,” and added, “Since it was my first time acting with a long breath, I had many difficulties in managing my stamina and adapting to the set, but she helped me a lot. She taught me about the supplements I needed and how to manage my mind.”
She continued, “She sent me countless encouragements and support. She told me to always talk about any difficulties I might face in the future and gave me warm words saying I was doing well,” expressing her respect, saying, “There are so many things to learn from her and aspects I want to emulate.”
“In many ways, ‘My Horse’ will surely remain in my memory for a long time. Everything was a first for me. I felt a tremendous thrill while delivering the bold lines. (laughs) In fact, I am usually quiet and introverted. Joo-ae is much braver and bolder than I am, so I really liked that confidence throughout. I sincerely wanted to be like her. I hope this affection reaches the viewers as well.”
Bang Hyo-rin, Lee Ha-nee, and Jin Sun-kyu star in “My Horse,” which was released on the 22nd.
