Actress Park Ji-hyun (31) met her life character through 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon'.
The Netflix series 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon', released on the 12th, depicts the intertwined lives of two friends, Eun-jung and Sang-yeon, who love, admire, envy, and hate each other throughout their lives.
In the series, Park Ji-hyun plays Cheon Sang-yeon, a character who grew up without any lack in her childhood but envies the bright and warm Eun-jung (Kim Go-eun), who possesses things she can never have, convincingly portraying the character's narrative.
Despite the long 15 episodes, 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon' has received positive reviews, ranking first on the 'Today’s TOP' Korean chart.
When asked about her reasons for appearing in 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon', Park Ji-hyun said, "Personally, I have a thirst for characters with a wide emotional range and rich narratives. I had worked with director Jo Young-min before, and when I received the script, I found it interesting. I heard that the respected and admired Kim Go-eun was involved, so there was no reason not to do it. I couldn't help it," she joked.
She mentioned that she had no major difficulties in portraying Sang-yeon, saying, "I am an actress, so I try to read the script with the mindset that I can understand any character. Every character's actions have reasons. Even if the actions are unlikable, there are times when they have no choice but to act that way. So when I first received Sang-yeon, I naturally understood her as an actress."
She continued, "In the work, Sang-yeon's feelings are expressed through her actions, and the reasons come out later. There are parts where misunderstandings arise because Sang-yeon is portrayed from Eun-jung's perspective, which is a bit twisted, but after reading the entire script, I was able to understand Sang-yeon's feelings more. I never thought, 'Why is she doing this?'"
Moreover, she stated, "Receiving such a work is a great blessing as an actress. The characters I have played so far often express moments in life, so I imagined their narratives, and many had open endings. Sang-yeon's story is laid out from childhood to death in the script. That aspect was intriguing. Since the narrative is clearly laid out, I could see what I needed to express distinctly compared to other works. This provided a foundation for me to act freely on the stage given to me."
Above all, Park Ji-hyun credited her ability to fully express herself in 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon' to Kim Go-eun, who played Eun-jung. She mentioned feeling both grateful and sorry for Kim Go-eun, who shed tears during the production presentation.
She said, "I cried a lot on set. As the story progressed, even though Sang-yeon had to be calm at the end of her life, I cried a lot. When I thought of Sang-yeon in her 40s, I had to portray a painful role, so I had to look thin but with a swollen face, so I intentionally cried for two hours before filming to make my face swell. Every line during filming pierced my heart. The scenes in her 40s were comforting to me and warmed my heart. I felt that Sang-yeon's love and deficiencies were being filled by Eun-jung, and those moments of forgiveness were moving."
She added, "Kim Go-eun was silently performing well. While filming 'Eun-jung and Sang-yeon', I shed all the tears I had accumulated over the years. She must have had a hard time too, so I feel sorry. In that regard, I can't help but respect her as an actress. I saw a review from a viewer that said I could run wild on the infinite stage that Kim Go-eun created. When I read that, I really resonated with it," she said, showing her tears.
Additionally, she mentioned, "Because Kim Go-eun was there, I had someone I could trust and rely on, which gave me a sense of stability that whatever I did in my acting would be okay. That might have been a burden for her. So I feel sorry, but the praise I received this time is not just for me; it was because she absorbed it all. I truly ran wild. I am receiving a lot of praise, but I think it is actually praise directed at her. She really supported me. So, in fact, the same performance came out."
Park Ji-hyun described Kim Go-eun as a 'rock'.
She said, "Truly, she was like a towering rock. I threw eggs, tomatoes, and stones at the rock, but she accepted everything. As an actress, I was able to try everything I could in this role. So I learned a lot. It seems that the rock doesn't need anything, so I tried to take care of her by bringing a blanket if she was cold or preparing food. I really liked and loved her," she conveyed her sincerity.
Continuing, she said, "I studied and followed her attitude and approach to acting on set," but added, "After the work was released, I felt that I couldn't surpass her, so I gave up. It seems like a field I can't dare to reach. I understand why people want to work with Kim Go-eun. She has a power that is different from mine. I can't dare to compare. So I thought I should find my own path and my own strengths."
Park Ji-hyun acted with all her might and met a great co-star, allowing her to express herself freely. Having met her life character, Park Ji-hyun conveyed her true feelings towards Eun-jung and prepared to send Sang-yeon off with 'tears'.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
