"I am ready to take on more bold challenges at any time, as long as the story and character are convincing."
This is a powerful transformation of Kwon Yuri (35), not as Girls' Generation's Yuri but as an actress. It is her unprecedented boldness and twist in the well-made psychological thriller 'Invasion' (written/directed by Kim Yeo-jung and Lee Jeong-chan).
Meeting Kwon Yuri at a cafe in Samcheong-dong on the morning of the 10th, she expressed her feelings about the release, saying, "It feels special. I was eager to show it to many people, and now that the day has come, it's amazing and exciting."
She said, "I usually love mystery and thriller genres, so I was delighted and happy to receive a proposal for a work with strong suspense. It's not easy to find a work that has both genre pleasure and a solid story, but 'Invasion' was truly a welcome and grateful opportunity in that regard. It was interesting and fun throughout the filming. I watched the completed version with great immersion."
'Invasion', which will be released two days later, is a psychological destruction thriller that depicts the cracks that occur when Yeong-eun (Kwak Sun-young) is having her daily life disrupted by her daughter So-hyun's strange behavior, and 20 years later, Min (Kwon Yuri), who has lost her memories of the past, confronts Hae-young (Lee Seol).
The webtoon of the same name recorded a high score of 9.82 during its serialization, and the film was officially invited to the 29th Busan International Film Festival, receiving explosive responses from the audience who watched it in advance. Kwon Yuri plays the role of 'Min', an employee of a cleaning company for solitary death scenes, showing a strange and rough face.
"Since the lively and energetic image of 'Girls' Generation' Yuri is strong, I thought it would have a significant reversal effect in itself. So, I didn't feel burdened at all. The character was well-constructed, so it was easy to immerse myself, and I was just excited about the new challenge. The most effort went into differentiating from 'Hae-young' and maintaining a consistent 'coldness'. I tried to make the exterior as rough as possible while continuously emptying my inner self. I wanted to make it so that no one could understand me. I had a strong thirst to completely change my image someday, so I was very pleased."
Yuri believes that the fame and public image of 'Girls' Generation' is "not a hindrance but an opportunity." She said, "There are parts that the public has created rather than the real me, and I think the musical color has also influenced it. It's just one of many aspects, but I think these things have given me a good opportunity to have a wide spectrum as an actress."
Of course, there was fear even in the exciting challenge. It was about whether the audience would accept me solely as the character.
Kwon Yuri expressed, "I just wanted to show something that many people don't know and that I haven't shown before," adding, "I had no other wishes. I just hoped people would think, 'Who is that person?' and I wanted to be fully accepted as 'Kim Min'. I wanted to show a heavy, solid, and raw version of myself, not a smooth, delicate, and tidy appearance like Girls' Generation Yuri. I am both afraid and curious about how people will actually feel."
What was the chemistry like with Lee Seol (playing Hae-young), who was in constant opposition? Kwon Yuri recalled, "Since this work is led by women and the director is making her debut, it was particularly close-knit. We had a lot of time to face each other during practice."
She explained, "I had to keep the audience confused while facing off against Hae-young, who has a completely opposite color. As we deeply discussed the story and carried out a common mission, I felt a lot during that process. It really helped me with the role I had to play. It became easier and many parts went well when we worked together rather than imagining and preparing alone."
She added, "Lee Seol is a fascinating actress. Her acting, thoughts, and every action have a strange charm that makes me curious. She has a very different energy from me, but she possesses the freedom, instinctive sense, and raw energy that I want as an actress. Her talent is enviable."
The work features excellent performances from adult actors including Yuri, Kwak Sun-young, and Lee Seol, but the child actor (Kim So-yu) who is responsible for the early part of the play also plays a significant role. She delivers an incredible immersion with her acting that goes beyond mere eeriness.
Yuri said, "Unfortunately, the filming order had the adult actors responsible for the latter part of the play go first, and So-yu filmed afterward. So, I couldn't get hints from her."
She continued, "I acted while looking at Hae-young like a mirror without seeing So-yu's filming parts. I was shocked when I saw So-yu's acting for the first time through the completed version. I just thought, 'Thank you.' She really captured the immersion in the first half excellently, and thanks to that, we were able to push through the latter part we acted in. She is truly an excellent actress."
Additionally, she added, "Meeting 'Invasion' has been a fortune in many ways. It has been a new stimulus, challenge, and turning point for me as an actress, a genre enthusiast, and as a human being. I am sincerely grateful."
'Invasion' will be released on the 12th.
