Actress Choi Yu-ri (16) made her debut as a lead in a film.
The movie 'Zombie Daughter', which will be released on the 30th, is a comedic drama about a doting father who begins secret training to protect his daughter, who has become the last remaining zombie in the world. It is based on the popular Naver webtoon of the same name, which has accumulated 500 million views globally. Director Kim Sang-woo, known for 'Hostage', took the helm, and actors Jo Jung-seok, Lee Jung-eun, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Jo Yeo-jeong collaborated.
Choi Yu-ri played the role of Sua, a teenage girl who appears cold on the outside but loves her dad more than anyone else, who becomes a zombie.
Ahead of the release, Choi Yu-ri expressed, "The movie is coming out this Wednesday, and I'm both nervous and excited. I'm thrilled to show the film that we worked hard on. Last weekend, I went to Busan for a stage greeting. I was nervous and anxious at first since I had no experience with stage greetings. But I felt proud, honored, and grateful to be able to introduce and show the film."
As a fan of the original webtoon, she said, "I read the script and found it really fun. I enjoyed the webtoon during its serialization, and when I was offered the character of Sua, I thought I had to do this. It felt like destiny. Since I have to express a character I love, I felt a strong desire to do well, but I also worried about whether I could express it properly. However, the joy of playing Sua outweighed my concerns," she smiled.
Although she started with excitement, her first attempt at zombie acting was not easy.
She explained, "I tried to express Sua's unique charm from the webtoon. 'Zombie Daughter' is different from other zombie stories, so I focused on that. I referenced the fierce yet cute behavior of a stray cat that doesn't easily trust people or pets, rather than just portraying a ferocious zombie. I'm known for being clumsy, so I had to work hard on my movements. The choreographer and those around me helped a lot. I practiced the zombie movements and choreography for four months," she revealed.
BoA's song 'Number One' is one of the important elements in 'Zombie Daughter'. Choi Yu-ri had to perform choreography to this song.
Born in 2009, she said, "I knew about the singer BoA, but I didn't know the song 'Number One'. I started listening to it after receiving the script, and the lyrics felt like they were telling Sua's story. The line 'Don't blame the changed person' seemed to refer to Sua. After Sua turns into a zombie, there are many changes, and I felt emotional about that. I thought it fit well with our work," she shared.
She also mentioned, "The makeup for the zombie role helped me immerse myself in the character. I was very grateful to the staff on set who took care of me and helped me, and I thanked them every time. Lee Jung-eun and Jo Jung-seok treated me very kindly, like a grandmother or father, so we felt like a family on set. I called them grandma and dad on set, and I still do," she said.
She added, "It was hard to hold back my laughter when Jo Jung-seok improvised," and continued, "I had to hold back my laughter during a scene where Yoon Kyung-ho was joking, and I ended up laughing, which required a retake. Yoon Kyung-ho was the mood maker. Everyone looked forward to what he would say next, and he always met those expectations," she chuckled.
What was it like to work with actor Jo Jung-seok as her father? She said, "From the first time we met, he called me 'Yu-ri' in a very friendly way, which I liked. Jo Jung-seok's gaze has a charm that draws people in. During filming, there were many scenes where I had to interact with him, and his unique atmosphere helped me immerse myself easily," she confessed.
In the movie 'Alien', she played a father-daughter relationship with actor Kim Woo-bin, and in 'Zombie Daughter', she plays a father-daughter relationship with Jo Jung-seok.
She explained, "During 'Alien', Kim Woo-bin treated me very kindly and considerately, like a real father. He called me 'Yu-ri' in a warm way, which made me feel like I was following around a dad and having conversations. The difference with Jo Jung-seok is that he played a lot of pranks on me. Even ordinary dads and daughters joke around, right? We joked like that. The commonality between both of them is that they were considerate and kind to me, for which I am grateful," she explained.
She also enjoyed the 'Effort Hand' scene with Lee Jung-eun, who plays her grandmother in the film.
She said, "The effort hand was made of rubber, so it was soft. My reactions were important for the scene to flow well. So pretending to be in pain was fun. I thought that scene was important as it marked a turning point for zombie Sua. It revealed Sua's clumsy side as a scary zombie, and I thought it was fun to film. I could show Sua's unique cuteness, and I referenced my pet dog when filming that scene. When my dog does something wrong, it looks around nervously, so I took that into account," she said.
Choi Yu-ri, who debuted at the age of 6, gained attention for her high synchronization rate as the young Kim Yoo-jung in the dramas 'Secret' and 'Clean with Passion for Now'. She has showcased her presence in dramas like 'Itaewon Class' and the movie 'Alien'.
Having acted for over 10 years, she shared, "I have always liked being in the spotlight and being in front of people. I was told I had a lot of talent, and people around me suggested I try acting. So my mother asked me if I wanted to try acting, and that was my first step. As I continued acting, I realized it suited me," she revealed.
She added, "I feel happiness when I act. It's my calling. It's fun to challenge myself with new roles, and the sense of pride and satisfaction I feel when I perform perfectly is incomparable to anything else. I have a strong desire to act and want to break through my limits," she smiled.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
