In 'Caught Off Guard,' IU perfectly transformed into the mischievous rebel "Ae-soon" and made a strong impression from the very first act.
On the 7th, IU made her first appearance in the Netflix series 'Caught Off Guard' (written by Lim Sang-chun, directed by Kim Won-seok), portraying the Jeju girl Ae-soon, as she appeared reading a book in the market while selling cabbage.
From the early part of the play, IU delicately expressed various emotions, increasing the drama's immersion. Appearing with a strong presence from her school days, she expressed Ae-soon's boldness by saying, "I'm definitely going to marry a Seoul guy." In the first kiss scene in the canola flower field with Kwan-sik (played by Park Bo-gum), she revealed excitement and tension while clenching her fists, conveying the character's emotions with delicate facial expressions and a trembling voice.
From the middle of the play, her deepened emotional performance drew viewers in. In particular, in a scene where she is forced to marry a captain with two children contrary to her wishes, she powerfully delivered the lines, "My mom must be crying. I think she's crying because I'm getting married like this," creating a strong resonance that heightened the character's emotional line. In a scene where her beloved Kwan-sik leaves, she maximized the intense emotions by running through the rain and collapsing by the sea in tears. In a later reunion scene, the two embraced and cried together in the rain, leaving a deep aftertaste.
In the latter part of the drama, she displayed another emotional line as a mother and wife. In a scene where she reacts with anger upon seeing her great-grandmother trying to make her daughter Geum-myung a diver, and in a scene where she runs to scold Kwan-sik when he is mistreated by the captain, she expressed an intense emotion with strong anger that was not seen in the early and middle parts of the play, emphasizing the character's diverse aspects.
The loveliness of Ae-soon, which only IU can depict, also shone through. It was especially prominent in the scene where Ae-soon and Kwan-sik run away to Busan together. Ae-soon's appearance, wearing heavy eye makeup and lipstick that did not suit her, as well as adult clothes, elicited smiles from viewers, and in the acting of pretending to be an adult, she vividly expressed it with a trembling voice and delicate expressions, showcasing her unique cuteness.
The performance IU showcased in the released first act (episodes 1-4) was enough to elicit praise of "as expected from IU." She perfectly embodied the character Ae-soon, demonstrating a seamless transition from her bold charm to her deep emotions. In particular, her calm narration that encapsulated her emotions paired with delicate facial expressions enriched the character's inner world and added depth to the drama. Additionally, it has been revealed that IU will also play the role of Geum-myung, Ae-soon's daughter, increasing anticipation for the episodes to come.
The Netflix series 'Caught Off Guard,' in which IU grants, will be released every Friday at 4 p.m. over a total of four weeks.
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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