Actress Han Seung-yeon talked about bed scenes and exposure.
Han Seung-yeon had a final interview for the TVING original "Chunhwa Love Story" (written by Seo Eun-jeong, directed by Lee Kwang-young) at a cafe in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 10th.
"Chunhwa Love Story" is a romantic youth historical drama that unfolds as Princess Hwari (Go Ara), who has failed in her first love, declares her intention to find a husband herself while the city is abuzz with the sensational erotic novel "Chunhwa Love Story," involving the city's top playboy Hwan (Jang Ryul) and the best groom candidate Jang-won (Kang Chan-hee).
Han Seung-yeon plays the role of Lee Ji-won, a noblewoman in the story, drawing another court romance. The character Lee Ji-won, played by Han Seung-yeon, is the sister of the city's best groom candidate Lee Jang-won and the well-bred daughter of the prominent family Lee Jae-sang, who grew up elegantly in a prestigious family and has high self-esteem, being forthright in expressing her intentions; however, she is shy and has many things she wants to conceal in relationships, often making her partner anxious.
From a naive college student to an ambitious concubine, Han Seung-yeon has captivated viewers with her charming appeal across genres, deftly expressing Ji-won's resolute will with a firm gaze and tone. In particular, she played a key role in leading female narratives by flexibly portraying a proactive female character in an era when women found it difficult to raise their voices.
"Chunhwa Love Story" drew attention as a "19+ historical drama" even before its release. For actresses, the "19+" rating could understandably be sensitive and concerning. Regarding this aspect, Han Seung-yeon said, "Although the title was tagged that way, we thought of it as a good piece of work. We discussed this aspect a lot with the director as it was significant even during our meetings before casting. It was a considerable burden, so we communicated with the director and production company to adjust. Rather than being vulgar, we wanted it to be captured beautifully. Ji-won's narrative has aspects that need to be pure, so if we focused too much on the 19+ aspect, I thought it might dampen the allure, so I approached it while being mindful and balanced."
Despite being in her late 30s, Han Seung-yeon's youthful appearance can remind one of their early 20s, making her bed scenes shocking to some fans. At the production presentation, she emphasized that she has been an adult since her debut, stating, "There is less exposure than in Kara's outfits. When just looking at the clothes, it's wild pants with a top. I think the atmosphere may have contributed to that perception. It's the first night and the setting involves actively bringing the prospective groom, along with the lighting of that day, which might have made it appear that way. I accepted it as a job, and if such aspects feel too difficult and burdensome in acting, I think it would narrow my options. I have been an adult since my debut, and I have never shown myself as a minor, so I don't understand why it shocked you. I plan to diligently pursue good works with conviction in the future."
She added, "It seems there are still some people who see me as young. Since my early 20s, I've been told I look youthful from the time of my debut, so there's an aspect where my image has been built as young. My identity is Han Seung-yeon. I didn't think much about the depth of the kiss scenes when deciding on the project. I believe that as an actor, I should follow the direction I want to incorporate within the work. It seems that my fans were quite surprised. Since I am an adult actor, it seems there are certain aspects I should be able to handle."
Regarding the challenging parts during filming, Han Seung-yeon explained, "If I said those scenes weren't very embarrassing, it would be a lie. I'm human too. However, I tried my best not to show it. Since my partner is about 10 years younger than me, I thought that if I felt embarrassed, everyone else would feel embarrassed too, so I made up my mind to do it beautifully."
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