Actress Lee Ruda made a strong impression in her first daily drama.
Lee appeared as Baek Mi-so in the MBC daily drama 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun' (written by Seol Kyung-eun, directed by Kim Jin-hyung), showcasing her impressive acting skills.
'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun' depicts a world where the victim has transformed into the perpetrator, a woman's desperate revenge against a conglomerate in the name of her only daughter. Jang Sin-young, Seo Ha-joon, Yoon A-jung, Oh Chang-seok, and Jeon No-min are currently part of the cast, broadcasting successfully while setting new records for the highest viewership.
Lee plays the role of Baek Mi-so, an irreplaceable presence as the only daughter of Baek Seol-hee (Jang Sin-young) and a deeply understanding character who cherishes her mother more than anyone else. While elevating the drama's atmosphere with their special and poignant mother-daughter relationship, she faces off against Min Se-ri (Park Seo-yeon), the youngest daughter of the Min-gang Distribution chairman, to protect her friend Woo Bo-ram (Oh Ga-yeon). In a whirlwind of revenge-driven assault and a scheme to cover up the truth led by Min-gang Distribution, she chooses death under a false accusation, delivering a shocking impact.
In the whirlwind narrative of Mi-so, Lee intricately expressed the complex emotions of a character pushed to the extreme, enhancing the immersion. In particular, she solidified her presence as a 'key player' vital to the future development of the drama.
Up to the 12th episode, Lee Ruda left a striking presence with her impactful performance, stating, "In the 12th episode, Baek Mi-so dies, and I feel like I opened the door to 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun.' I wanted to create enough of a catalyst within the episodes given to me rather than just wanting to appear more. Fans have expressed their disappointment at my limited appearances, but I was aware of my allotted time, so I wasn't too disappointed."
Lee Ruda portrayed the middle school third-year character Baek Mi-so. He said, "I chose it with confidence, feeling that I could do it well, but as the shooting approached, I wondered if I could actually do it. One of my concerns was the setting of being a third-year middle school student, as my friends were much younger than I. I worried about how a third-year middle school student would look, so I went to a PC bang. The middle school friends I saw there were different from my third-year days and felt even younger. With that in mind, I tried to express Baek Mi-so as a third-year middle school student, but the director came and told me, 'Don't try too hard to act young.' He suggested that it would be better to just express it naturally as Lee Ruda, which lightened my heart.
Outwardly a third-year middle school character, but the emotional lines were more complex and profound than any other character. Given the short duration, there must have been a struggle to deliver more impact. Lee Ruda said, "Baek Mi-so is a tragic character who makes extreme choices, so I thought about what that must feel like and why someone would come to such thoughts. I found myself wondering if I could express those emotions that must involve tremendous pain. I looked up many interviews with psychological counselors and psychiatrists. Isn't there a big difference between thinking about extreme choices and actually taking them? So I prepared while pondering those thoughts." He continued, "I'd say it's about four out of five stars. In the future, when I take on more projects and gain more experiences, I don't know what score I'll give to 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun,' but for now, I think it's quite high in difficulty."
Director Kim Jin-hyung alleviated Lee Ruda's concerns. Lee said, "The director often told me, 'Baek Mi-so is very important.' I tend to struggle when I can't understand, so I asked a lot of questions. I found it quite strange how Mi-so would get angry at her mother when there was nothing her mother had done wrong. I wondered why she would get angry and be rude, but the director explained, 'Mi-so doesn't truly hate her mother; she just needs someone to direct her anger at.' I reflected on this and thought that sometimes we neglect and fail to show respect to those closest to us, like family. Especially since Baek Mi-so is at an age of great emotional fluctuations as a middle school student, I felt I could express that.
Having created 'Baek Mi-so' through deep research into her character and guidance from the director, Lee Ruda successfully opened the door for 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun' before exiting. Not only did she show profound understanding and immersion into her character, but she also drew attention by leaving messages about suicide prevention on social media. Regarding why she left those messages, Lee explained, "While preparing for 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun,' I looked up many counseling sessions from psychiatrists. I thought that there might be people who made decisions similar to Baek Mi-so's after facing the rooftop scene, and some might have come close to that door. Expressing certain parts of the drama weighed heavily on my heart, and since this is not just one method or means, I wanted to share some words with those who may be struggling with such issues."
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