"The Defects" actor Yang So-min left a strong presence with her chilling dual performance.
Yang So-min took on the role of Seok-soo's (played by Oh Seung-jun) mother in ENA "The Defects" (directed by Oh Gi-hwan / written by Ahn So-jung / produced by Group 8 and Take One Studio), portraying the 'two faces of motherhood' with complexity, and simultaneously giving viewers a chilling shock and lingering effect. In particular, her performance of hypocritical maternal love, which uses the adopted child Seok-soo strategically under cold calculation, maximized the tension of the drama through Yang So-min's unique delicate control.
In the recently aired 6th episode, Seok-soo's past narrative was revealed, showing how horrific his childhood was. Yang So-min expressed the duality of motherhood sharply by noting, "Did you think such a precious prince would come to me back then?" preferring her husband's biological son and completely pushing away the adopted Seok-soo. It was a moment that convincingly revealed the character's psychology, where cynicism precedes the wounds.
As the children's identities were revealed and reports surfaced about Seok-soo being alive, the first person to grasp the essence of the situation was Seok-soo's mother. Yang So-min stimulated her husband, Kwon Gang-man (played by Son Jong-hak), who was in crisis, and then, in front of reporters, delivered a heartbreaking performance as a parent who lost her son, kneeling and screaming. However, all these scenes were thoroughly acted to restore a political image, and Yang So-min subtly portrayed the dual psychology of a character who rationally designed extreme emotions even within this show, providing a chilling immersion.
In this scene, Yang So-min suggested that even a single tear was a calculated emotion, depicting the layers of acting that made fake feelings appear genuine. While appearing to be broken on the surface, she convincingly embodied a dual character hiding thorough selfishness and survival strategies, provoking a cool shiver among viewers.
In particular, the mother, who never once defended Seok-soo, exposed to verbal abuse and mistreatment in the past, instead silently stepped aside, embodies indifference and complicity, acting as a key point that reveals the essence of 'fake motherhood' and enhances the emotional density of the drama.
Yang So-min is an actor who has previously showcased her profound acting skills across various genres. In "The Defects," she also proved her presence by influencing the atmosphere of the play in a short time. Her performance, which condenses 'political calculation,' 'fake motherhood,' and 'cold-hearted nature' within a single character, shines with calculated details down to the spacing of her glances, expressions, and breaths, reaffirming Yang So-min's unique dense acting.
"The Defects" is an action thriller that depicts the brutal survival and revenge of children abandoned by their adoptive parents, sharply shedding light on the distorted desires of adults who wanted only 'perfect children.' At the center, Yang So-min plays a character who exploits the most human emotion, 'motherhood,' in the most inhumane way, serving as a key character that dramatically implements the overall message of the drama.
Yang So-min, thus carefully building up the 'two faces of motherhood,' serves as a decisive energy that expands the drama's narrative and elevates the temperature of conflict among characters to its peak. With a weight beyond simple appearance, she has driven the cruel reality and social satire of the world within "The Defects," and her future development is closely watched.
[Photo] ENA
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