Can Korea's 'Taeppeu' become a global 'Taeppeu'? Actress Kim Tae-hee, who dominated the domestic scene with her beauty, is aiming for a global debut through her first global series 'Butterfly.'
The Amazon Prime original series 'Butterfly' will have its first broadcast today (22nd) on tvN. 'Butterfly' depicts the story of David Chung (played by Daniel Dae Kim), a former U.S. intelligence agent shrouded in mystery, and Rebecca (played by ReiNa Hardesty), an active agent dispatched to kill him. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Arash Amel, it has been adapted into a six-part drama for the U.S. OTT Amazon Prime.
Among them, Kim Tae-hee's appearance drew significant attention domestically. Kim Tae-hee, Song Hye-kyo, and Jeon Ji-hyun are still considered the most beautiful actresses representing the Korean entertainment industry, with 'Taehyeji' being referred to as a proper noun. Among them, Song Hye-kyo made her global debut with the Netflix original series 'The Glory,' and Jeon Ji-hyun is set to make her debut with the upcoming Disney+ original series 'Polaris.' In this context, Kim Tae-hee has also successfully made her first global debut through 'Butterfly.'
Kim Tae-hee plays the role of Kim Eun-joo, David Chung's Korean wife. At a press conference for 'Butterfly' held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall on the 21st, Kim Tae-hee introduced her character, saying, "In a way, she is the most ordinary Korean woman among the roles I have played so far." She also noted, "This time, in a way, it feels like a supporting role. I have always participated as the main character leading the entire work, but I think I can take on a good role supporting the main characters, ReiNa and Daniel, and reinforcing the story's plausibility. I hope that rather than focusing on me, everyone enjoys the entire work and finds an opportunity to feel the advantages of Korea closely."
Although it is a rare supporting role for her, Kim Tae-hee stated, "There was no reason not to choose it." In addition to it being her first global work, she said, "When I saw the script, I got so engrossed in the story that I read through all six episodes at once for fun." Kim Tae-hee revealed, "Eun-joo does not have that many scenes. In total, there are only one or two scenes where she appears. However, I could relate to her, and if I could show a good image of Korean women through my performance, I thought it would be incredibly fulfilling and a great honor."
There were also challenges with her first global work. Kim Tae-hee expressed surprise, saying, "There were many moments when I had to act in a language that is not my mother tongue, so I expected to do a lot of dubbing. But I hardly did it at all." Kim Ji-hoon, who appeared alongside her, humorously revealed, "It seems that the sister did well. I did a lot of dubbing," which drew laughter. Nevertheless, Kim Tae-hee remarked, "No matter how well I did, I couldn't avoid dubbing, and I felt that it was essential to prioritize the on-set experience." Daniel Dae Kim emphasized, "In the end, what matters is how the work turned out, and those who acted in English were excellent," adding humorously, "Not everyone graduated from Seoul National University," highlighting Kim Tae-hee's background as a graduate of the institution.
Of course, even for Kim Tae-hee, known as the 'Seoul National University goddess,' English lines were by no means easy. Kim Tae-hee said, "Acting in English was very difficult. I practiced a lot. While I was memorizing at home, going over it again and again, there were some tough parts. The writer had completed all six episodes and came to Korea, watching over the scenes from the first to the last scene. If there were any better expressions, he would change them, and he was very dedicated. My first shoot was a scene in the first episode where I had to talk on the phone with Daniel. That scene had to be performed entirely in English, but due to my intense practice, changing even one or two sentences became very difficult. It wouldn't have been so hard if the changes had been in Korean, but since I had already memorized everything, it became tough," she admitted. She added, "Since my mother tongue is not English, I was aware that I could not perfectly achieve that pronunciation or intonation, so at that moment, I focused as much as possible on Eun-joo's emotions. There was an effort to concentrate more on the emotions than on the English pronunciation to immerse myself in the character."
Even at that moment, Daniel's consideration provided strength to Kim Tae-hee throughout the filming. Kim Tae-hee recalled, "The first time I met Daniel was during a Zoom meeting. It was before casting, but after receiving the script, the writer, producer, some staff, and Daniel had a meeting where he expressed his interest in Eun-joo and his desire to take on the role. I tried to speak in English as much as possible, but in situations where I could only speak in Korean, Daniel took on the role of interpreter, which made me feel very comfortable."
"Since then, I have relied on him a lot. The first impression when we met was good, which helped us portray the couple's chemistry well. At that time, he was wearing glasses and smiling pleasantly, and I felt he was a 'good person'. Even during the project, as we are an international couple, we discussed what it would be like for other international couples, considering our different mother tongues and nationalities. We talked a lot about whether certain lines would feel better in Korean or English, which would better convey our feelings naturally. Before the scenes, we matched our lines a lot, trying it out in Korean and English, and even mixing them up to choose the best language. Also, since Daniel is a producer, and the writer entrusted the actors, we ended up discussing and relying on each other, which helped us become closer," she shared.
Kim Tae-hee's husband, singer and actor Rain (Jung Ji-hoon), also showed unwavering support. Moreover, Rain had previously experienced global projects through the movie 'Ninja Assassin' before Kim Tae-hee. When asked for advice regarding this, Kim Tae-hee said, "From the moment I received this project until now, my husband has supported and encouraged me a lot. He said it's a wonderful opportunity, so I should definitely take it. When I hesitated about whether it was okay to go to the New York premiere, where I am not the main character, he told me to go without hesitation. It's an opportunity to promote the drama and showcase Kim Tae-hee as an actress, and he encouraged me to work hard from start to finish on this project. I feel secure and at ease while filming and promoting the work," she revealed.
So what kind of face does Kim Tae-hee want to show to her global fans? She explained, "The works that always attract me are roles I have never done before. This project is a refreshing and new opportunity as a collaboration between Korea and the United States. On the other hand, the role I played is an ordinary and typical Korean woman more than any other role. It's just that the man who falls in love is a former spy, leading to unusual experiences."
"So I hope the audience can relate to the woman Eun-joo. This time, I made my makeup lighter, kept my hair natural, and chose ordinary clothes. I stood in front of the camera in a look closest to my usual appearance, and surprisingly, I felt comfortable. I thought the outfits and hairstyles should provide visual appeal without greatly deviating from the character, but this time I wanted everything to back up the plausibility within the overall story, so I entrusted the hair, costume, and makeup to match the overall concept. For me, it was a new discovery to be comfortable standing in front of the camera without heavy decoration. I wonder how the viewers will perceive it," she expressed, revealing both excitement and tension.
Amidst both expectations and pressures, Kim Tae-hee is making her first global debut work. Despite her limited screen time, she actively promoted in Korea as a solo guest on the tvN entertainment show 'You Quiz on the Block.' During the New York premiere event, she demonstrated her readiness for international activities by skillfully handling English interviews with foreign media.
What kind of reception will Kim Tae-hee receive? At the red carpet event for 'Butterfly' held on the 18th, her first meeting with fans, a lively atmosphere of anticipation prevailed. Kim Tae-hee expressed, "It has been a long time since I met the audience and reporters at a screening in theaters. I knew I would promote through the work, but I had no idea there would be such an event. Experiencing a fascinating premiere in New York and then returning to Korea to receive such a warm welcome was incredibly touching, and it was a happy moment that made my heart warm and comfortable," she smiled. Kim Tae-hee, still remembered by fans as the proper noun 'Taeppeu (Kim Tae-hee is pretty)', is on the brink of becoming a global 'Taeppeu.'
'Butterfly,' featuring Kim Tae-hee, will premiere on tvN tonight at 10:40 p.m.
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by tvN.
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