Actor Kim Yoo-jung spoke about Kim Do-hoon, who was the subject of her first-ever dating rumors.
Kim Yoo-jung conducted an interview on the 25th at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, for the TVing original Dear X (written by Choi Ja-won and Ban Ji-woon, directed by Lee Eung-bok and Park So-hyun).
Dear X depicts the story of a woman who wears a mask to escape hell and climb to the highest place and the Xs who were brutally trampled by her. It is a tragic and beautiful melodrama about the downfall of a woman who hid a cruel nature behind a beautiful face and the desperate, beautiful downfall of a man who chose hell to protect her.
Kim Yoo-jung played Baek Ah-jin, who wears a mask to survive. She is South Korea's top actress who stepped on precarious childhood wounds to reach the highest place. Kim Yoo-jung received praise for micro-expressions that switch from an angelic, beautiful "national actress" smile in front of the public to a cold, contemptuous look the moment she turns away.
Through Dear X, Kim Yoo-jung ranked first in TVing weekly paid subscriber contributions, driving the platform's growth, and stayed near the top in the drama cast popularity category. She also placed high on global OTT charts, proving that Kim Yoo-jung's acting and looks resonated overseas.
Through Dear X, Kim Yoo-jung worked with Kim Young-dae (as Yoon Joon-seo) and Kim Do-hoon (as Kim Jae-o). Kim Yoo-jung said of her feelings toward Baek Ah-jin, "The title itself is Dear X. While playing Baek Ah-jin, I felt and thought that Baek Ah-jin has her own way of loving. It's not the typical, ordinary way of love, but the character had her own way of affection, like the word 'dear,' and there were characters who were connected to that. Yoon Joon-seo, Shim Seong-hee (played by Kim Yi-kyung), her father— I think they all shared affection with Baek Ah-jin in her way, not in the other person's. The keywords were different for each character. Yoon Joon-seo had an attachment formed from childhood, so the bond was well established, but they each missed the timing to leave and were swept into an uncontrollable vortex. In Kim Jae-o's case, sometimes he was like a parent bird comforting a baby bird, sometimes like a baby bird waiting for the parent. I think Baek Ah-jin projected her childhood self onto Kim Jae-o," she said.
Kim Yoo-jung, Kim Young-dae and Kim Do-hoon built relationships by meeting and getting to know each other before filming, and that chemistry came through even more strongly in the work. Kim Yoo-jung said, "Even before filming started, we opened scripts together like a reading and shared scenes we were curious about and our opinions. Because we were close before shooting, we could film in a family-like atmosphere. I remember enjoying the acting without any discomfort, becoming each character. Both of them are pure, clear and bright actors. They had many ideas and I couldn't single anyone out. They showed a lot of respect for one another, and I felt very grateful," she said.
She added, "I worried a lot because my character Baek Ah-jin is someone who isolates herself in a way. I was concerned that when the actors interacted, it might seem like they couldn't connect with me, so I deliberately tried to get closer to offset that. I even asked for understanding in advance, but those concerns faded as we enjoyed filming, and I'm grateful for that. It wasn't just the two of them; all the actors who appeared were like that."
Kim Young-dae and Hwang In-yeop revealed they are both Kim Yoo-jung's "true fans" and openly shared their fandom, drawing attention. Kim Yoo-jung said, "Kim Young-dae said he was a fan from the first time we met. Hwang In-yeop said on a variety show that it would be nice to work together, and it's amazing and appreciated that they called themselves my fans. I wanted to work comfortably and leave good memories, and I tried with that in mind, and we actually had a very enjoyable shoot. Hwang In-yeop made a special appearance, and it was a role that required a lot of effort. I'm grateful he perfectly played Heo In-gang," she said.
Perhaps because they were so close. Although the rumors were proven baseless, Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Do-hoon were once embroiled in dating rumors. Kim Yoo-jung laughed, "It was my first dating rumor since debut. We joked among ourselves that we hoped the show would do well because of this. I'm proud that people liked not only the relationship with Yoon Joon-seo but also the relationship with Kim Jae-o. I'm glad many people liked the work."
[photo] Dear X
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