Ha Ye-rin, who played the female lead Sophie in "Bridgerton 4," talked about her chemistry with Luke Thompson, who plays the male lead Benedict.
Netflix Korea held a press conference for the original series "Bridgerton 4" on the afternoon of the 4th at Community Masil in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Ha Ye-rin, who played the female lead Sophie in "Bridgerton 4," attended the event. Under the moderation of broadcaster Park Kyung-rim, she spoke with domestic reporters about the series and her recent activities.
"Bridgerton" is based on Julia Quinn's best-selling novels and is set in the British Regency era, telling the love stories of the Bridgerton family's place in London high society. In season 4, Benedict, the Bridgerton family's second son, showed a love that transcended social status with Sophie Beck, a maid born out of wedlock, earning intense popularity. Riding that wave, it became the No. 1 global series on Netflix, and in Korea it rose to the top two despite being a foreign series, generating significant buzz.
But could it be because an East Asian actress appeared as the female lead? During the show's promotion, in some foreign countries there were compositions that placed a white actress at the center instead of Ha Ye-rin, which sparked accusations of racial discrimination. Fans voiced outrage over this. Did Ha Ye-rin feel that as well?
Ha Ye-rin said, "Actually, I never personally felt any racist or discriminatory treatment toward me on set in any form. I think some detailed aspects were overlooked. But those things were not intentional or conscious. I personally did not feel anything, but I could see the points where people, when they saw it, felt personally why they reacted that way."
She added, "I think this is an opportunity for us to understand overlooked details and show tolerance to one another. On the other hand, I also think various media can ensure those details are not overlooked. Those are aspects I, too, should have experienced while working previously. I found it interesting. I hope we can take such situations as opportunities to learn together that these things exist. I hope it does not lead to excessive criticism or hatred."
Above all, Ha Ye-rin spoke emphatically about the changing atmosphere regarding racial discrimination on international drama sets: "Change is definitely happening. The change is in 'attitude.'" She emphasized, "There is a change in attitude toward how people treat actors of color, and now there is a fairer attitude compared to before. If you ask when I first felt that change, I think the mere fact that we can audition marked the start of that shift. Even if it is not a leading role, the fact that East Asian actors are given audition opportunities, even for small parts, clearly felt like a change."
She said, "One of the things I think "Bridgerton" does very well is portraying a society that does not judge by skin color or outward appearance. It is the most ideal society. There is no prejudice, no racial discrimination, and Shondaland portrayed a hopeful and radiant image well. It depicted scenes we could not actually see on the streets. Perhaps growing up in Australia and the time I spent in the United States, living among diverse races, allowed me to feel that. I think that image is the natural form of society we envision," adding, "Nothing should be a reason to separate us."
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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