The girl group Hot Issue's Kim Hyung-shin is making a fresh start as rookie actress Baek Seora. Baek Seora, who secured a leading role in her debut work through 'Doctor Shin' and earned the title "Im Seong-han's Cinderella," shared her determination for the future.
Recently at the OSEN office in Mapo-gu, Seoul, a closing interview was held with Baek Seora, the lead actress of TV CHOSUN's weekend drama 'Doctor Shin.' 'Doctor Shin' is a medical thriller about a genius doctor who challenges the realm of the divine and a woman whose brain is damaged overnight and who is losing her soul.
As this was her first step as an actress, Baek Seora, when asked how she felt about sending off 'Doctor Shin,' said, This work was my first project and we spent a long year together, so I still can't predict how I'll feel once the final broadcast airs and the work called 'Doctor Shin' concludes. I think I'll feel both relieved and a bit wistful, maybe also disappointed. In some ways I might feel unburdened; it's hard to predict, she confessed.
She continued, Because it was my first job, that may have been why, but it wasn't easy to let go of this character immediately. I had many regrets when I thought about it alone. I later thought, 'I should have tried doing more of this,' but for now I'm watching the broadcast as a viewer with anticipation since we worked hard, she said.
Baek Seora played Momo, a top-ranking popular actress whose brain was damaged in an accident. Recalling the challenging journey to win the role through auditions, she said, There were first and second round auditions. I passed the first round and in the second round I competed tournament-style for 10 hours and earned this very precious role.
At the time of acceptance, Baek Seora, who said she was stunned, recalled, I heard the competition was fierce because it was writer Im Seong-han's audition. Before thinking, 'Can I win this audition?' my mindset was 'Let's do our best.' I tried not to be greedy, to do my best and come back without regret. I think they kindly viewed that positively, she said.
When asked whether she had been told why she was cast, she said, We asked that question a lot early on because we were curious. If we asked, 'Could you tell us why I was cast as Momo?' they would ask back, 'Why do you think that is?' I don't think I heard a clear answer, but once the writer said the character she had drawn was clear and that they probably cast me because my image and tendencies fit. Personally, I think they liked my rough passion. I believe they saw the potential that I could portray various characters. In some ways they may have cast me because I was a new face, she said candidly.
Having proven her potential by taking the lead despite being a newcomer and earning the title "Im Seong-han's Cinderella," Baek Seora vowed, I'm very grateful for that title. I think to keep such a title, even after being introduced through the writer's work, you have to continue on a steady path. Now that I've earned that title once, I want to work hard to maintain it. I'm glad to have received such a grateful title, she said determinedly.
Momo, the role Baek Seora played, is a character who, after her brain is damaged in an accident, undergoes multiple 'brain change' surgeries and gives her body to other people. About the character Momo, she explained, The original Momo, the writer emphasized, should have a touch of elegance and occasionally a bouncy, age-appropriate charm. I thought Momo needed to be so attractive that she would keep changing brains to maintain her body, so even in brief scenes I thought most about how Momo could be more attractive and how to make her a likable character.
About the much-discussed first meeting scenes with Shin Ju-shin (played by Jung I-chan) and Ha Yong-jung (played by An Woo Yeon), she said, In some ways those were among the top two scenes we worked hardest on. She recalled appearing at a blind date with Ju-shin wearing a flashy medieval-style dress that drew attention, and said, It was Ju-shin and Momo's impactful, long-breathed first scene, so we put the most effort and time into practice. The dress itself was noted in the script as 'Momo who came during filming,' so I didn't predict it would become this much of a topic. The script described it as a 'medieval-style black bell dress.' Sometimes the writer draws such a clear picture that she even notes precisely what the character is wearing.
She also said she worked hard on the scene where she dances in front of Ha Yong-jung playing the double bass at the 'night of gratitude.' Baek Seora said, I majored in applied dance and practiced dance hard, but the writer directed that scene step by step. During that process, because Momo is an actress, not a singer or dancer, the writer wanted the movement to feel like body motions coming from the mood rather than precise choreography, and not like a tidy choreographed routine, which made it harder for me. We practiced that scene a lot during readings, and the writer once showed how she wanted it done. I also practiced a lot with Yong-jung oppa. We discussed, 'Would it be more charming like this?' and 'This would look prettier from Yong-jung's perspective,' and made a scene we were proud of. I'm grateful those two scenes became topics of conversation. It feels rewarding that people remember the effort we put in.
After the brain changes, Momo's body came to host the identities of Hyun Ran-hee (played by Song Ji In), Kim Jin-ju (played by Cheon Young-min), and Geum Ba-ra (played by Joo Se bin), requiring Baek Seora to perform four roles in one. She said, When I first got the role they explained little by little. They told me, 'This is the story and you'll have to play this one and that one too,' which worried me at first. I was concerned about taking on a major role in my first work, and then having to take on three more roles? I was worried, but I thought if I could do it well, it would be a great opportunity to show different sides of me, so I wanted to work harder and be ambitious.
When asked what differences she gave to each character, she said, Thankfully, the script itself clearly divided the characteristics. If we had difficulty capturing a character during readings, the writer or senior actors playing those roles helped a lot. They created the traits for Jin-ju and Ran-hee. Jin-ju has a habit of licking her lips, and Ran-hee subtly rolls her eyes even if it isn't obvious. The sound characteristics of Ran-hee and Jin-ju were clearly defined. For me, I just had to implement and follow those traits well. Because the original Momo is calm and the writer emphasized 'elegance' as a point, I think that contrast made Ran-hee and Jin-ju stand out clearly.
On the first impression of the 'brain change' concept, Baek Seora said, It was a very new subject to me too. I was curious how it would become reality, how it would be filmed and how it would be presented. Because it was such a new concept, we often wondered during filming how viewers could naturally accept this process. I tried hard to understand Ran-hee's psychology: why she decided on brain change and how her impulses might have shifted in the middle part. Afterwards, since parts are forced, I also tried to follow Jin-ju's psychology in wanting Momo's body.
To achieve such perfect chemistry, the lead actors, including Baek Seora, met every day for four months of practice from morning to night before filming. Baek Seora said, We applied many different systems. Sometimes we did full readings with the director, and other times we picked out scenes and practiced only those. A few senior actors helped so we practiced with the writer and set up a camera as if filming. We practiced countless times in various systems so the lines would come comfortably to me.
As a result, much of the difficulty with the lines was resolved. Given writer Im Seong-han's tendency to write atypical lines, Baek Seora, who admitted, In the beginning it was naturally difficult, recalled, Spending time with the writer helped because she actually uses that manner of speech. I was able to directly ask the writer, 'Why use inversion here, why stop at this point, why use this tone?' and talk about it, which sped up resolving my questions. It took time to repetitively practice until it felt natural.
The four months of practice played a big role not only in memorizing lines but also in bringing the actors closer. As the youngest on set by age and experience, Baek Seora said, What was good about the four months of work was that we grew very close and that reduced the burden and worry when filming began. The unnis and oppas who filmed with me took great care of me, so I could film in a comfortable state and I am thankful. During readings I had a lot of worry and burden about the character at first. I had that alone initially, but thankfully the unnis and oppas asked me first. They often said, 'If you're having a hard time, ask first. We'll help you somehow.' I felt grateful to have people I could rely on, and filming with supportive unnis and oppas helped me complete the work safely.
Having experienced many things from her first work, Baek Seora said, That one year was very fulfilling. I learned a lot and was able to grow, so it is even more precious. I think this year's learning can become a very good experience and support, a foundation and land for my future acting career.
After a long period as an idol trainee, Baek Seora debuted in 2021 with the girl group Hot Issue. But Hot Issue disbanded before a year of activity, and afterwards Baek Seora connected with her current agency through a good opportunity and made a fresh start as an actress. She said, After the idol ended I went into another company and then left, and a good opportunity arose that led me to my current company. That was when I was about 22, and in some ways that was the first time I properly started learning acting. Acting gets harder the more you dig into it, so I want to do it for a long time. The more I learn, the more academic passion I get. The more I work on acting, the more I want to learn and know. That made me want to pursue acting as a long-term career.
Reflecting on the meaningful start she made with 'Doctor Shin,' Baek Seora said, It was a work where I felt many new emotions while challenging various characters. I think it became an unforgettable first start. She revealed she is currently 'actively auditioning' for her next project and said, I want to try everything without picking and choosing. If I had to pick one, I'd like to try a school drama. And maybe because of scenes shown in 'Doctor Shin,' staff sometimes told me during filming that I might do well in thrillers. I'd like to try that genre too.
When asked about her goals, Baek Seora said, I tend not to set distant future goals. I tried that before and when I failed to achieve them I felt a big sense of loss. So I set short-term goals that I think I can achieve if I work hard now. She added, In fact, I'm still at the tail end of completing 'Doctor Shin' safely. So I'm thinking about what goals to set next.
She added, I seem to be someone who lives with a rough sincerity. I don't lie, and at first glance I'm not flashy. But I live with the thought, 'Someone will someday recognize sincere intention,' and I think that could become an appealing trait, she said, citing her strength and raising expectations for her future path.
[Photo] OSEN reporter Ji Hyung-joon
[OSEN]