Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
'Innocence' actor talks on first lead role on big screen
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actress Shin Hye-sun poses for a photo after an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Kidari ENT
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Shin Hye-sun, a rising actress who earned fame through 2017 smash-hit tvN drama “Stranger” and KBS' “My Golden Life,” has taken her first lead role on the silver screen.
In the upcoming crime drama “Innocence,” Shin plays Jung-in, an attorney who tries to prove her long-estranged mother Hwa-ja's innocence in a murder case.
Hwa-ja (played by Bae Jong-ok), a woman suffering from dementia, is accused of mixing agricultural pesticide in makgeolli (rice wine) at her husband's funeral, which led to one death and three severe injuries.
Shin said she was attracted to Jung-in's character, who is strong-minded even in difficult circumstances.
“To be honest, Jung-in is the kind of character that you don't want to befriend,” Shin said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Friday.
“Growing up with a violent father and negligent mother, Jung-in leaves her abusive home life before enrolling in a college. Imagine how tough and lonely it must have been for her to graduate and become a lawyer without any support from her family. She appears confident and determined, but has a deep-seated inferiority complex.”
Shin revealed that she used Elizabeth Sloane in political thriller “Miss Sloane” for her character study. “Director Park Sang-hyun wanted Jung-in to exude razor-sharp confidence and a cold smile,” she said.
While the story follows how Jung-in uncovers the small town's buried secrets, the story also centers on the mother-daughter relationship.
On her chemistry with Bae, Shin said, “There weren't many scenes where we worked together. Story-wise we were supposed to be seeing each other for the first time in over a decade, so we tried to stay distant from each other.”
She did not attempt to see Bae with aged make-up before filming the scene in order to focus on her estranged feeling.
“In the scene where Jung-in meets her mother in a reception room, she displays complex emotions. I'd say Jung-in's feeling toward Hwa-ja is a love/hate relationship. She still loves and cares for her mother. It's just that she was deeply disappointed,” Shin said.
Shin and Bae have recently confirmed they will appear in the fusion historical drama titled “Queen Cheorin.” “I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Bae and I will be starring together in the upcoming drama series,” she said.
On her successful acting career spanning eight years, Shin expressed both gratitude and excitement about realizing her childhood dream.
“When I started acting, I just thought I'd be happy to appear on TV and the big screen. I've come to realize that acting requires great amount of responsibility. It also pushes you to your limits in order to improve your acting,” Shin said.
“I feel like I need to prepare and work harder to portray the various emotions my character has.”
“Innocence” will hit local theaters on June 10.