Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
Kim Hee-sun plays double roles in soul-changing thriller
From left are actor Kim Young-kwang, actresses Kim Hae-sook and Kim Hee-sun, cast for tvN's upcoming fantasy thriller “Room No.9” during a press event in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of CJ ENM
By Park Jin-hai
By Park Jin-hai
Kim Hee-sun, heroine of the 2017 mystery thriller “The Lady in Dignity,” returns to the small screen this year in the fantasy thriller “Room No.9.”
In the 16-part weekend drama, the 41-year-old actress will take the role of the young and beautiful but manipulative lawyer Eulji Hae-yi, whose soul gets switched with death-row convict Jang Hwa-sa, played by veteran actress Kim Hae-sook, in room No.9, an inmate-lawyer meeting room.
Although the soul-switching story is not very innovative in Korean dramas, tapped mostly in romantic comedies and depicted humorously, “Room No.9” uses it as a device to intensify the plot.
“The switching souls story is not entirely new. But when it was used elsewhere, it often led to humor. In this drama, soul-changing will be used differently, driving the characters into a more dire situation,” the television series' director Ji Young-soo said during a press conference at Amoris Hall in Seoul, Tuesday.
Eulji, trapped in the convict's body, strives to prove who she is and escape from the cell, while Jang who was sentenced to death for a crime she didn't commit is freed in Eulji's body and tries to find the truth behind the big scheme that incriminated her 34 years ago.
Kim Hee-sun challenges her first double role with this drama. “The story itself is compelling and I was deeply intrigued by the soul-changing scenario. So without any doubt or hesitation, I decided to take on this project,” Kim said. “It is also my first time to play a lawyer. For me, this project is the biggest challenge of my entire acting career.”
Calling Kim Hae-sook's acting “monster-like,” Hee-sun said that whenever she sees the 62-year-old veteran actress performing, it humbles her. “Hae-sook is a top-notch actress who any actors would want to work with. As her counterpart, I cannot help but feel some pressure to excel in my acting,” she said. “When I see her acting and compare it with my acting, I feel like I still have a long way to go to become a great actress like Hae-sook.”
Hae-sook, who debuted in 1974, also says the dual role was a challenge to her. “It is my first dual role, too. It has been interesting but harder to do than what I initially thought it would be. Instead of forcing myself to create the difference between the two, I tried to have a different look and focused on my acting instead. While I was acting Jang the convict, I didn't wear any makeup,” Hae-sook said.
Kim Young-kwang, the rising star of the romantic comedy film “On Your Wedding Day,” will play Eulji's love interest and the one who holds the key to solving the mystery in the fantasy thriller.
tvN's new Saturday-Sunday drama series will premiere at 9 p.m. on Saturday.