INTERVIEW Park Se-young feels emotional bond with character in 'Mental Coach Jegal'

Actress Park Se-young plays the role of a counselor in the tvN series, “Mental Coach Jegal.” Courtesy of tvN

Actress returns to small screen after 3-year recharging period

By Lee Gyu-lee

Actress Park Se-young has made a small screen comeback with “Mental Coach Jegal,” picking up her acting career again following a three-year hiatus after the 2019 action series, “Special Labor Inspector.”

Actress Park Se-young / Courtesy of CLN Company

The actress, who has taken part in a series every year since her debut in 2011, said that returning after taking some time off has changed her approach to acting.

“I usually get really nervous (when I'm acting). I'm a perfectionist so I have so many thoughts going on in my head and (now,) I consciously try to tell myself to let loose,” Park said during an interview with The Korea Times, held at the office of her agency, CLN Company, in Gangnam District, Seoul, Thursday.

“I felt I've changed a lot (filming this series). And I think the viewers felt I've gotten more relaxed. My friends who know the 'real me' complimented me a lot, saying that, unlike my previous roles, which were somewhat different, this time it was much more like me.”

The 16-part sports series, which wrapped up on Nov. 1, follows a former national team taekwondo athlete, Jegal Gil (Jung Woo), who becomes a mental health coach in the athletes' village for national team athletes.

Park played the role of former psychiatrist Park Seung-ha, who now works as a counselor in the village. She has been living a model life, being a good daughter and going to a prestigious medical school. But when she reunites with Jegal, who was the reason she left the hospital years ago, she gets a new take on her life as she works with him.

The actress expressed that she felt emotionally deeply connected with her character.

“As I was portraying the character of Seung-ha, I felt for her and there were moments when I felt identical (to the character). Through the phase that made this character grow, I felt that it also has made me personally grow, as if Seung-ha was guiding me through my mental health. I felt as if she was comforting me, rather than feeling like I was playing the character.”

A scene from the tvN series, “Mental Coach Jegal” / Courtesy of tvN

Park took a year off for the first time in her career in 2018, before “Special Labor Inspector,” and took another three years to have some time for self-care and to recharge from burnout.

“I think I wasn't realizing what was going on. I was getting more and more exhausted mentally as I worked. I tried to be grateful for having work and did my best every time. But I think those thoughts were actually what made it hard,” she said, adding that she felt lost.

“I felt there wouldn't be any next step if I didn't reconnect with myself … I want to act for the rest of my life so I needed to take care of myself in such an unstable, difficult state.”

She said that she took the time to explore her feelings, enjoy time alone at cafes and just simply resting. She added that this much-needed time has opened her eyes to the next chapter of her life, including marrying her husband, actor Kwak Jung-wook, earlier this year.

“(My husband) encouraged me to spend the time I needed. I got married after I had fully taken care of my mind. I felt that this had to be done before I moved forward with anything. And when it finally did, then I could see the things that I wanted to do (in my life),” she said.