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| Actress Jeon Yeo-been / Courtesy of Netflix |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
In the first few months of 2021, actress Jeon Yeo-been has starred in two different projects. She plays a feisty lawyer in tvN's drama series, "Vincenzo," and a taciturn sharpshooter in the noir film, "Night in Paradise." The two seemingly different characters have one striking similarity: both seek revenge against people who killed their families.
"Vincenzo's Hong Cha-young becomes a relentless fighter for justice after her father dies. Jae-yeon of Night in Paradise also has a thirst for revenge after witnessing her family's murder," she said during an interview with The Korea Times via Zoom, Friday.
To play the stone-faced sharpshooter in the film, Jeon had to learn target shooting. "I was offered the role when I was filming the latter part of JTBC's Melo is My Nature (2019). I was worried about shooting guns in the beginning, so I went to shooting ranges for a few months before I started filming. As I worked harder to prepare for the role, my skills improved over time," she said.
Jeon added, "I tried to maintain a strong gaze when filming shooting scenes, because that best describes Jae-yeon's dynamic personality."
The 32-year-old actress revealed that she ponders the emotions and situations of the characters she plays before filming, so her actual personality traits are reflected in each work. When asked if it is difficult to say goodbye to one character before moving on to another, she said it's fairly easy.
"While I'm filming, I'm often immersed in the emotions and situations of the character. But when the filming is over, I'm quick to return to my daily life," she said.
Jeon said she has been a devoted fan of Hong Kong noir films, especially the works of Wong Kar-wai.
"I grew up watching Hong Kong noir films. As a kid, I often imagined myself playing the lead role in such movies, performing gun fights and sacrificing myself for the sake of friendship," she said.
"When I first started reading the script, Jae-yeon's character seemed less attractive. But in the final scene, I realized that she would be a rare character in Korean action noir. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to play Jae-yeon, who brings a totally new character at the center of all male characters."
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| Actors Jeon Yeo-been, left, and Song Joong-ki in a scene from tvN's "Vincenzo" / Courtesy of tvN |
Jeon said she can sense her growing popularity thanks to a huge following on her social media.
"I recently launched an Instagram account, and the majority of the comments are from my international fans who have watched my dramas and films on Netflix. I was surprised by how global the reach of K-content has become," she said.
The actress continued to discuss her most memorable character, which is Young-hee from the mystery drama, "After My Death" (2018). Jeon won numerous awards for playing the high school student struggling to cope with the loss of her friend who has committed suicide, including the Actress of the Year Award at the Busan International Film Festival in 2017 and the Independent Star Award at the Seoul Independent Film Festival the same year.
"All the characters I've played so far mean a lot to me, but I think Young-hee of After My Death was a real turning point for me as an actor. It opened doors to so many great opportunities," she said.
On moving from indie films to more commercially-driven movies, Jeon said she is still taking baby steps and is experimenting with her acting in a variety of roles that interest her.
"The indie film scene was like a playground for me, which allowed me to try all sorts of things without being judged. When I look back at the time when I was 21, a college student who aspired to become an actor but lacked opportunities, I feel extremely lucky that I now have a workplace to go to every day and be able to pursue what I had dreamed of," she said.
Jeon made her debut in the film "The Treacherous" (2015) and her TV debut in "Save Me" (2017). She will be seen next in Netflix's original series, "Glitch."
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