Singer and actress Kim Sejeong wrapped up her first historical drama, ‘Moon River’.
On the 20th, MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama ‘Moon River’ concluded its 14-episode run. The series, a soul-swapping romantic fantasy historical drama, centered on Lee Kang, a prince who loses his smile (played by Kang Tae-oh), and Park Dali, a merchant who loses her memory (played by Kim Sejeong).
In the drama, Kim Sejeong played the lively and humorous merchant Park Dali, showcasing comedic acting with a regional dialect, and also portraying the dual role of Crown Princess Kang Yeon-wol, who has lost her memory.
Kim Sejeong, who challenged herself with a historical drama for the first time, shared her thoughts on the drama’s conclusion: “It ended perfectly with a happy ending. I’m relieved, and it seems viewers loved the character as much as I did. Though I feel a bit sad, I am happy to see it conclude.”
Kim Sejeong, who had previously expressed worries and concerns during the production presentation, described ‘Moon River’ as “a truly diverse piece.”
Kim stated, “It contains everything—soul-swapping, historical drama, romance, and fusion elements. Its diversity could have led to missteps, but I realized that if executed well, it could showcase many aspects, prompting me to take on the challenge.” She also cited the opportunity to work with actor Kang Tae-oh as a significant reason for choosing the project.
Kim Sejeong revealed that she sought advice from Ha Ji-won, known for her popular soul-swapping drama ‘Secret Garden’. The two became acquainted in 2018 through tvN’s variety show ‘Galileo: Awakened Universe’.
Following Ha Ji-won’s advice to “spend as much time as possible,” Kim exchanged phones with Kang Tae-oh to record and listen to each other’s voices for practice. She recalled, “Ultimately, I realized that hard work was the only path. After deciding to appear, I moved swiftly and did my best.”
Kim Sejeong faced the challenge of portraying potentially three distinct characters: Yeon-wol, Dali, and Dali with Kang’s soul.
“Portraying Dali after the soul swap was initially awkward. I worried about appearing unnatural while pretending to be a man,” she stated. “I quickly overcame my concerns by reassuring myself that if I felt that way, viewers might too,” she explained.
She added, “Kang Tae-oh was likely more embarrassed than I was, but he worked so diligently that I thought, ‘If he can do it, so can I.’ Initially, I was scared, but I eventually felt more comfortable.”
Post-broadcast, scenes involving horseback riding and CG-assisted action sequences drew praise for the actors’ emotional performances.
Kim Sejeong admitted, “I was a bit worried when I first encountered the CG during filming,” adding, “Having watched many behind-the-scenes videos of Hollywood movies, I found it amazing. Facing it in reality felt similar to my usual approach to acting. The principle remains: believing what’s in front of me is real, even if it isn’t.” She explained that she could control laughter during shooting to maintain focus on performances.
