Actress Kim Yoo-jung, who transformed into a villain, recalled being shocked by her own appearance on screen.
The drama “Dear X” on TVING tells the story of Baek Ajin, a woman who wears a mask to escape hell and ascend to the highest point, and the tale of those brutally trampled by her. Kim Yoo-jung plays Baek Ajin, who wears a mask to survive, earning praise for her transformation into the most intense villain of her career, described as “a new discovery of Kim Yoo-jung.”
In a recent interview with Xportsnews, Kim said, “There are scenes where I seem to forget what happened, as if I have short-term memory loss. Many situations and emotions in the drama were shocking. It’s said that shock can lead to momentary memory loss, and I experienced that while filming this project. Watching scenes where I part ways with Heo In-gang (played by Hwang In-yub), I was often surprised by my cruelty.”
Some scenes were particularly difficult. Kim stated, “The scenes of Heo In-gang’s grandmother’s passing and Heo In-gang leaving are emotionally challenging for anyone, not just Ajin. It’s not that acting was difficult, but expressing my feelings was hard. Ajin doesn’t merely feel sadness in those moments, which made acting challenging.”
Baek Ajin is portrayed as a sociopath who removes obstacles without hesitation for her benefit. Asked about managing her mental state while playing such a dark character, Kim said, “I’m still not sure. It’s still an assignment for me.”
She continued, “Honestly, I wonder if I’ve released the emotions accumulated from ‘Dear X’. Even before filming, I tried to protect myself from Ajin by promising myself. Reflecting on it, I’ve never supported Ajin, and I’m satisfied with that.”
Kim expressed gratitude for the on-set atmosphere, which was positive despite the intense drama. “I had many conversations with the directors, Lee Eung-bok and Park So-hyun, not only about the work but personally. I’m grateful for the positive environment,” she said.
It was also revealed that Kim personally took care of psychological counseling for child actress Ki So-yoo, who plays her younger counterpart. “Given our work contained many expressions that could harm personalities, we sought considerable advice. I thought it would benefit the child actress, so I mentioned it to the director, who was already planning it. It wasn’t just my idea; the director felt the same, and as a result, psychologists were present during filming,” Kim said humbly.
Kim’s concern stems from her own past experiences as a child actress dealing with trauma from shooting shocking scenes. “As a child, I was unaware of such impacts, but realized later the lasting effects of the traumatic and stimulating emotions. So, I strongly felt the need for mechanisms to offset these on set. It’s a necessity not just for child actors, but for any emotionally intense profession,” she shared.
Meanwhile, episodes 9 and 10 of “Dear X” were released on the 27th, with the final episodes 11 and 12 set to air on December 4th at 6 PM on TVING.
Image source: TVING
