Lee Yeon transforms from IU's secretary to pro wrestler with 10kg weight gain

Actress Lee Yeon has completely rebuilt her physical appearance, gaining approximately 10kg for the film 'The Journey to Gyeong-ju.' After recently appearing as a cold-headed secretary in a drama alongside IU, she is now set to undergo a genre-defying transformation into a raw, instinctive professional wrestler.

On the 25th, lead actors Park So Dam and Lee Yeon appeared on KBS Cool FM's 'Paul Kim's Music Plaza' to discuss the film and their characters.

'The Journey to Gyeong-ju' is a family revenge drama about four women—a mother and her three daughters—who embark on a special journey after losing their youngest daughter, Gyeong-ju. Park So Dam plays the second daughter, Yoon Yeong-ju, while Lee Yeon takes on the role of the third daughter, Yoon Dong-ju.

Unlike her older sister Yeong-ju, the character Yoon Dong-ju is someone whose actions precede her thoughts. As a professional wrestler, her action sequences in the film differ significantly in texture from typical combat. Lee Yeon explained that she prepared the character's physicality by learning the specific movements and techniques unique to professional wrestling ahead of filming.

The most striking change is her physique. Lee Yeon revealed that she gained about 10kg before filming to increase the character's persuasiveness, noting that her appearance during filming feels significantly different from her current look.

For an actor, weight change is more than just a visual variation; it is a means of constructing a character's physical language. Because the setting of a professional wrestler directly links muscle strength, physique, and movement to personality, Lee Yeon's weight gain was a strategic choice to secure physical characteristics that would be difficult to achieve through makeup or costumes alone.

This transformation is especially distinct when compared to Lee Yeon's recent filmography.

In the MBC drama 'Perfect Crown,' which concluded last May, Lee Yeon played Do Hye-jeong, the chief secretary to Seong Hee-ju, played by IU. While she previously built an image of a restrained secretary performing tasks with cold precision, in 'The Journey to Gyeong-ju,' she shows a completely different side as a character who acts before judging and does not shy away from physical confrontation.

Ultimately, the shift Lee Yeon chose for this project signifies more than just a change in profession. It is an approach to visually persuading the audience by expanding a character's personality and lifestyle through body size, movement, and the rhythm of action.

'The Journey to Gyeong-ju' focuses on the journey of a mother and her daughters seeking revenge following the tragedy surrounding their youngest, depicting the loss and anger accumulated within the family. As Park So Dam and Lee Yeon embody the family's emotions in different ways, attention is focused on the presence Lee Yeon will command through her physically distinct portrayal of Yoon Dong-ju.