Kim So-hyun reflects on 21 years of acting and new role

Marking 21 years since her 2006 debut, actress Kim So-hyun shared her reflections on being cast in various works and her approach to playing the character Yoo-jin in the drama 'Between Steps', which premiered on the 5th.

Kim So-hyun, an actress marking her 21st year since debuting as a child actor, has revealed that she still wonders why she is cast in various works. Despite being recognized for her long career and stable acting skills, she confessed to questioning the reasons behind her being selected for roles. In her new project, she drew attention by stating she attempted to project her own inner complexes into a character who might be disliked by viewers.

Recently, the fashion magazine Cosmopolitan released a pictorial and interview with Kim So-hyun for its November issue. Having debuted as a child actor in 2006, Kim So-hyun is currently appearing as the master's student Yoo-jin in the drama 'Between Steps', which premiered on the 5th. Having demonstrated her presence in various works based on the acting experience she has built since childhood, she revealed the process of facing the flaws of her current character head-on.

When asked why she receives positive evaluations from the actors and staff she works with, Kim So-hyun gave an unexpectedly calm response. "Since we are in a profession where we are always being chosen, I sometimes wonder why they are casting me," she said. This signifies that despite her long career, she does not take being selected for works for granted.

She identified stability as her primary strength. "The first thing that came to mind is that it's probably because I am on the stable side. Even if I am severely nervous or anxious, it doesn't show much on the outside," Kim explained. She analyzed that her personality, which maintains composure on the outside even when experiencing internal tension and anxiety, likely acts as a positive factor on set.

"Since I maintain composure on the outside in any situation, I think that is something they viewed favorably," she added. "As I have a bit of a career, the staff members probably feel a sense of stability. I think that might be the point where they personally like me." Rather than exaggerating the praise or packaging it as a special talent, she found the reason in her long field experience and consistent attitude.

During the preparation for the new drama 'Between Steps', she faced significant contemplation regarding how to express her character. Kim revealed that when she first read the script, she thought Yoo-jin was a character who could potentially be disliked by viewers. She recalled expressing this concern directly to director Ahn Pan-seok, thinking, "If I'm not careful, she might look a little hateful, right?" It was a moment of deciding whether to refine the character to gain the viewers' favor or to reveal the character's personality as it is.

The advice from director Ahn Pan-seok leaned toward not beautifying the character. Kim explained that the director told her to express the character as they are, noting that the moment one tries to package a character, Yoo-jin's unique individuality could disappear. It was an instruction that the actor should acknowledge the inherent characteristics of the character rather than hiding flaws or changing them into a likable type.

Kim also looked into her own inner self during this process. "Actually, even I have points that are hateful. It's my own complex that I don't show to anyone," she said, noting that everyone has parts they do not wish to reveal to others. She explained that instead of applying her own standards to judge 'Yoo-jin', she decided to accept and express the character as they are, which allowed the character to be completed with much more depth.

Even for an actress with a long acting career, moments of questioning the reasons for casting and the process of looking inward to understand a character's flaws remain necessary. Kim So-hyun's confession shows that a long career does not mean the end of such contemplations. Interest is gathering to see how her humble attitude toward being chosen and her approach to not judging characters by standards of good and evil will translate into her acting in the new work.

Read the original (Korean)