Lim Seong-han's Cinderella.. Baek Seo-ra "I never thought my inner monologue subtitles would become such a hot topic" [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• TV Chosun Saturday-Sunday Drama 'Doctor Shin' Interview with Actress Baek Seo-ra, who played the role of Momo

Actress Baek Seo-ra was reborn as "Lim Seong-han's Cinderella" through the drama 'Doctor Shin'.

Recently, StarNews met with actress Baek Seo-ra at its Seoul Jongno-gu headquarters to conduct an interview regarding the TV Chosun Saturday-Sunday drama 'Doctor Shin' (script by Lim Seong-han (Phoebe), directed by Lee Seung-hoon), which concluded on the 3rd.

'Doctor Shin' is a medical thriller about a genius doctor who challenges the realm of God and a woman who loses her soul as her brain is ruined overnight. It is the new work by writer Lim Seong-han, approximately three years after the TV Chosun drama 'Miss Durian', which concluded in 2023.

Baek Seo-ra, who took the lead role in her first acting challenge, played the top actress Momo in the drama, leaving a deep impression with her one-person multi-role performance.

When asked about her feelings after the drama concluded, Baek Seo-ra said, "It is a work with many things to be grateful for," adding, "I am grateful that I was trusted with a major role in my first acting work. Through 'Doctor Shin', I was able to meet many good people. Although the drama was serious, the set had a truly enjoyable atmosphere."

Baek Seo-ra, who was cast as Momo through an audition, stated, "I was nervous, and when I found out I was the lead, I was stunned and slightly worried, to be honest. I wondered if writer Lim Seong-han gave me such a major role in her first work. I was worried, but then I suddenly thought it was a great opportunity because I could show various personalities through various characters. I used that as my motivation."

Why did writer Lim Seong-han cast Baek Seo-ra, who had no acting Gyeong Heom-i (EVP), in the lead role? Regarding this, Baek Seo-ra said, "When I asked, she actually asked me back, 'Why do you think it's you?' I think she might have been looking for a fresh face. On the other hand, I feel she might have liked my rough sincerity."

In the drama, characters such as Momo's biological mother, Hyun Ran-hee (played by Song Ji-in), and Kim Jin-joo (played by Cheon Young-min), undergo brain transplant surgery and take over Momo's original body. Consequently, Baek Seo-ra had to naturally portray not only the original Momo but also Momo with other characters' brains transplanted.

Baek Seo-ra revealed, "It took about three to four months before filming began, so character immersion was not difficult. I could communicate directly with the writer, so I didn't get lost. Of course, there were difficulties with the character Momo. Since Hyun Ran-hee was the first to undergo brain transplant surgery, she went through trial and error, and I thought I needed to find elements to distinguish between Hyun Ran-hee and Kim Jin-joo."

She continued, "Rather than building (Momo in various forms) alone, I found it easier by talking with senior actors. To absorb Hyun Ran-hee and Kim Jin-joo as similarly as possible, I observed their acting a lot. During the reading process, I picked up on characteristics such as Hyun Ran-hee, who moves her eyes a lot, and Kim Jin-joo, who frequently licks her lips."

How did she perceive the setting of 'brain change'? Baek Seo-ra said, "I felt it was an interesting challenge. Brain change is new for actors as well, so there was caution at the same time. New attempts are often met with various reactions. Personally, I hoped that (viewers) would accept the setting more naturally and comfortably. I kept asking myself questions, and when I got stuck, I asked the writer for help."

She also mentioned that her acting chemistry with fellow actors such as Jeong I-chan (as Shin Ju-shin), Ahn Woo-yeon (as Ha Yong-joong), Joo Se-bin (as Geum Ba-ra), Cheon Young-min, and Song Ji-in was good. Baek Seo-ra expressed her affection for her colleagues, saying, "It was like camaraderie; a bond formed, and my attachment to the work grew immensely. We watch the original broadcasts at home and chat in group chats. We have become a close-knit group."

'Doctor Shin' sparked intense discussion, but its ratings were somewhat disappointing. According to ratings survey company Nielsen Korea, 'Doctor Shin', which started with a 1.4% viewership rating in its first episode, showed some momentum but ultimately concluded with somewhat underwhelming results.

Regarding this, Baek Seo-ra calmly shared her thoughts, "It would be a lie to say I'm not disappointed, but the fact that my first work as an actor came out is the most meaningful. Along with that, I am grateful that it was well-received, which makes the meaning of the work even greater. I did my best."

She continued, "Many people contacted me after a long time. They sent me clips and encouraged me, saying they were watching it well. Since it was my first work, everything was fun and fascinating," she smiled.

What kind of drama will 'Doctor Shin' remain for Baek Seo-ra, given its meaningful significance as her first acting challenge and first lead role? She answered, "I think it will become a positive influence in my acting career and a solid foundation. As an actor, I was able to meet viewers for the first time, and it is not the first result I produced while doing the work of acting. I was able to meet many benefactors over the past year."

Recalling her conversations with writer Lim Seong-han, Baek Seo-ra said, "When I read the script alone and had questions, I wrote them all down. When I started practicing, I would ask various questions like, 'Why does the story flow this way?' or 'Is this the character's psychology?' Then, the writer would give me clear answers. The writer already knew the psychology, operating principles, and reasons for all the characters, so no matter what question I asked, an answer would come within one second."

Writer Lim Seong-han's unique dialogue also became a hot topic. Regarding this, Baek Seo-ra said, "The writer's dialogue is famous for its flavor, isn't it? So I tried to watch her previous works as if studying them. I wanted to capture the flavor of 'Doctor Shin' well, so I watched 'Miss Durian' and 'Marriage Contract' as if studying them. (Regarding dialogue) I practiced a lot, so there were no difficulties during filming."

She continued, "I had many conversations with the writer, especially during reading sessions. She told me, 'You must possess the character.' She encouraged me to have the courage to reveal my bare face as an actor. Actually, the characters I played in the drama spoke and acted in ways that could only be imagined, so it was difficult to break through that. I had fear of trying something I hadn't done before, but as I became more immersed, I eventually acted comfortably and happily."

The expression that writer Lim Seong-han said to her that she remembers most is "bear cub." Baek Seo-ra confessed with a laugh, "When practicing a scene where I had to seduce Ha Yong-joong (played by Ahn Woo-yeon), the writer said, 'You are a bear. You are a bear cub. You have to become a fox here.' Even in scenes where I became Hyun Ran-hee (played by Song Ji-in) or Kim Jin-joo (played by Cheon Young-min), she would say, 'Oh my, that bear cub.'"

He said, "I think I have now learned how to become a fox to some extent," and recalled, "The writer also has that flavor when speaking in general. Meeting the writer in person made the characters in the script feel more alive."

'Doctor Shin' also became a hot topic due to its unique subtitles. The characters' inner thoughts were processed as subtitles, or non-standard expressions like "I was so desperate," "Me too," and "I wanted to see you" created numerous memes.

Regarding the unique subtitles, Baek Seo-ra said, "I was curious about how the subtitle system would be implemented, and I watched it enjoying it on broadcast. I didn't think the subtitles would become such a hot topic," and smiled.

Writer Lim Seong-han is known to change her phone number after each work concludes. She did so this time as well. Baek Seo-ra said, "The last contact I had with the writer was the New Year's greeting, but she changed her number after that. It is very disappointing, but I think it is a natural process."

Baek Seo-ra debuted in the entertainment industry in 2021 as Hyung-shin, a member of the group Hot Issue, after appearing on the Mnet survival variety show 'Captain' in 2020, but the group disbanded after one year. During the group's one-year activity period, she served as the main dancer.

When asked about the reason for switching to acting after leaving the group, Baek Seo-ra answered, "I was close to suppressing my emotions due to my personality, and that was comfortable. I was in a state where I loved acting. Then, as I gave up dancing, I dreamed of being an idol, and when I filmed music videos, I felt a sense of fun by acting in my own way."

She stated, "After the group disbanded, I thought it was the last time I would try to challenge being an idol, but one day I suddenly thought, 'I want to do something new,' and naturally, I flowed into acting. About three years after I started learning acting, I was cast as the lead in 'Doctor Shin'."

She continued, "The more I do acting, the more difficult it becomes, and my passion grows, along with my academic enthusiasm. I want to be an actor for a long time. Since I am not the type to show my emotions, I sometimes think it is grateful and fascinating that I can act. Now, it is a very fun and desirable profession," revealing her desire to act.

When asked what kind of image she wants to meet the public with in the future, she said, "I want to dive into everything. If I have to pick one, I want to appear in an academy drama. Many people around me said I would suit a thriller," and smiled shyly.

Baek Seo-ra concluded, "If I was seen as an actor with infinite possibilities through 'Doctor Shin', I would be grateful. I hope they viewed the process of digesting diverse characters positively."

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*This content was translated by AI.