Song Ji-in: "Could you refuse a love call from writer Lim Seong-han?" [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• TV Chosun weekend drama 'Doctor Shin' — Interview with actress Song Ji-in, who played the role of Hyun Ran-hee

Actress Song Ji-in expressed anticipation for a reunion with writer Lim Seong-han.

Recently, an interview with actress Song Ji-in was held at the HB Entertainment headquarters in Seoul Gangnam-gu, following the conclusion of the TV Chosun Saturday-Sunday drama 'Doctor Shin' (script by Lim Seong-han (Phoebe), directed by Lee Seung-hoon) on the 3rd.

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

Song Ji-in received praise for her portrayal of Hyun Ran-hee, a gallery owner and the biological mother of Momo (played by Baek Seo-ra), skillfully expressing her desperate maternal love and complex desires toward her daughter.

In the drama, Hyun Ran-hee, an authority on brain surgery, shocks the audience by making a radical proposal to Shin Ju-shin (played by Jeong I-chan), Momo's fiancé, suggesting that she herself be the subject of a "brain change" surgery. She later succeeds in the brain change with Momo, leading the dramatic and unconventional plot developments.

Regarding her feelings after the drama concluded, Song Ji-in stated, "It was meaningful to reunite with writer Lim Seong-han. Although my character departed midway, I felt as though I had run and finished the race together until the end, which was touching. Thank you for your interest."

Regarding the radical setting of "brain change," Song Ji-in said, "When I first received the script, I thought, 'What is this? Are they really going to do this?' It was fun. Some might call it melodramatic, but doesn't the world contain many kinds of stories? It was surprising and admirable that a writer with such a long career still constantly pursues novelty. Since I was playing a role with an adult daughter and it was my first time playing a mother, I had concerns, but I participated with enjoyment."

How was the reunion with writer Lim Seong-han after the 2022 conclusion of TV Chosun's 'Marriage Contract, Divorce Composition' (hereinafter 'Marriage Divorce')? Song Ji-in said, "I am grateful that she gave me a love call once again. Although there were rumors that she was a scary person, as seen on the Eun-eunhyang YouTube channel, she is actually sweet. She does scold sometimes, but working with her feels good. She shows great consideration for actors' perspectives. After the first broadcast, she gave feedback that my portrayal conveyed a profound maternal love."

She continued, "When I was offered the role of Hyun Ran-hee, I thought, 'Not Momo (played by Baek Seo-ra) or Geum Ba-ra (played by Joo Se-bin), but Hyun Ran-hee?' I believe the writer said, 'I think the role of Hyun Ran-hee would suit you well.' I tried to make internal and external changes for the character. I was worried that I might not look like a mother externally. Even the hairstyle was suggested by the writer. When Hyun Ran-hee first appeared, the writer wanted to convey a feeling of, 'Where did this woman come from?' — a powerful presence." She explained the behind-the-scenes story of the role.

This role was also a challenge for Song Ji-in. She said, "At first, I had great concerns: 'Have I become an actress who takes on middle-aged roles now?' 'Can I do this well?' But in the end, I feel glad that I took the challenge. I wondered why I should be afraid of not being able to do other things later, so I took the challenge, and I feel good that it turned out to be a good choice."

She added, "Can't we just accept aging? I think it's natural. I don't think I want to keep playing young and pretty college student roles forever. I thought taking on the role of a mother with a young daughter was a good experience. I referred to many wealthy older sisters I see at the Cheongdam-dong mart. Rather than deliberately trying to look older, I tried to show a fashionable image."

The chemistry with new actors Jeong I-chan, Baek Seo-ra, Ahn Woo-yeon, Joo Se-bin, and Cheon Young-min cannot be overlooked. Song Ji-in expressed gratitude, saying, "They must have had many difficult parts themselves, but they approached me first, so I was thankful."

She continued, "I intended to take on the role with a sense of responsibility since new actors were involved, but when I went to practice, I found that everyone was doing so well. I only needed to do well. Jeong I-chan has a really nice voice, so I thought, 'This is Shin Ju-shin.'"

Regarding Baek Seo-ra, who performed mother-daughter scenes with her, she said, "We met frequently during the rehearsal period and exchanged recordings. In scenes where Momo and I appeared overlapping, the shooting time was almost doubled, so our chemistry gradually improved. Although I don't have a daughter, I tried to build a bond for the mother-daughter acting, and I was satisfied."

She did not omit praise for Jeong I-chan. Song Ji-in said, "He is a polite young man, so I wanted to get closer and started making jokes. I even thought, 'Am I, an older sister, speaking foolishly?' When I think about my own rookie days, I used to feel anxious, wondering, 'Dare I greet a senior?' He seems to be a worrier. I was worried that this new group of actors might be the same, but they didn't seem awkward and adapted quickly. They are really smart and talented."

While 'Doctor Shin' generated tremendous buzz, it left some regret in terms of viewership ratings. According to Nielsen Korea, the viewership rating agency, 'Doctor Shin' started with a 1.4% rating in its first episode. Although it showed strong momentum later, it delivered a poor performance compared to other dramas by writer Lim Seong-han.

Regarding this, Song Ji-in revealed, "It would have been better if the ratings had been higher, but I wasn't disappointed because the buzz was so huge. When I went to other filming sets, people would say, 'I heard they are swapping brains in a drama these days,' and I would reply, 'That's me.' I felt that the industry recognized that level of buzz."

She also added, "'Doctor Shin' will likely be a turning point in my filmography. Since it was a challenge and I showed a new side for the first time, I hope it becomes a good opportunity."

She continued, "I really want to thank the viewers for enjoying the drama. Watching in real time isn't easy, is it? Even I sometimes binge-watch after it concludes. The fact that viewers actively discussed it in real-time chats itself is 'true love,' so I am grateful."

Song Ji-in joked about 'Doctor Shin's' unique dialogue and subtitle style, saying, "Maybe it's because I was trained by 'Marriage Divorce,' but it was fine." However, she also expressed her special affection for the drama, stating, "Actually, the script was written in great detail and was very kind to the actors, so there were no difficulties. Perhaps the subtitles and dialogue became a topic of discussion. I also thought the expression 'desperate' was interesting."

She also shared her thoughts on the radical ending where the male lead, Shin Ju-shin, becomes a retriever. Song Ji-in stated, "I believe the writer made a choice that no one else could have made."

She continued, "Personally, I don't think Shin Ju-shin and the retriever underwent a brain change. I saw it as the manifestation of the feelings and gratitude Shin Ju-shin had toward Geum Ba-ra. I couldn't have conversations with other actors after the ending. After seeing the conclusion, I did think, 'How should I handle my interview?' which brought laughter."

She also candidly revealed, "I was surprised that Ha Yong-joong (played by Ahn Woo-yeon) and Geum Ba-ra (played by Joo Se-bin) had a happy ending. Shin Ju-shin was called a 'bad man' in the early part, but in the later part, there were many comments that Ha Yong-joong wasn't good, so everyone probably hoped for a good outcome between Shin Ju-shin and Ha Yong-joong."

What were her thoughts on the setting where Hyun Ran-hee, the future mother-in-law after the brain change, seduces her future son-in-law, Shin Ju-shin? Song Ji-in explained, "Until the surgery, it was correct that I acted with twisted maternal love. When going to or coming out of the bathroom, isn't the feeling different? It is not true that I entered his body to seduce Shin Ju-shin. It was about eventually falling in love."

She added, "To understand the setting, I approached it with the thought, 'I want to see my daughter come alive again.' After the surgery, when I opened my eyes, it seems I developed a feeling of coveting what I see."

Recalling dining with writer Lim Seong-han, Song Ji-in said, "She treated me to steak. Whenever we meet, we talk about health, scripts, or behind-the-scenes stories after filming. She is a writer who understands actors' hardships well."

When asked what she would do if she received a love call for the next work from writer Lim Seong-han, she wittily replied, "How could I refuse?" bringing laughter.

She continued, "When senior actor Lee Tae-gon appears on TV, many people still call him 'King Mo' from 'Heavenly Wish,' don't they? I don't think that's entirely bad. For an actor, isn't it good to have a moment that is strongly imprinted? Many people now call me by my character's name. I am grateful to the writer. If they call me by that name, I want to approach it with a grateful heart."

Song Ji-in also said, "I understand that works with strong roles are coming my way. In the past, I played many roles that looked gentle, but now it seems they are seeing another side of me. I am satisfied with my acting transformation in 'Doctor Shin.'"

Song Ji-in debuted in the entertainment industry in 2008 through the music video for Davichi's song "Love and War." Approaching her 20th year as a debutant, she said at this point, "I have worked hard on the works right in front of me. I think it would be good to work hard every year. Even after 20 years, I still get nervous and tense when I go to the set. I want to become a more resilient and skilled actor."

She added, "Looking back on the past, I think my filmography has been interesting. There is even the name 'Lim Seong-han.' I also appeared in an independent film that won an award at the Jeonju International Film Festival. I think I have an extreme and interesting filmography, so I plan to continue challenging myself without fear in the future."

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*This content was translated by AI.