'4Minute' member Kwon So-hyun: "Playing Han Yi-jin in 'Empathy Cells' resonated deeply with my own life"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kwon So-hyun, formerly of the group 4Minute, has revealed the key themes of her character Han Yi-jin in the drama 'Empathy Cells'.

On the 19th, the production team of the new Saturday-Sunday drama 'Empathy Cells' (script by Jung Yeon, directed by Kim Chil-bong) released Kwon So-hyun's character introduction and viewing highlights.

'Empathy Cells' is a romantic comedy depicting a woman who denies empathy and a man who embraces it as they invade each other's worlds through a surreal event called 'emotional transfer' and relearn emotions.

In the drama, Kwon So-hyun portrays Han Yi-jin, an actress formerly from the national girl group 'I Want'. Yi-jin was a character overshadowed by Yu Ji-an (played by Kang Min-ah), who enjoyed exceptional popularity among the idols during her idol days. She is a person consumed by inferiority and jealousy. Although she has since transitioned to acting and is recognized for her superior acting skills compared to Ji-an, she secretly feels anxious about Ji-an's star power.

As a former girl group member herself, Kwon So-hyun is expected to add depth to the work with her detailed acting. Kwon So-hyun stated, "I felt that the character Han Yi-jin has parts that connect with my own past and present life. I resonated strongly with her journey of establishing herself as an actress after her idol activities, which made me want to take on this role." She further added, "I believe the emotions felt in the drama also resonate with me, resulting in a high level of synchronization."

Notably, to portray Yi-jin's complex emotions toward Ji-an, Kwon So-hyun even made the effort to look through her old diaries. Describing this as "a process of understanding Yi-jin's jealousy and sense of lack," Kwon So-hyun shared, "While reading the diaries, I revisited my own desire to be recognized and the moments when I was compared to others."

Kwon So-hyun then identified the core keywords for the Han Yi-jin character as 'second place', 'love', and 'alone'. She explained, "I think Yi-jin is a person who has never felt like she was anyone's first priority. Therefore, she has a strong desire to be recognized both in her work and in her relationships. She appears glamorous on the outside, but is a character who often feels alone."

Unlike the tense character of Han Yi-jin in the drama, the actual filming set was warm and friendly. Kwon So-hyun shared behind-the-scenes details, saying, "Although our on-screen relationship was tense, we got along well with actors Kim Myeong-soo and Kang Min-ah during filming. It was great to be able to create scenes based on trust." She added, "We filmed at a location where music shows used to be held, and every time I went there, actor Kim Myeong-soo would ask, 'Doesn't this remind you of the old days?' as we reminisced."

Finally, Kwon So-hyun stated, "The viewing highlight of 'Empathy Cells' is the fun of following the emotional threads of each character. It is a story of people who love, get hurt, and come to understand each other. I hope viewers will also feel and empathize with the emotions in their own hearts."

Meanwhile, 'Empathy Cells' will be released simultaneously on July 4 on Lifetime, LG U+tv Mobile, and Disney+.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.