Kim So-hyun: "The late director Ahn Pan-seok was my mentor… We competed to earn his praise"

*This content was translated by AI.

Actress Kim So-hyun recalled the late director Ahn Pan-seok and expressed her gratitude.

On the afternoon of the 2nd, the production press conference for ENA's new Monday-Tuesday drama '_Yeon Ae (Dr.)' was held at Seoul CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Yongsan-gu. Choo Young-woo, Kim So-hyun, Kim Min-seok, Lee Chang-hoon, Im Jin-hyo, and EP Kim Hyun-jung attended the event.

On this day, the actors recalled the late director Ahn Pan-seok, who passed away in August while battling a cerebral hemorrhage.

Kim So-hyun stated, "The director was making meticulous calculations. He calculated how things would appear to viewers and what would be entertaining, but within that framework, he emphasized the importance of freedom and authenticity." She added, "As I worked, I had fixed ideas about how certain scenes should be expressed, but he saw through all of that. It became an opportunity to re-establish my foundation. He was like a mentor who taught me the joy of acting."

She continued, laughing, "I wanted to work hard, and all the actors filmed with intense dedication. He often gave praise, but he would pick one person as the number one. It felt like we were engaged in an invisible competition."

Choo Young-woo said, "It became a driving force that made me prepare even harder for the next day. I think I prepared more diligently than for any other work because I did not want to disappoint those on set or the director. He helped us a great deal in our efforts to approach the role with truthfulness and sincerity."

Im Jin-hyo shared, "This is already my third work with the director. My first acting role was also in one of his works. He trusted the actors and allowed us to perform freely." She added, "It was a set where I could feel how incredibly precious it is to be trusted by people."

Lee Chang-hoon followed up, saying, "I learned from the director what it means to do something in front of the camera. The director always shoots quickly. Because he is certain about what needs to be captured, the visual concept is clear, but he allows the actors to complete the performance."

Kim Min-seok also recalled, "I was extremely nervous even before meeting him. It felt like meeting the Pope of drama. I thought I had been in this industry for a long time, but it became an opportunity to dismantle and rebuild my approach while seeking the essence of acting."

'_Yeon Ae (Dr.)' tells the story of Park Min-jae (played by Choo Young-woo), a doctoral student who was a swimmer in high school but lost one leg due to illness, and Im Yu-jin (played by Kim So-hyun), a master's student who wandered after losing her direction in life before embarking on a new path. The drama premieres at 10 p.m. on the 5th.

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*This content was translated by AI.