Son Ye-jin: "Period dramas were tough because of the wigs and hanbok, so I avoided them… but I didn’t want to miss 'Scandal'" [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actress Son Ye-jin shared her thoughts on filming a period drama after a long hiatus.

On the 29th, Son Ye-jin, who stars in the Netflix series "Scandal," met with reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the work.

"Scandal" tells the story of Lady Jo, a woman with exceptional talent who is confined by the limitations of being female in the Joseon Dynasty, and Cho Won, the greatest romantic in Joseon, as they engage in a bold and dangerous wager of love, along with the tale of Hee-yeon, a woman entangled in that bet.

Son Ye-jin, who played Lady Jo in the series, said, "It is very difficult for an actor to view their own work objectively. When I watch other works, I watch them without thinking, but my own work is different. This time, I watched it while focusing on the direction and editing music of scenes where Lady Jo does not appear. There were many scenes that felt dramatic in ways I hadn’t realized on set, which was interesting. For the pansori section, I thought from the moment I read the script that I really wanted to be included in it. The scene where it transforms into animation like a folk painting was also fun." She added, "However, actors find their own scenes the most enjoyable. Since I found the other parts where I don’t appear interesting as well, I watched it very enjoyably."

Son Ye-jin revealed, "I heard that Director Jung Ji-woo was making 'Scandal' and said he wanted to reinterpret the character of Lady Jo. That character is a person living in the Joseon Dynasty, an era with many restrictions. He said he would depict how a woman’s exceptional talent and desires would be portrayed in a situation where she cannot achieve self-realization as a woman or express her own desires due to all these constraints." She continued, "That character of Lady Jo appealed to me. It was intriguing, and I felt its appeal as an actor. I thought it might be difficult to act, but that is precisely why it would have such charm, so I took on the role."

Son Ye-jin said, "I did a period drama early in my career, but I haven’t done one since then. The costumes and hair were too difficult back then. Even while acting, the external aspects were so hard that I couldn’t concentrate. At that time, wigs were made of real hair, which caused headaches and was painful. So I avoided them afterward, but I felt like I would regret it if I missed 'Scandal.'" She smiled and added, "I had wanted to do a stylish period drama. I wanted to try wearing beautiful hanbok, living in a beautiful house, and portraying the role of a lady-in-law in an aristocratic family."

Son Ye-jin added, "Fortunately, Joseon Dynasty yangban did not use wigs, so that was fine. However, hanbok was not easy. It is very beautiful, but there was stuffiness and discomfort. I acted while enduring those things."

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*This content was translated by AI.