"I studied traditional Korean vocal art for three years to become Yoon Jeong-nyeon."

"I studied traditional Korean vocal art for three years to become Yoon Jeong-nyeon."

Actress Kim Tae-ri delivers an irreplaceable performance in 'Jeong-nyeon'. On the 26th, tvN released an interview with Kim Tae-ri about her new weekend drama 'Jeong-nyeon' (written by Choi Hyo-bi, directed by Jeong Ji-in).

Actress

delivers an irreplaceable performance in 'Jeong-nyeon'.

Directed by Jeong Ji-in

'Jeong-nyeon' is set in the post-Korean War 1950s and follows the journey of 'Jeong-nyeon' (played by Kim Tae-ri), a 'natural genius in traditional Korean vocal art,' striving to become the top national drama actor amid competition, camaraderie, and glorious growth.

Kim Tae-ri dons the role of Yoon Jeong-nyeon, a genius in traditional Korean vocal art who moves alone from Mokpo to Seoul to become a national drama actor. She prepared extensively, studying traditional vocal art, dance, stage acting, and comprehensive performing arts.

She is filled with anticipation. Kim Tae-ri shared her excitement about the upcoming broadcast, "It seems like a drama that has never been seen before. I'm nervous yet excited and I can't wait to meet the viewers soon through the broadcast."

Regarding her first impression of the script, she explained, "In the script, places that were sometimes condensed between cuts of the original webtoon have been filled in, giving it more appeal. It felt like the world of the webtoon was expanding into the real world."

Building the character wasn't easy. She said, "Even though most of the characters I've played have been growth-oriented, it felt like Jeong-nyeon was truly going from nothing to something. It felt like acting out the transformation of a clay potato into a human being."

In the drama, Yoon Jeong-nyeon is a natural-born vocalist. She dedicated significant time to practicing her vocal skills, working on it from April 2021 to June this year, totaling three years.

Kim Tae-ri revealed the preparation process, saying, "The intensity of vocal, dance, dialect, and national drama stage practice remained consistent until shooting ended. Every actor involved went through the same preparation."

She added, "The basic vocal exercises became more solid through the vocal classes. Since Jeong-nyeon takes on male roles on stage, she also used a neutral voice in daily acting. I wanted a rougher voice, but everyone advised against it, so we reached a consensus."

She added, "The basic vocal exercises became more solid through the vocal classes. Since Jeong-nyeon takes on male roles on stage, she also used a neutral voice in daily acting. I wanted a rougher voice, but everyone advised against it, so we reached a consensus."

She also challenged herself in dance. She shared, "Both Jeong-nyeon and I were at ground zero initially when it came to dance. So, I anticipate that raw energy might actually result in good performance."

Kim Tae-ri's visual transformation is another point of anticipation. She expressed, "A friend who hadn't read the original work told me, 'You look like a clay potato in the still cuts.' That relieved me a bit. Early Jeong-nyeon is truly like a potato or a dog."

The drama is directed by Jeong Ji-in, known for 'The Red Sleeve.' Kim Tae-ri mentioned her working relationship with the director, saying, "Before filming started, I watched a compilation video of the director's laugh from the behind-the-scenes clips of his earlier dramas. The set indeed was filled with laughter."

A highlight of 'Jeong-nyeon' is its plays-within-the-play scenes. Kim Tae-ri confessed, "We shot 4-5 large stage performances. It was a challenge for everyone and our first attempt, leading to some confusion in each of our roles."

However, she reminisced, "I remember reviewing each stage performance with the director and preparing for the next. Instead of taking a breather after each performance, it was the beginning of new considerations for the next."

As a recommended scene, she picked a beach scene with Moon So-ri (playing Jeong-nyeon's mother). Kim Tae-ri described it as "the most meaningful scene in the mother-daughter relationship. Although the sunrise shoot was tough, fortunately, the sun rose over the mountain. It was beautiful and precious."

Jeong-nyeon's mother role)

Lastly, Kim Tae-ri requested, "Jeong-nyeon shows a variety of aspects as she grows through stages where she sings, dances, and acts. Alongside the narrative, please look forward to her numerous transformations."

She added, "As we filmed it with a long breath, the actors also grew in real-time along with their roles. Following each of their growth journeys might bring you an additional layer of enjoyment."

'Jeong-nyeon' is set to premiere on the 12th of next month at 9:20 PM.

<Photo provided by tvN>