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Lim Ji-yeon / Provided by Artist Company
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(Seoul=News1) Reporter Kim Min-ji = The JTBC weekend drama ‘Lady Ok’s Story’ (written by Park Ji-suk/directed by Jin Hyuk, Choi Bo-yun), which ended with episode 16 on the 26th, depicted a fierce survival scam of Ok Tae-young (played by Lim Ji-yeon), whose name, status, and husband were all fake, and Chon Seung-hwi (played by Chu Young-woo), who risked his life to protect her. Through the story of a woman who rose from a slave to a noble, the drama captured insights about life and tender romance, attracting viewers’ attention. Thanks to this, ‘Lady Ok’s Story’ surged from a 4.2% viewership rating (episode 1, Nielsen Korea national pay households) to double digits, maintaining popularity throughout its airing.
In the drama, Lim Ji-yeon played the role of Ok Tae-young, a woman who assists those in need as an outsider (equivalent to a lawyer today) after rising from a slave to a noble. She adeptly portrayed the journey of Gudeok, a lowly slave, who by chance ascends her status, becomes the daughter-in-law of a local magistrate, and excels as an outsider due to her innate intelligence. As she stated during the production presentation, “I want to show without regrets,” Lim Ji-yeon poured everything into ‘Lady Ok’s Story,’ earning praise and broadening her acting spectrum.
‘Lady Ok’s Story’ holds significance for Lim Ji-yeon as it is her first leading role in a historical drama. Regarding this, Lim Ji-yeon said, “On the day of the full script reading, even though no one prompted me, I stood up and said, ‘Please trust me just once. It’s my first time and I’m inexperienced, but I promise I’ll lead well through any effort.’ Initially, I was very scared, but as I took on the protagonist’s role and led the drama, I grew immensely,” sharing that she overcame her fear of historical dramas.
As much as she loved ‘Lady Ok’s Story,’ Lim Ji-yeon felt exhausted after it ended. News1 recently met her as she slowly bid farewell to Gudeok, whom she loved dearly.
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‘Lady Ok’s Story’ / SLL, Corpus Korea
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<<【N Interview】 Continued from Part ①>
– In the drama, Gudeok conflicts with her master Kim Sohye (played by Ha Yulri), who is also referred to as the ‘Joseon version of Park Yeon-jin.’
▶ Watching the two characters clash, I’ve seen reactions like “Show them, Yeon-jin!” (laughs). Seeing Gudeok get hit early on confirmed for me that Sohye was the villain, but she turned out to be the ultimate villain.
– You’re still often referred to by the character Yeon-jin from your previous work ‘The Glory;’ do you wish to distance yourself from this?
▶ I’m thankful that Yeon-jin is still frequently mentioned. I’d love for it to continue that way. I’ve also grown quite attached to the character Gudeok, so I hope to be called Gudeok for a long time now.
– How was the chemistry with actors like Chu Young-woo, Kim Jae-won, and Ha Yulri?
▶ Young-woo hasn’t been acting for very long, yet he performs with such nonchalance and calmness. I spend a lot of time carefully analyzing my roles, and while I’m sure Young-woo does too, his freer acting style suits him well. Toward the latter parts, I too relied on him a lot and received help. I even nagged him a bit like I would my younger brother because I care for him so much. That’s how much I wanted him to do well. Jae-won, too, worked diligently, and I cherished him. Watching my juniors work hard reminds me of my own twenties. Ha Yulri also did really well. Didn’t she receive positive reactions? I’m grateful they all performed their roles attractively.
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Lim Ji-yeon / Provided by Artist Company
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– It seems you’ve grown significantly by putting a lot of effort into this work.
▶ Being the sole lead character who drives the storyline for the first time brought a unique sense of responsibility. I wanted to showcase being perfect. Although I have some regrets performance-wise, I learned a lot through this project. Also, ‘Lady Ok’s Story’ was the first time my father praised my acting. He usually doesn’t praise my acting, but after watching the first episode screening, he said, “To me, this is the best historical drama, you’re doing so well,” and that brought me to tears.
– Did your partner Lee Do-hyun (currently in military service) enjoy ‘Lady Ok’s Story’?
▶ He seems to be watching it well. He likes historical dramas. Although we don’t often talk about work, I received a lot of support and encouragement from him while sharing my actor-related struggles. Happy New Year. We don’t meet often enough for me to say that to him. (laughs)
– Are you sad to part with ‘Lady Ok’s Story’?
▶ It is such a beloved project that I teared up while monitoring the broadcast. I found myself memorizing lines in real-time while watching. I still haven’t let go of Gudeok. After ‘Lady Ok’s Story’ ended, I felt quite down, so I’m doing boxing now. Exercising helps me heal.
<<【N Interview】 Continued in Part ③>
breeze52@news1.kr
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