Actor Park EunBin shared her efforts to portray the psychopathic doctor character in "Hyperknife."

On the morning of the 15th, an interview marking the end of the Disney+ drama "Hyperknife" featuring lead actor Park EunBin took place at a café in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

"Hyperknife" is a medical thriller that depicts the intense confrontation between SeoOk (played by Park EunBin), a once-promising genius doctor, and her mentor DeokHee (played by Sul KyungGu), who led her to ruin. In the drama, Park EunBin plays Jeong SeoOk, a former genius neurosurgeon who, after being stripped of her medical license, operates a pharmacy and lives as a shadow doctor.

Jeong SeoOk is a genius but struggles with anger management, is self-centered, and even commits murder impulsively. From the viewers' perspective, she is also a character that is difficult to accept rationally.

Regarding this character, Park EunBin noted, "It was definitely a role I hadn’t taken on before, and this character had many aspects that were quite unpredictable in terms of personality. I thought there were aspects that I needed to maintain consistency in, as it was a single person going through extreme variations. Each time there were drastic changes, even if the viewers might not understand, I wanted to persuade them that 'there can be people like this,' and I thought that was my duty as an actor."

When asked if there were any concerns about playing a psychopathic character or efforts to gain viewers' empathy, she replied, "I don’t think it’s particularly meaningful to categorize someone as a psychopath or a sociopath. So, I referred to the characteristics of antisocial personality disorder that could include both categories to create the character. Generally, one of the common traits presented in media about psychopaths is the lack of empathy. However, SeoOk seems emotional, which led people to question, 'Doesn’t that make her not a psychopath?' I realized that this could be a prejudice focusing solely on the lack of empathy associated with psychopaths. There’s a difference between lacking empathy and being emotionless."

She further explained, "I wanted to create a multi-dimensional character by referencing the characteristics of antisocial personality disorder to understand a person within a certain spectrum. I had no concerns that I might be perceived as a psychopath. In building a person I hadn't encountered, I tried to understand them in my own way by using established diagnostic criteria."

When asked about the synergy between the role and her existing good-natured image, Park EunBin said, "Before I took on this role and revealed it to the viewers, isn't it naturally a bit difficult to ask for their support, love, and empathy? The fact that I commit evil acts remains unchanged, and I had no intention of justifying actions like murder. I didn’t even have compassion for this character myself."

She added, "However, as the actor who played SeoOk, I thought of the character as a friend I had newly introduced. It feels like introducing a friend I met each time I present a piece of work. Thanks to the viewers who blended my charm as an actor with that of SeoOk, there are many who empathized beyond my expectations, and some have become deeply involved, for which I am grateful. While I didn’t hope for that much, I thought I could send the character off into the viewers' embrace without worries, thanks to those who enjoyed it to that extent." (Continued in Interview ②.)

[Photo] Walt Disney Company Korea

[OSEN]