Actress Jo Bo-ah shared the behind-the-scenes story of "Dear Hongrang."
On 19th, an interview with Jo Bo-ah about the Netflix series "Dear Hongrang" was held at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The Netflix series "Dear Hongrang" (written by Kim Jin-a, directed by Kim Hong-seon), which was released on the 16th, tells the story of Hongrang, the son of Joseon's largest trading company, who returns after 12 years with no memory, while his half-sister, Jae-i, suspects his true identity, depicting the mysterious melodrama of emotions blossoming between the two.
On that day, Jo Bo-ah said, "It seems that the filming ended around May last year. It took about 8 months to film, so a considerable amount of time has passed." She added, "It's been a long time since the release and even longer since such an official interview, so I felt nervous. After the release last week, perhaps because of the weather, many people contacted me, and I feel like I'm realizing it a little. It's been quite a while since we filmed, and it took a long time until the release, so it had always occupied a part of my mind, but it feels suddenly opened, which is hard to realize."
In the drama, Jo Bo-ah plays Jae-i, the half-sister who desperately searches for her missing brother. Jo Bo-ah recalled, "Since it's a drama that requires me to deeply carry emotions from beginning to end, I think it might be harder for the viewers. Instead, while approaching the filming, it was deep and enjoyable for me to immerse myself in it. Jae-i is not a character who is strong and assertive but emotionally connected. She has sadness; not receiving love from her parents since childhood, and losing her only family member, her brother Hongrang, I tried to understand the difficult emotions of Jae-i from her childhood." She added, "However, I think that compared to the character I have, she might seem passive. Still, I believe I worked hard in each event, and I even had action scenes added because I discussed it with the director."
She recalled some difficult moments. Jo Bo-ah remarked, "I still think a lot about when we filmed underwater and when I rode a horse. About 10 years ago, while preparing for 'Horse Doctor,' I was told to be ready as I might ride a horse someday, so I started horseback riding. Unfortunately, there were no horse-riding scenes at that time, but after starting, I tried to get the hang of it in between, and then, 10 years later, a scene with a horse actually came up. I was excited because it seemed that all my efforts would eventually pay off, and I would get to express it somehow later. I realized that historical dramas are not easy and yet feel the urge to challenge myself because they are attractive."
She continued, "When you hold ice, your breath doesn't come out, but that also seems temporary. I wore layers of pajamas inside and some 5 layers on top as well." Despite this, she said, "I told my company that I wanted to do another historical drama after finishing this project, because I immersed myself in this for 8 months and enjoyed filming. And as I have some regrets, I feel an urge to keep doing it and fill those gaps. It always feels like there’s a sense of regret after filming, thinking about what I could have done a bit differently. I feel regret thinking that I could have expressed it this way or that way when I see the results."
Jo Bo-ah also mentioned the actors she collaborated with on set. Regarding Lee Jae-wook, she said, "Lee Jae-wook is an actor who is incredibly passionate and ambitious. His attitude toward interacting with other staff is good, so he often took the lead during filming and helped me feel at ease. Since our project had to be filmed in risky locations, and safety had to be prioritized, Jae-wook helped me a lot in that regard. I believe he considered me a lot to create synergy when acting together."
When asked who approached first on set, she replied, "It didn't really matter who approached first. His personality is so good. I am also good at approaching, but I tend to be cautious around those who are shy. Jae-wook was very proactive, so we became close quickly." She joked, "In the beginning, I called him Jae-wook, Ranga, and Hongrang, but by the end, because Jae-wook was so nice and easy to get along with, I started calling him 'angel.' He seemed indifferent to that. But, he still only calls me 'noona.'"
She shared her experience working with Um Ji-won. Jo Bo-ah said, "She was a senior I greatly respected and wanted to meet. We had only greeted each other since childhood, going to the same shop, and I once reviewed her work, saying that she was always so impressive. Eventually, we got to work together. On set, we talked a lot about dogs and joked around, but when we entered the set, she transformed with fierce eyes when acting, which allowed me to focus and perform comfortably."
Previously, Jo Bo-ah held her wedding with her long-time fiancé in October last year and was set to return through the Disney+ series "Knock-Off" in April of this year. However, due to personal issues surrounding her co-star Kim Soo-hyun and his ex-girlfriend, the late Kim Saeron, the release of "Knock-Off" has been postponed indefinitely. With everything regarding "Knock-Off" temporarily on hold, Jo Bo-ah's return has been delayed, leading to discussions about her being the biggest victim in this situation.
When asked about her feelings regarding this, Jo Bo-ah said, "I know this is something everyone is curious about," smiling. "I have to be very careful. My words might hurt someone, so I would like to hold back a bit." She continued, "It's a project I've prepared for a long time and is filled with deep affection. I believe someday people will recognize that effort and good results will come."
Talks about marriage could not be omitted. Jo Bo-ah stated, "Since childhood, I have always had a romantic notion of marriage and a lot of passion for it, which is why I tried to delay it as much as possible. I have, in a way, been progressing while holding off. I tend to separate my work and personal life quite a bit." Regarding the limited role offers after marriage, she said, "It can't be said that it didn't bother me. Still, I always try to let go and live a bit more freely. Since I wanted something, I believe the results could change. I want to take it positively and hope for the best while doing my best."
Jo Bo-ah, who debuted in 2012 with tvN's 'Shut Up Flower Boy Band,' is now in her 13th year since her debut. She has been actively appearing in various entertainment programs. Regarding this, Jo Bo-ah said, "I feel like I've been trying to live without a care. As I continue to age, I remember the time when I lived simply without worries in my 20s and try to live that way now." She added with a smile, "In reality, entertainment is also work, so rather than simply going for fun, I had a stronger desire to show myself to the people. I find that I lack communication with my fans. I think I have a sense of adventure and like to be active, so without realizing it, I end up appearing in physical variety shows. As for beauty and makeup, I admit I don't know how to beautify myself. I'm not really good at this area like others, so it seems I choose things I can do while being active."
When asked if there are points in her career she would like to praise while looking back, Jo Bo-ah said, "Fans have made dolls of the characters I played and gifted them to me. Including 'Street Restaurant,' there were 19 of them, which was quite wonderful." She added, "That itself is very fulfilling. It makes me want to praise myself for not forgetting my initial passion and for coming this far. There have been times in between when I felt exhausted and tired. There are always such moments, but I want to commend those parts where I tried to stand back up."
Regarding her own "principles" she has upheld, she said, "Don't be greedy. Try to take it easy. In my 20s, I had too many desires and I felt I was pushing myself too hard. Having entered my 30s, I feel like I've started to let go a bit and try to take a step back to look more comfortably at things." She expressed her hope that this year, the work "Dear Hongrang" receives more love from people, leading to a busy and enjoyable year.
Finally, Jo Bo-ah showed her deep affection for "Dear Hongrang." She picked it as a turning point in her acting career, stating, "I found Jae-i's consistent and determined personality incredibly charming, and she may seem a bit fragile but has a strong will. I have great affection for it. I think it was a character I loved a lot and I've never felt tired while working on it. Although there were many travel times and some physical exhaustion, I really enjoyed filming it. From the moment I arrived on set, changed clothes, and became Jae-i, I felt like I was soaring emotionally. There were tiring and dilemma moments, yet this project instilled in me a desire to do better," she conveyed.
[Photo] Provided by XYG Studio
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