Actress Kim Ji-yeon (WJSN Bona) shared her thoughts on playing the role of a shaman in 'The Haunted Palace'.

On the 9th, Kim Ji-yeon conducted a concluding interview at the Starship Entertainment office in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for the SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'The Haunted Palace' (written by Yoon Soo-jung, directed by Yoon Sung-sik).

'The Haunted Palace' is a body-swapping fantasy romantic comedy where the shaman Yeori (Kim Ji-yeon), who rejects the fate of a medium, encounters the pent-up desires of a monster, Kang Cheol-yi (Yook Sung-jae), who is trapped in the body of her first love, Yoon-gab (Yook Sung-jae), and finds herself entangled in unexpected events. 'The Haunted Palace', which premiered on April 18, recorded a peak viewership rating of 11.0% (16th episode) and concluded on the 7th.

Kim Ji-yeon took on the role of the shaman 'Yeori', who is the only granddaughter of a famous shaman and possesses remarkable spiritual abilities. However, her life is severely twisted after getting involved with a dragon who could not become one. Following an event where her first love Yoon-gab becomes possessed by the dragon, she becomes embroiled in unexpected incidents as she steps into a palace teeming with vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts.

Kim Ji-yeon, who debuted in the group WJSN, firmly established herself as an actress by showcasing her versatile looks and stable acting skills through dramas such as 'Oh! Sumikko Villa', 'Twenty-Five Twenty-One', 'Joseon Lawyer', and 'Pyramid Game', and reaffirmed this once again through 'The Haunted Palace'. Kim Ji-yeon demonstrated realistic possessed acting and portrayed the journey of her feelings for Kang Cheol-yi, transforming from hatred to love, perfectly embodying the three genres of fantasy, romance, and historical.

Regarding 'The Haunted Palace', Kim Ji-yeon said, 'It was hard to predict that 'The Haunted Palace' would do well. The director and the staff were incredibly confident, so I was waiting for it, and the viewership ratings started strong from the first broadcast. At the wrap party, I mentioned that I wished for another gathering after the work did well, and I'm glad that everyone came together to watch all 16 episodes and end on a high note.'

As Kim Ji-yeon mentioned, filming 'The Haunted Palace' was not easy. She stated, 'I was anxious and concerned as I found 'The Funeral' enjoyable. However, when talking with the director, he mentioned that 'The Haunted Palace' would be fully presented as a fantasy, so I didn’t need to carry any burden. The scenes of rituals were intended to showcase a mix of actual rituals and Korean dance to present a fantastical and Korean charm, and I followed that well. I approached the character of a shaman from a fantasy perspective and prepared, thinking that this was a completely new character.'

In particular, Kim Ji-yeon remarked, 'There are sayings that if you play such a role, you might receive divine inspiration, and since it’s said that the fortunes of celebrities and shamans are similar, I was a bit concerned. But the shaman teacher said that I didn’t seem to have such a knack.'

She continued, 'Historical dramas are inherently challenging to film. There are difficulties imposed by the environment, but dealing with ghosts can also prolong the filming, and incorporating CG requires acting alone in thin air, which was tough. Rolling around in the role of Yeori took a physical toll on me, and performing possessed acting was one of the hardest parts. Initially, I had a lot of doubts, but since a shaman originally borrows a body and communicates emotions, I thought it would be appropriate to express in line with the character’s feelings. It was hard work, but it was rewarding.'

Despite the thorough preparation and intense effort, Kim Ji-yeon expressed that she was not satisfied. When asked about the moments of thrill she feels as an actress, she said, 'It really is very rare. After filming 10 episodes, I might feel that excitement in 1 or 2 scenes. I feel exhilarated when it turns out better than I expected. I keep wondering how it could come out better, and I want to do well. I thought I was okay while filming 'The Haunted Palace', but when I watched it on broadcast, there were things that I found disappointing. Sometimes the scenes I found difficult during filming turn out well on air. I want to quickly understand that difference.'

Through Kim Ji-yeon's efforts, 'The Haunted Palace' recorded high viewership ratings and gained much love. Kim Ji-yeon shared, 'I felt elated throughout the airing due to the tremendous love we received. It was a challenging shoot, but I want to say it was worth the effort,' and added, 'When I read the script, I wondered if we would go into 'The Haunted Palace' Season 2. Now, everyone is jokingly throwing around Season 2 because of the good responses, but I still don’t know. If there is a Season 2, I hope it would consist of episodes clearing one ghost at a time. I wish traditional ghosts would appear more.'

<Continued in interview part 3>

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