Actress Kim Ji-yeon (WJSN Bona) shared her thoughts on working with fellow actor Yook Sung-jae, who she has known for 16 years.

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

'The Haunted Palace' is a fantasy romantic comedy about a shaman, Yeori (Kim Ji-yeon), who rejects the fate of a medium, and the Imugi, Gang-cheol (Yook Sung-jae), trapped in the body of her first love, Yoon-gap (Yook Sung-jae), as he faces a vengeful spirit with a grudge against the royal family, leading to a tangle of body and soul. '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 played the role of Yeori, a shaman who rejects the fate of a medium. Yeori, the only granddaughter of a famous shaman, possesses exceptional spiritual abilities, but her life becomes terribly twisted after getting entangled with an Imugi that was not able to ascend to dragonhood. However, starting with an incident where the Imugi possesses the body of her first love, Yoon-gap, she becomes involved in unexpected events, stepping into a palace teeming with vengeful spirits and malicious entities.

Kim Ji-yeon, who debuted as a member of WJSN, solidified her status as an actress through dramas such as 'Oh! Samkwang Villa,' 'Twenty-Five Twenty-One,' 'Joseon Lawyer,' and 'Pyramid Game,' showcasing her versatile looks and stable acting skills, and confirmed this once again through 'The Haunted Palace.' Kim Ji-yeon portrayed the vivid possession acting and the complex process of her feelings turning from hatred to love for Gang-cheol, successfully embracing the three genres of fantasy, romance, and historical drama.

Kim Ji-yeon shared her experience of working with Yook Sung-jae, stating, "We were able to work together comfortably since we have known each other since our trainee days. I hadn't done much in the fantasy genre before, so I prepared by watching animations like 'InuYasha,' but Yook Sung-jae has done a lot in the fantasy genre, so he knew a lot and was good at expressing things, so I received a lot of advice from him."

Although Kim Ji-yeon had known Yook Sung-jae for a long time, 'The Haunted Palace' was the first time they faced each other as actors. Kim Ji-yeon mentioned, "We rarely got to see each other at work. There were hardly any opportunities to meet on set, and we almost never had overlapping activities. I had hardly seen him work, but I was surprised by how professional he was during filming and how well he performed. I felt I had to do well too. He acts so well and has so much talent, and seeing his focused demeanor and outstanding ability to handle the fantasy genre, I thought, 'He is truly a senior,' and I tried to learn from him."

After knowing each other for 16 years, was the romantic chemistry awkward? Kim Ji-yeon replied, "We communicated a lot to help each other do well. I was worried about the kissing scene, but that day it was minus 26 degrees and very cold. My lips froze, and I couldn’t speak or express well either; I was even on the verge of tears. However, I was just focused on doing well enough that I wouldn’t mind the skinship. Surprisingly, I didn't have the time to feel awkward, which is a bit disappointing. If only the weather had been better, we could have made it look prettier."

In particular, when asked if Yook Sung-jae ever appeared as a man due to their romantic chemistry, Kim Ji-yeon answered, "When acting, that feeling is necessary, but it can often be hard to concentrate during emotional scenes. He is such a lively and funny friend that I would often say, 'Just stay still,' or 'Be quiet.'"

<Continued in Interview Part 2.>

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