Actress Ha Ji-won has shed her glamorous image to portray a more relatable character in the film 'Bi-gwang.' In the movie, she plays Nam-mi, a fallen top star who endures the harsh realities of life while grappling with her past glory. Through her performance, Ha Ji-won effectively conveys the emotional turmoil of Nam-mi, proving her talent once again.
"Before entering 'Bi-gwang,' I was in a period of deep reflection about myself. I was contemplating who Ha Ji-won is as a person and as an actress, and during that time, I was also working on painting. I was exploring stories about myself in the world, not just living as an actress on stage. It was during this time that I met Nam-mi, a character who also carries wounds and struggles as an actress. So, the year I spent waiting for this project was not just time passing; it was a time filled with contemplation," she said.
'Bi-gwang' wrapped filming in September 2021 and took a long time to reach theaters. Ha Ji-won expressed that after such a long wait, she viewed the completed film with a different perspective than during filming.
"The release has been so long awaited that it's hard to express in words. I really counted down the days. I had seen a rough cut after filming and dubbing, but I watched the final version for the first time recently. Revisiting a project after some time allowed me to see it not just from Nam-mi's perspective but also from the audience's viewpoint. I noticed things I hadn't seen before, and even though it's my film, I enjoyed watching it," she said.
Rather than feeling anxious about the delayed release, Ha Ji-won focused on trusting her choice of project. The extended preparation time allowed her to connect with Nam-mi on a deeper level.
"I didn't feel anxious. Once I choose a project, I tend to trust and wait for it. Filming was delayed due to COVID-19, and the preparation took about a year longer, but I believe that time allowed me to embrace Nam-mi more fully," she explained.
To understand Nam-mi better, Ha Ji-won took time to reflect on herself. She felt that through observing Nam-mi's relationships and wounds, she could experience the character's pain and growth.
"I tried to accept the situations in the script as Ha Ji-won. Nam-mi's circumstances are incredibly challenging. I looked closely at the wounds and background she experiences, and I thought of her as a character who matures through that process. I also felt that Dong-joo, a child in the film, resembled Nam-mi. He lacked sufficient love, became an actor, and in that sense, Nam-mi saw him as a painful reflection of herself, someone she could either take in or abandon," she said.
Although Ha Ji-won has not experienced a fall from grace like Nam-mi, she sought to connect with the emotions of the character as an actress.
"I tried to immerse myself in that situation. When you place yourself in such circumstances, you can feel the emotions. I could relate more because both Nam-mi and I are actresses. Of course, I haven't experienced a significant fall like Nam-mi, but as a female actor, I have my own existence in society. I become more cautious, think twice, and feel a greater sense of responsibility. More broadly, we all live as the person society expects us to be—whether it's the person our mothers want us to be, or what our companies or schools expect. I think I understood Nam-mi through those reflections," she said.
Nam-mi's transformation from a top star to a fallen actress required a significant change in appearance. Ha Ji-won meticulously adjusted her look and mannerisms to reflect the gap between her glamorous past and her more grounded present.
"The director set up the character very well. The gap is part of Nam-mi's charm. When she was a top star, her speech was a bit rougher and more assertive, and she had a glamorous gold dress look. In contrast, after her fall, I made my hair look more damaged and gave the impression of neglecting skincare. While the early Nam-mi had a healthy vibe, eight years later, she needed to feel more lived-in. So, I discussed external changes, speech, tone, and breathing with the director extensively," she said.
In the film, the relationship between Jung-gu and Nam-mi is complex. Ha Ji-won noted that actor Ryu Seung-ryong helped create the right mood for their interactions.
"He was cast as Jung-gu before me. I really wanted to work with him, and it was an honor. He is usually very funny and tells dad jokes, but he didn't during filming. Our roles are familiar yet strange, and the relationship is complex. Instead of rehearsing, he naturally created the mood on set. I was grateful for how well he received my performance, and I wish we had more scenes together," she said.
Working with Kim Sun-young and Kim Hae-sook also contributed significantly to portraying Nam-mi's grounded life. Ha Ji-won expressed her regret that their family scenes felt too brief.
"It was a real honor to work with Sun-young. The sense of reality that emerged during rehearsals was wonderful, and I learned a lot from expressions like 'mayonnaise hair' and the smell of kimchi. I would love to act with her again. It was also an honor to work with Kim Hae-sook. All the seniors I filmed with in this movie were fantastic. Their performances conveyed a sense of real life. It was so enjoyable, and I felt it was too short with my family on screen," she said.
For Ha Ji-won, the most important aspect of delivering a realistic performance was to physically feel the emotions. She believed that Nam-mi's emptiness and resilience needed to be naturally expressed through her gaze and breathing.
"I think the tone of the dialogue and breathing come from feeling deeply. Nam-mi is a character who struggles to endure life, so her gaze needed to convey emptiness at times rather than intensity. During the preparation phase, I was very intense, but on set, I actually tried to empty myself more. I needed a gaze that didn't convey strength or intensity, as there are moments when she has so many stories and wounds but lacks the strength to endure. It was important to feel those emotions," she said.
Recently, Ha Ji-won has been engaging with a new generation through her YouTube content '26th Batch Ji-won.' She explained that this project stemmed from her curiosity about living in the world, not just as an actress on stage.
"I had a curiosity about the world beyond the stage. I always wanted to communicate with different generations to understand the world better, and during that time, I received the proposal for '26th Batch Ji-won.' I was genuinely curious and wanted to know more. What I appreciated was that my peers and seniors treated me as a 26th batch freshman, even though they were younger than me. That allowed me to immerse myself, and I was grateful for that," she said.
For Ha Ji-won, aging as an actress means continuously taking on new challenges. Engaging in music broadcasts, creating YouTube content, and revisiting action roles are not easy choices, but she believes these experiences help her grow.
"These days, I'm doing music broadcasts, '26th Batch Ji-won,' and revisiting action roles. Honestly, none of this is easy for me. It's challenging, nerve-wracking, and a test. But I feel that even if it's hard, going through these experiences expands me. My heart and my view of the world are gradually widening. While it's important to build depth and skill, I also think it's crucial to broaden my perspective of the world. That way, I can engage more with the world and contribute to diverse characters and genres," she said.
For Ha Ji-won, 'Bi-gwang' tells Nam-mi's story while also resonating with everyone living in their own circumstances. She hopes that viewers will take a moment to breathe and reflect on themselves while watching the film.
"It's important to have a moment to breathe and think about who I am. It could be within the family or at work. When we take a moment to reflect on ourselves, I believe we become happier as we understand our existence better. 'Bi-gwang' offers a time to feel that in your heart, so I hope you come to see it," she said.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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