Due to the character’s twisted personality and dark emotional weight, Yoo Jung was deeply worried about So Yoo and made a specific request to the director and production team on the girl’s behalf.
Baek Ah Jin in Dear X is unlike any role Kim Yoo Jung has played before. In an interview with Cosmopolitan Korea, the actress revealed that she initially hesitated to accept the role, even after hearing about the webtoon’s popularity and the complexity of its story.
“Baek Ah Jin is a very difficult character to embody, so I was honestly scared to take her on. But after meeting and discussing with the director, I gained enough confidence to move forward. He explained in detail why I was the right actor for this role,” Yoo Jung shared.
Baek Ah Jin suffers from antisocial personality disorder. She grows up in an abusive household, her childhood and future destroyed by her father. Ah Jin hides her demons behind a charming facade manipulating, exploiting, and eliminating anyone in her way. Kim Yoo Jung delivers this duality with chilling precision, transitioning from angelic to monstrous in a matter of seconds.
Having entered the industry at age three, Yoo Jung understands better than anyone how dangerous and emotionally heavy a role like Baek Ah Jin can be for a young actress. According to Ki So Yoo’s mother, Yoo Jung was extremely worried about So Yoo’s mental wellbeing and specifically asked the director to ensure a psychological counselor was present to support the child actress throughout filming.
Ki So Yoo’s mother also recalled Yoo Jung’s nurturing attitude from the first script reading: “Yoo Jung looked at So Yoo with such warmth and told her to contact her anytime something felt difficult. On the first day of filming, she even came to the set just to watch over her she was still worried. When So Yoo had to film a hard scene on another day, Yoo Jung wanted to come but couldn’t due to her schedule, and she even sent an apology. From the first moment to the last, Yoo Jung cared deeply for the child actors, and it moved me so much.”
Netizens are melting over the mother’s heartfelt story, praising Kim Yoo Jung’s empathy, professionalism, and emotional awareness as a senior actor. With Dear X now six episodes in, Baek Ah Jin’s ambitions continue to grow along with the darkness surrounding her leaving viewers eagerly anticipating more of Kim Yoo Jung’s chilling, masterful performance.
Sources: HHT