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Jung Chae Yeon sits for an interview for Beyond the Bar.
Beyond the Bar is an office drama about Hyo Min (Jung Chae Yeon), a rookie lawyer at the Yulim Law Firm who is righteous and determined but inexperienced in social life. The story follows her journey of growth as she clashes with Yoon Seok Hoon (Lee Jin Wook), a partner attorney at Yulim Law Firm.
When asked, "How was it doing your first law drama?", she replied, "Doing a professional [role], legal drama for the first time, I was able to see a new side of myself. I gained confidence that even 10 or 20 years down the road, I might be able to show different sides of myself. I believe that if I ever do another law drama in the future, this project can serve as a stepping stone. I'm confident that if I take on other genres, like fantasy or medical dramas, the acting experience I gained through this project will have a positive influence. This time, I suppressed my emotions, so next time, if I take on another genre, maybe I could make my emotions explode. Since I haven't yet tried many genres, I think the more I do, the more it will build up into my inner strength." Also, "I read a lot during the preparation period, as if I were studying. Since it's completely different from the language I usually use, it took time to understand. I definitely needed more time to grasp it, and I invested a lot of time in going through the script. It was a project where I tried many different things."
As for why she chose Beyond the Bar, Jung Chae Yeon expressed, "The story was just so good. It wasn't about the magnitude of [my] role or anything like that. It was simply that the story was really good, and there were some things that gave me food for thought."
"As the episodes progressed, the ratings improved. What do you think is the secret to the drama's popularity?" "Every time the ratings went up, I felt so happy and started my day in a really good mood (laughs). When I first read the script, I thought, 'So, what is really right?' I think viewers might have loved that aspect as well. The drama presents unusual incidents, but if you think about it, they are quite ordinary stories. It's a drama that gives you something to think about."
Talking about how she tried to interpret the character Kang Hyo Min, Jung said, "I think Hyo Min's character is best explained in the first episode. From my perspective, I believe Hyo Min is very smart and straightforward, someone who speaks her mind. Within that, however, she also has her own struggles, and perhaps she wanted to talk about what justice really is."
She added, "Hyo Min may have been born into a family of legal professionals, but she didn't emphasize it heavily and instead preferred fairness." "Moral standards and legal standards cannot be the same. As the story progresses, they clash, and I think that's where the question of 'What is justice?' comes into play. I studied Hyo Min from that perspective and in terms of those values."
Elaborating on her character, Jung Chae Yeon said, "Hyo Min is someone just starting out in society, an experience everyone has had at least once. When she says, 'That's not right though,' and is told, 'Well done,' she feels she's passed a test. And when she first comes out in society, she's like, 'Huh?'. Experiencing such clashes, she is a newcomer to the society who gains social experience."
How did Jung Chae Yeon's own early career days compare to Hyo Min's from Beyond the Bar? "I think Hyo Min is a little braver than I was when I first started my career. I wasn't used to titles like director, team leader, manager. When I first came out in society, things felt so difficult and I was so timid that I often just called out, 'Um, excuse me…' [instead of using the proper titles]. Since I didn’t know much, I made a lot of mistakes too — and those memories surfaced."
As for similarities she shares with Hyo Min, the actress said, "When I focus on something, I stay fixated only on it. If something catches my interest or if there's something I want to see, I focus only on that. If I binge-watch a drama, I'll watch only that, even while eating. If there's a piece of furniture I want, I'll ask ChatGPT, 'Is this one good? Is that one good?' all day long. That persistence is something we both share." She added, "There's a scene where Hyo Min beams with a smile at home when Lawyer Yoon Seok Hoon calls her 'lawyer' the first time. I feel like I share that side of her too. Even one compliment can make me feel really happy. I tried to put a lot of those simple aspects into the character of Hyo Min."
Regarding her casting in Beyond the Bar, some raised suspicions that she may have received preferential treatment from her agency, since she belongs to the same company as actor Lee Jin Wook, who was her co-star. On this, Jung commented, "Rather than feeling wronged, I thought it was natural for people to think that way," and added, "Actually, it was one of the projects I was offered, so I didn’t pay much attention to [that fact]."
When asked for a favorite line from the drama, she commented, "Beyond the Bar has so many memorable lines. There are quite a few I didn't want to forget, so I wrote them down. In episode 12, there's the line: 'If love is about looking at each other, then marriage is about looking in the same direction together.' I really loved that one. There's also a scene where I tell Lee Jin Wook sunbae, 'It felt like I was walking alone through a dark tunnel, so thank you for lending me a flashlight.' That one also really stayed with me."
"Was there anything you did to say you really went the extra mile to play the role of a lawyer?" "I completely avoided drinking. After the script reading, there was a team dinner, and even then, I didn't drink. I tried to establish a healthy routine. Of course, there are times when I might make mistakes or stumble, but I didn't want to blame myself for that. If I had given it my all and the results still turned out differently from than I expected, I could accept it. Otherwise, it would just feel like making excuses. Since I heard that alcohol can impair memory, I avoided it even more and focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I would wake up early in the morning, read books, and I found that it really cleared my head. The script definitely stuck in my memory better. Because I wanted to focus solely on this project, I even postponed meeting friends in the beginning. I had a strong desire to accomplish this."
"It seems like your determination to take on the challenge was really ignited." "That's right. When things feel daunting and new, my desire to do well grows even stronger. Since it was something I chose to do — since I decided to do it — I wanted to do it right. For this drama, I had to fluently use words I don't normally use, so I had to really drill their meanings into my head."
Talking about her impressions about the profession from playing a lawyer, the actress said, "All professions are demanding, but this was a field I had never experienced before... I often thought, 'How should I think about this case?' On set, we also had a lot of discussions around the topics of the episodes. Even though it was an indirect experience, I really felt that it's an extraordinary profession."
"You've been continuously taking leading roles in dramas. If you were to name your strength, what would it be?" "This answer is also connected to what drives me to work. There have been times when I haven't had any projects, times when no one's offered me work, and times when roles that were different from what I wanted to do came my way. In those moments, I tend to be quite positive. I often say to myself, 'I guess that's just how it is.' Then, when a project like Beyond the Bar comes, as if by fate, I think, 'I guess I've been waiting for this.' That's how I try to see things. I'm good at changing my perspective. So far, thankfully, I've been able to continue my work without major hiccups, but even if there is a hiatus in the future, I believe, 'As long as I can return to the viewers with a good image, that's all that matters.' I've trained myself a lot to strengthen my determination. Rather than working impatiently, if I work with even a little bit of gratitude, the satisfaction is greater, and I find peace of mind. That's why I try to establish my axis. I'm the type of person who reflects on myself a lot."
When asked how it feels to mark 10 years since her debut in the dramaland, she said, "I came through a survival show and have been active since I was young. Before, I didn’t really understand the saying, 'The one who endures wins.' But now, exactly ten years later, I've realized that I have to endure well. If I want to do this work for a long time, I have to endure in the bright light, not in the darkness. I've come to realize that I need good rest to recharge myself and that balance is important. Rather than dwelling on hardships, it's important to shake things off quickly, process them healthily, and move forward."
