From the U.S. to Taiwan, 'Weak Hero' takes over Netflix worldwide upon Season 2's release
On April 23, singer and actress Seo Hyun had an interview for her soon-to-be-released horror K-movie Holy Night: Demon Hunters.
Holy Night: Demon Hunters is an action-horror thriller that follows Ba Woo (Ma Dong Seok), Sharon (Seo Hyun), and Kim Goon (David Lee), who come to eradicate the forces of darkness as a cult that worships evil has plunged the city into chaos.
Seo Hyun plays the role of Sharon, an exorcist capable of banishing any demon. Known for her clean, model-student type, good girl image, the actress takes on a role completely different from her usual persona in this film.
When asked about her thoughts after watching the film on the big screen, Seo Hyun said, "I had seen a screener before the preview, but watching it in a theater felt completely different. The sound, especially. I really felt, 'Movies are meant to be watched in theater.' It made me think, 'Is this real?' and I felt really happy."
Seo Hyun makes a bold transformation into an exorcist, the first in her career. "It was really good. I was cast because they saw various sides of me, so I thought, 'How did they even think of this?' and I really didn't want to miss the opportunity. I enjoy taking on challenges in acting, so I had a strong desire to make this character captivating. To be honest, I'm not good with scary stuff, but the script itself was so good that I thought it would be fun regardless of the genre. The filming set was really amazing. I even forgot that this was an occult film. It wasn't until the cameras rolled that I reminded myself, 'This is an occult film,' and focused in. I really filmed it with a lot of joy."
When asked how she prepared for Sharon's lines — more than 70% of which are in an unfamiliar language — she said, "I kept listening to the recordings whenever I could, even right before going to bed. But since the person who recorded them doesn't speak the language exactly as it is, I felt I shouldn't just mimic them. I kept thinking to myself, 'How should I make this work?' and even tried recording my voice. I prepared really hard, and once we started filming, things I hadn't even prepared for just started coming out. I felt good every time something new emerged."
But, it must have been mentally taxing. "I naturally immerse myself in the moment. I'm the type who can switch on and off right away, so it wasn't mentally difficult. But I did scream a lot, so I was physically exhausted and had headaches. Still, because I was so immersed, my condition ended up matching the mood of the scene. In a way, it actually helped my performance."
When asked about which side of her was reflected in Sharon, Seo Hyun responded, "I am a firm T [thinking type in the MBTI personality test]," and added, "People who don't know me well often say, 'Aren't you an F [feeling type]?' or 'Why are you so quirky?' So, I wanted to add a spoonful of that side of me into Sharon."
Seo Hyun debuted in 2007 and has been working for nearly 20 years. Talking about how she feels after getting to this point, she said, "There's nothing in life that scares me now. I've become stronger through all the experiences I've had. I'm not someone who easily gets afraid. The image of me being upright — yes, that fits. There is a line I do not cross. But as an actress, there are many things I want to challenge myself with, and there are still sides of my personality that I haven't had the chance to show."
"Because I have many different sides to me, I can show them anytime. When those sides come out, people are two or three times more surprised. I'm grateful that I can express them through acting," and added, "But forcing it — like saying 'Hey, I've changed!' — that's not easy. I've naturally changed into who I am now. There are aspects of me that are still the same as before, and aspects that have changed, and I think that's natural."
Seo Hyun has managed to stay away from scandals or controversies throughout her career, a rarity in the entertainment industry. "Looking at it that way [doesn't mean it was] easy. I've lived with the mindset, 'No matter how rough the world gets, I won't waver. Even if someone tries to shake me, I'll stay firm and keep walking my path.' (Laughs) The hardest thing is to live in this harsh world without wavering. I've told [myself] I won't budge no matter what, and even if someone tries to sway me, I'll keep going my way. It took me 20 years to firmly grasp that. So, no matter how strong the winds get, I'm like a tree that's rooted deep. It won't be easy [to shake me up] unless someone pulls out the roots."
She also reflected that after spending her teens and twenties living fiercely, she now feels much more at ease in her thirties.
"My profession is the kind of one where I'm always on the chopping board, and things can often be perceived differently from what I intended, so I always had to be careful," adding, "Keeping that in mind, I ended up living like a racehorse — only looking straight ahead, with no time to look around."
"Having lived that way for nearly 20 years, I've come to learn a lot and feel that I've become stronger. I now have the confidence that even if I act freely, I won't make major mistakes," adding, "I think the experience I've accumulated over time gives me that freedom."
So, what would she like to say to her past self?
"'You're living well. It's thanks to all the struggle you're enduring that I'm where I am today.' I can't help it. Honestly, I'd rather have an easy old age (laughs)."
