Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated Kim Hoyeun
Girl’s Day’s Hyeri started her acting career in 2012 when she starred in SBS’s Tasty Life to play the role of Jang Mi Hyun. Afterward, she took the lead role in JTBC’s Seonam Girls High School Investigators (2014), a series based on the novel of the same title. It revolves around a high school detective club that digs into the cold cases. Playing Lee Ye Hee, who calls herself the “queen of Cannes,” she deftly portrayed a character whose specialty is poor acting.
Three years into her acting career, Hyeri rose to stardom when she played Sung Deok Sun, the second daughter of Sung Dong Il, in Reply 1988 (2015-2016). It is said that director Shin Won Ho gladly cast her for the role after seeing her in the “Female Soldier Special” of MBC’s Real Men (2014). With scenes like her bickering with her older sister and her feeling upset about being the middle child, Hyeri drew sympathy from viewers. Reply 1988 gained hot popularity, reaching as high as 21.7% ratings (provided by Nielsen Korea).
In SBS’s Entertainer (2016), she took on the role of Geu Rin, a responsible older sister. And thanks to the role, she was awarded the New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards held later in the year.
In the following year, she starred in MBC’s Two Cops (2017-2018) as Song Ji An, a determined and feisty rookie reporter. However, her imprecise diction sparked a heated debate over her poor acting. Later, she acted in tvN’s Miss Lee, which deals with the joys and sorrows of small and medium-sized office workers, as Lee Sun Shim and received favorable reviews.
Since then, Hyeri was frequently seen in variety shows, but recently, she made her comeback as an actress with tvN’s My Roommate Is a Gumiho. Based on the webtoon of the same name, this fantasy romance series about a 999-year-old gumiho and a female college student who accidentally swallowed his bead. For the project, Hyeri stars opposite Jang Ki Yong. In the latter half of this year, she will star in the KBS fusion historical series When Flowers Bloom, I Think of the Moon (literal title). The story begins when four youths bump into each other in alcohol storage during the country’s strictest prohibition law in Joseon history. Hyeri plays Kang Ro Seo, who begins brewing liquor to pay off her debts, in this production.
Hyeri is clearly making choices and concentrating on what’s necessary. At the beginning of her actress career, she delivered this line in Seonam Girls High School Investigators. “I am an actress who is just beginning her career. I will improve in acting one day.” A few years later, she left a letter in her fan cafe after Two �Cops. In it, she wrote that she would work harder and overcome the controversy over her poor acting. Last year, she left DoReMi Market to focus more on her acting career. I look forward to seeing the energy that actress Hyeri is focusing on to show us a clearer path.
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainment news.
