Mask Girl director Kim Yong Hoon delved into three actresses who play the same Kim Momi role in his interview.
About casting Lee Han Byeol, Nana, and Go Hyun Jung to play Kim Momi, he explained, “After committing murder, Momi would naturally be different. And then, after spending years in prison, she feels like another Momi altogether. I wanted to express her differently from the Momi we’ve seen earlier on in the story.”
The show’s dance sequences provided unique challenges and surprises. Speaking of Lee Han Byeol’s dance, Kim said, “Momi had to be a good dancer as per the script. Lee Han Byeol couldn’t perfectly execute the dance, so I had to think of a dance double who could nail it.” He laughed, recounting how Nana’s dance vibe was so unique, her being a K-pop idol previously, that he had to re-shoot it. “(The opening dance) was a blend of Nana, the dance double, and Lee Han Byeol’s leg splitting. I mixed it appropriately.”
When questioned about the nude scene, Kim confirmed, “Yes, it was Nana who played the scene herself.”
He also recounted unexpected moments on set that left him in awe. “There’s a scene where Nana smiles slyly after a black-and-white fight sequence with a bloodied face. The script only read “Moni smiles,” but when Nana performed it, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, she’s crazy’ (laughter). It was a feeling that made me greatly admire her.”
Kim was full of praise for Go Hyun Jung, who stunned with her dedication to physical stunts. “She did actions that a stunt actor would normally do, like smearing blood on her face, putting her face on the asphalt, and colliding with a wall. Almost 80% of it was her own performance. It worried me to the point of thinking, ‘Isn’t she going to get hurt falling like that?'”
He then talked about her yearning for creative breakthroughs. “She wanted to show, to challenge. I sensed a desire to break free from the habits she had fallen into, to overcome her similar performances, and continually present something new.”
Source (1)
