Bona sat down with Starnews at the KingKong by Starship building to discuss SBS’s weekend drama The Haunted Palace, which wrapped up on June 7th.
The fantasy rom-com follows Yeori (played by Bona), a shaman who wants nothing to do with her predestined duties, and Kang Cheol (Yook Sung Jae), a centuries-old imugi serpent trapped in the body of Yeori’s first love, Yoon Gap. The drama generated buzz for starring real-life friends Bona and Yook Sung Jae, who have known each other for 16 years, as the leads.
“He’s an old friend I spent my trainee days with. But we’d never seen each other work before,” the actress shared, talking about acting opposite her longtime friend. “But he was an amazing actor, it honestly shocked me. It really hit me that he was more experienced, and I learned a lot from him.”
She continued, “It felt awkward staring into his eyes for long periods. Friends don’t usually lock eyes like that, right? I thought, ‘Oh, this is what he looks like.’ It was awkward at first, but that actually worked well with Kang Cheol and Yeo Ri’s emotional storyline.”
One of the drama’s buzziest moments—a pivotal kiss—was less steamy in real life, as Bona recalled: “Rather than being awkward, all I could think of was how freezing cold it was. During filming, it was about minus 26 degrees Celsius, and it was 4 AM. My tears literally turned to ice, and I could barely pronounce my lines. If the weather hadn’t been that harsh, I think we could’ve done even better.”
Despite the on-screen chemistry, Bona drew clear boundaries, emphasizing they’re nothing more than friends. “People keep asking, ‘There’s nothing between you two, for real?’ or ‘Aren’t you two dating?’ My answer’s always the same: if nothing happened in 16 years, it’s probably never going to happen,” she said with a grin.
Looking back, Bona feels The Haunted Palace marked a milestone for both actors. “We first met as idol trainees— I never thought we’d meet again as actors. And to headline an SBS drama together? Seeing how far we’ve come, I’m genuinely proud of us.”
>> ‘I Want to Devour Her’: Yook Sung Jae and Bona’s Fiery Chemistry Shines in ‘The Haunted Palace’
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