All Things about K-Drama Somebody (Ep. Kang Hye-rim)

  • By 김미영
  • Posted on 7 February, 2023, 1:00 pm
  • Updated on 21 February, 2023, 8:29 am

"Somebody" is a suspense thriller that follows developer Island and her pals as they become involved with the strange character Yoon-oh (Kim Young-kwang).

Kang portrayed Kim Sum, as a brilliant developer who has no sympathy for other people's feelings. She captured Kim Sum's environment, in which it is difficult to speak without sympathizing with regular people's feelings, and heightened immersion by painting not just his eyes and expressions but also her voice in depth. Kang Hye-rim chose Jung Yoo-mi and Kim Go-eun in particular, and Jung Ji-woo, who is also regarded as a prodigy in discovering new actresses, was chosen from a pool of 600 applicants.

Jung Ji-woo, the director of "Happy End," a political drama about love and obsession, and "Eungyo," about the wants of old poets and high school girls, created a weird 19+ melodrama about serial killers this time. "Somebody" is a Netflix original series.

Kang Hye-rim told the filmmaker about her life, family, and opinions at their first encounter. "At the first meeting, the director remarked she was comparable to the character we are searching for," Kang Hye-rim said, adding, "I think you saw Seom in my tone, the words I use frequently, the gestures and actions I make."

Source: Courtesy of Netflix

"I think I was chosen for the role because I sympathized with Seom in the writing," she added. "I fell in love with reading comments from fans from all over the world, including France, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Japan," Kang Hye-rim remarked after the release of "Somebody," and indicated her wish to star in the next horror film. It's an odd request for a rookie actor.

She stated, "People around me say I should make a romantic comedy to remove the image of 'Somebody,' but I want to be in horror or thriller films like ‘Rangjong.’ First and foremost, I want to work hard so that I may show you a different side of myself "She expressed her desire.

 

Profile 

Name: Kang Hye-Rim

Born: April 1, 1996 (26 years old)

Nationality: South Korea

Family: Parents

Body: 172.5 cm, 47.8 kg

Blood type: B

Debut: 2017 web drama

Agency: Fantagio

Academic background: Department of Music at Kyungsung University

SNS: 

 

 

1. Who is Kang Hye-rim?

Kang Hae-rim, who was born in 1996, is well known as a reenactment actress on KBS Joy's entertainment program "Love Interference." She rose to prominence gradually as a reenactment performer in Seasons 2 and 3. Model Joo Woo-jae, who stars in "Yeoncham," grabbed the most attention by exclaiming "My favorite" whenever Kang Hye-rim arrived.

Kang Hye-rim, Miss Busan-Ulsan Jin in 2016, made her acting debut in the web drama 'Acting Idol' in 2017. She played Park Hae-rim in the JTBC drama "Live On" in 2020, after first meeting her in "Love Interference." In 2022, she landed her first leading part on Netflix's "Somebody," outperforming the 600 to 1 competition rate.

2.Kang Hye-rim's Personality

Her hobbies and specializations include piano, street dance, and violin, and when she competed in Miss Korea in the past, she laid down her future desire of being a music professor. She also enrolled at Kyungsung University's music department, and she had previously considered a career in music and art.

Source: Courtesy of Netflix

"I wanted to meet an actor who could entirely preserve her personal appearance, and Kang Hye-rim was such an actor," said director Jung Ji-woo of "Somebody." "It appears that the attempt to portray actor Kang Hye-tone, rim's expression, and emotions in the writing and filming was effective," she said.

Joo Woo-jae, a regular cast member of "Love's Interference," is said to be her favorite actor. Joo Woo-jae mentioned Kang Hye-rim as “the prettiest actor in Yeoncham, my favorite actor.”

3. Kang Hye rim's Activity(Actor Life)

She made her acting debut in the web drama "Acting Idol" in 2017.

She performed as a reenactment actress in "Love Interference" from 2019 to 2020, displaying natural life and emotive acting. She made her debut TV appearance on the show and introduced herself to the audience.

She was cast in the audition for the drama "Somebody" in 2022, outnumbering the competition 600 to 1. With its extraordinary degree of exposure and groundbreaking story, this piece became a hot issue. Kang Hye-rim is broadening her acting range by portraying Asperger's syndrome. "There is a feeling that Kang Hye-rim has not been calculated," remarked coach Jung Ji-woo. She was an irreplaceable 'unique individual,' she explained, which is why she cast Kang Hye-rim.

Source: Courtesy of Netflix

Kang Hye-rim is broadening her acting range by portraying Asperger's syndrome. Jung Ji-woo, the coach, stated, "Kang Hye-rim does not appear to have been calculated. She was an irreplaceable 'unique individual,' she explained, which is why she cast Kang Hye-rim.

"As the number of cinema spectators and works decreases, it is getting more difficult to develop movies that can deal with particular needs or define them in distinct personalities like me," said director Chung, who cast Kang Hye-rim. If "Happy End" or "Eungyo" were remade in this setting, wouldn't it be marketed as a raunchy film? Wouldn't it be difficult in the future to find works worth examining in the theater? "He acknowledged his deep admiration for the film.

4. Interview about ‘Somebody’ 

Source: Courtesy of Netflix

Q. You are well-known for your participation in the 2016 Miss Korea pageant.

I was on the Busan and Ulsan winners' teams.  In college, I majored in piano, but I couldn't go for a long period. After the Miss Korea competition, I was invited to learn acting, so I began slowly, but now I have signed a contract with the agency's proposal and am beginning to act.

 

Q. When did you realize you wanted to be an actor?

I believe I felt that when shooting "Somebody." As I prepared for this project, I began to feel more confident.

 

Q. I'm curious about the audition procedure that resulted in the casting being confirmed through the 600:1 competition.

I believe I auditioned for about 7 to 8 months. The director appears to have studied all of my process behaviors, routines, and tone, such as "What sort of person are you?" and "How will I act in this situation?" I didn't know I was cast until the first day of filming, but I found out a few days later that I was Kim Sum.

 

Q. As we get closer to the end, we can deduce that the island was also the same type of person as serial killer Yoon-oh. When did you notice the crucial moments when the island fulfilled its desire?

There is a scene where she is executed after a struggle with hood men, and I think it woke up the island's instinct.

 

Q. What did you try to keep in mind throughout the shoot?

Because there were sequences that could be provocative or hazardous, I filmed them all with trepidation.  I believed that hurting someone should not be tolerated.

 

Q. Is the island's final move toward Yoon-oh at the end of the novel motivated by love or vengeance?m On the island, wouldn't there have been both desire and vengeance?

Yoon-oh is killing using the Somebody app, which is used by everyone on the island, thus he must have believed he was the one who destroyed her planet.  It is also true that a loving heart existed.  She deduced that there had to be a desire to stop Yoon-oh. I believe there was also a desire to own. Director Jung Ji-woo has never said, "This is how the island feels," in a single line about the island's psychology. However, even if it takes a long time, I believe you guided me effectively to grasp the island's feelings.

 

Q. How did you express the brilliant app developer?

We investigated how app developers create apps, as well as computer languages and codes.

 

Q. What is the relationship between Kim Sum and Kang Hye-rim?

He is a person who doesn't exhibit his emotions, and in that sense, he resembled me. An island hides its emotions but cannot lie. To be truthful in everything I liked those features and they resembled me.

 

Q. The exposure levels and bed scene are unusual. Were there any issues throughout the shoot?

I spent a lot of time talking with filmmaker Jung Ji-woo. There were numerous scenes that exposed women's wants, therefore I thought it was an appealing scene that I had never seen before and wanted to represent it properly. Yoon-oh and the island's bed scene have been communicating with the director since they began working on the project. I was thinking about how to describe the scene in which the two were at home all day making love.

 

Q. An significant aspect of the story is the relationship between Ki-eun, a police officer who cannot use her legs, and Mok-won, a sexual minority, and shaman. How do you get along with Kim Suyeon and Kim Yongji?

Kim Yong-ji, who plays Mokwon, and Kim Soo-yeon, who plays Ki-eun, are both quite similar to the Sum. I believe the director arranged for them to meet those three after carefully analyzing the performers. Even though they didn't travel or drink separately to become closer, the three were pals. The lines in the script were not awkward even when we were working together for the first time. Yong-ji was inquisitive about how I felt on the first day of the series' release, and Su-yeon was pleased with me.

 

Q. How did you get along with Kim Youngkwang?

Kim Young-kwang was completely immersed in Yoon-oh from start to finish. I let actor Kim Soom proceed on his own. I've never felt uncomfortable because he was so considerate. 

 

Q. Do you have a mentor? An actor you'd like to work with.

Jeon Doyeon is one of my favorite actors.  She is so beautiful. Jeon Jong-seo is the actor I wish to work with. Since "Burning," I've been a fan. I also enjoy horror films like "Rangjong," and I would love to appear in filmmaker Na Hong-jin's work. Park Chan-wook, the director, is also a big fan. Of course, I'd like to try my hand at romantic comedy.

 

Q. I believe it would be a good idea to aim for Rookie of the Year at next year's Series Awards.

It's beyond my wildest dreams.

 

Q. What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy sports a lot. I've dabbled in Pilates, flying yoga, ballet, and boxing. Except for exercising, I prefer to lie down at home.

 

Q. Who do you want to collaborate with?

It's unmistakably Director Jung Ji Woo. Since taking part in director Jung's work, my worldview has shifted dramatically. I got a lot of confidence and widened my thinking as a result of the director. The viewpoint has shifted. I also grew in confidence. I realized that there was a place to come to accept responsibility for a job, and I had the courage to live because of director Jung, who said that I was "special" rather than "wrong" about my appearance a little different from others.

 

Source: Courtesy of Netflix

5. Pieces

5-1. Boardcasting 

YearTitle
2016Bravo My Life
2019Love Interfering Season 2
2020Love Interfering Season 2

 5-1. Drama 

Year         Title
2017Idol Fever
2020Live On
2022Somebody

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