[Dispatch=Yuha Reporter] "Miyok was originally a character who would just mention Mac and disappear." (Chae Seo-rin)

It was a role of just a few lines. There was no name, no proper narrative. Rookie actress Chae Seo-rin was cast after undergoing an extended audition process. In that process, the character "Miyok" grew as well.

Director Jiwoo gave this newcomer courage, saying, "There's no reason why anything you do won't work." He watched the actual actress and added flesh to the character. Chae Seo-rin also filled in Miyok with her own interpretation.

"The director created a narrative after seeing me. When I shared my analysis, he said 'do it freely' and trusted me. Because of that, I see my own reflection in Miyok."

It took quite a long time to land that one role. Chae Seo-rin consistently knocked on audition doors. She didn't stop challenging herself even while working part-time jobs.

Dispatch met with Chae Seo-rin on the 1st. We heard her story—how she became Miyok in 'Scandal' and the journey of a rookie actress who has just stepped onto the starting line.

◆ The Expansion of Miyok

'Scandal' is Chae Seo-rin's first work. The casting process was not easy. Auditions lasted three months alone. She wasn't competing for a specific role from the beginning.

Chae Seo-rin said, "I showed everything I could do, from free acting to singing and dancing," and added, "For the second audition, I even brought along the cello I've been playing since childhood. That's how desperate I was."

That's how she got the role of Miyok. Initially, Miyok was a minor role who appeared briefly and then disappeared. Moreover, she was a character who didn't exist in the original film. There was no previous material to reference.

Director Jiwoo met with Chae Seo-rin multiple times and expanded Miyok's story. At the same time, he gave her "freedom of interpretation." He told her, "You can go to the mountains. You can come back down," allowing her to imagine freely.

In the film, Miyok is the older sister of So-sil So-ok (played by Shin Yun-ha). She shows jealousy and competitiveness toward So-ok. Chae Seo-rin didn't approach that emotion simply as hatred. She looked into the underlying loneliness and emptiness.

"I thought of her as someone persevering to be loved and recognized. I didn't want her jealousy of So-ok or her hatred of her stepmother to just look spiteful. I tried to find the sadness within it."

◆ Living Acting Lessons

Everything was a first for Chae Seo-rin. Acting in historical pieces was unfamiliar. Especially the dialect was a concern. She familiarized herself with the tone by watching historical films and dramas.

On set, senior actress Son Ye-jin (playing the role of Jo's wife) extended her hand. She reviewed the script directly with her and pointed out the peaks and valleys of historical acting. She also shared her own rookie experience.

"The senior brought the script and told me to look at it. She reviewed even scenes I wasn't in. She told me, 'In this scene, you don't need as much of a historical dialect. You can speak comfortably,' explaining everything one by one."

From her first work, she worked with veteran actors. For Chae Seo-rin, the set was itself an acting class. In particular, she paid close attention to how senior actors approached filming.

"Even during short breaks, they never put the script down. They kept reciting their lines and preparing scenes. Even though they were already such skilled seniors, they made endless efforts."

Chae Seo-rin reflected, "By clashing with actors on set, I learned that acting is ultimately something made together with people," and added, "After that, my attitude toward acting changed."

◆ The Dream of Being an Actress

Chae Seo-rin has been playing cello since she was eight years old. In middle school, she studied theater and musical at an arts high school gifted program. After pursuing both music and acting, she ultimately chose the path of an actress.

"At some point, I thought, 'Can't I stand on stage as myself rather than an instrument?' Acting was also attractive because it's a field where you can look deeper into someone's inner world."

The opportunity came during a university performance. Through the recommendation of the directing professor in charge, she connected with her current agency. At that time, the professor highly evaluated her acting skills and sincerity.

However, it didn't immediately lead to work. Chae Seo-rin recalled, "I took lessons for about three years and continued acting studies. I also filmed monologue videos on my own and received feedback."

Chae Seo-rin faced rejection at numerous auditions. She was eliminated at the final stage. She was discouraged, but didn't dwell on it for long. She opened the script again and prepared for the next audition.

"Of course I was upset. Fortunately, I don't tend to stay stuck for long. I thought, 'Just wait and see. It just wasn't the right role for me.' And then I prepared again."

◆ New Footsteps

After completing her first work, Chae Seo-rin is back auditioning. Her vision for the acting she wants to do has become clearer. Rather than simply bright roles, she is drawn to characters that dig deeply into the human psyche.

There's one audition that stands out in her memory. Chae Seo-rin recalled, "It was when I prepared a character with dissociative identity disorder. I didn't make the final casting, but the process of analyzing itself was enjoyable."

"As I prepared, I grew quite attached to that character. I felt that if the project came to fruition, I would grow a lot as an actress. I want to keep meeting characters that aren't one-dimensional."

She also wants to someday incorporate the cello she's been with for so long into her acting. Her goal is to draw on that experience in works dealing with music. She also expressed ambition for tense thrillers.

Her role model is acclaimed actress Yoon Yeo-jung. Chae Seo-rin's eyes sparkled as she said, "It's cool to see her continue acting with her own unique style over a long time. I also want to follow in her footsteps—expanding her activity beyond Korea to the world stage."

Chae Seo-rin's ultimate goal is to become an irreplaceable actress. Within that journey, there's also a dream she particularly wants to achieve. She laughed and said, "I definitely want to win a rookie award, which comes only once in an actor's life."

<Photo=Jung Young-woo Reporter (Dispatch)>