[Dispatch | Busan = Reporter Yuha Haneul] "Will Kim Go-eun show yet another new face?"

Actress Kim Go-eun constantly reinvents herself. Sometimes she transforms into a lovable youth, sometimes into a character bearing wounds. With each work, she has broadened the spectrum of her acting by revealing different faces.

Behind these transformations lies intense contemplation. Kim Go-eun delves into a character's emotions and the smallest gestures. She understands characters in her own way and finds new possibilities within them.

Kim Go-eun attended 'Actors House' held on the 8th at the cultural hall of Shinsegae Department Store Centum City in Udong, Haeundae-gu, Busan in the afternoon. She shared her thoughts on acting and reflected on her journey as an actress.

When meeting a character, Kim Go-eun first looks into their inner world. It was the same with the film 'How to Fail at Love in a Big City'. When she first read the script, Jae-hee came across as a rough and free-spirited character. But within that lay anxiety to protect herself and an awkward heart.

"I thought Jae-hee was like a raw fish flapping around, a truly raw character. When I looked into her inner self, I saw self-defense. She was a friend just becoming an adult and going through trial and error."

Her understanding of Jae-hee turned into affection. Kim Go-eun recalled, "Jae-hee seemed like a friend who didn't know what to do. I wanted to become a good unni and show her the way."

She emphasized, "I've always talked about the diversity of works. I thought 'How to Fail at Love in a Big City' was one of them. I really wanted to bring this character out into the world. And I hoped that person would be me."

She also discovered her own twenties in Jae-hee. Kim Go-eun said, "Jae-hee and I are the same age, entering university in 2010," and added, "In your twenties, everyone feels anxiety and confusion like drifting in a vast sea. Though the way of expressing it differs, I also went through similar emotions."

External image is also an important clue to understanding a character. When Kim Go-eun first reads a script, she naturally envisions how a person looks. Then she verifies whether that image aligns with the character's life.

She explained, "When I read the script, a picture is drawn first. I dive back into the script to understand why that image came to mind," and added, "When I'm sufficiently convinced, I propose it to the director."

Mo-eun's short hair in 'The Cost of Confession' also came from such contemplation. Kim Go-eun recalled, "I worried the director might feel the short cut too strongly, so I prepared words to persuade them, saying 'Won't the neckline revealed by short hair rather show the character's fragility?'"

In 'Exhumation', she focused on professional expertise. When portraying Hwa-rim, a mudang, what she was most cautious about was amateurishness. She said, "Hwa-rim is a character with strong occupational consciousness. When working, she is more professional than anyone."

"Even among people in the same profession, the particularly skilled ones have subtle differences. I tried to complete Hwa-rim through those small gestures. I was obsessed with ensuring no amateurish moments appeared."

Kim Go-eun revealed that she is completely different before filming and on set. She experiences significant stress whenever starting a new project. However, once she enters the filming site, she tries to let go of that burden.

She said, "Before going to set, I torment myself a lot. Instead, on set I tend to loosen up," and added, "Staff and directors have said, 'You don't seem stressed at all.'"

The secret is peace of mind. It's not an ability that naturally develops simply through accumulated experience or age. Kim Go-eun revealed, "I've undergone training to let myself go with more ease."

"I learned that ignoring difficult emotions doesn't make them disappear. Eventually they accumulate and burst out somewhere unexpected. Now I try to acknowledge those feelings, feel them sufficiently, and then let them go."

Through Netflix's 'Eunzhung and Sangyeon', she portrayed characters from their twenties through forties. How did Kim Go-eun express the passage of time? Rather than exaggerated makeup, she tried to show it through experience and atmosphere.

She noted, "I thought that changing appearance could actually distance it from reality," and added, "Instead, I contemplated how the character's atmosphere and aura would change."

The change in profession was also an important clue. Eun-jung in her thirties is a PD working fiercely in reality. In her forties, after experiencing many things, she takes a step back and writes. Kim Go-eun tried to express changes based on profession and life experience.

Kim Go-eun recalled teachings she learned from seniors early in her career. "At first, I was overwhelmed just fulfilling my role. I didn't have an eye for the whole picture," and she remembered, "Back then, seniors taught me the purpose and center of each scene."

That experience led to her current acting philosophy. She said, "Creating one story through harmony with all characters is most important," and added, "I made room for my scene partners and developed an eye to see the entire work."

'Yumi's Cells' holds special meaning for Kim Go-eun. It's a work that continued through season 3 and the story that opened her thirties. She reflected, "When starting season 1, I felt like a new chapter of my life was opening."

She said, "Since we received good responses through season 2, I hoped to end on a high note," but added, "Once I completed season 3, I felt it had finally become whole. I'm so glad we did it."

The relationship with the production team she worked with over the long period became a great source of strength. Kim Go-eun said with a laugh, "The director and I coordinated for five years. We became the kind of people who understand each other just by looking into each other's eyes. I was proud that I had such colleagues."

Despite successive achievements, she doesn't settle for the present. Kim Go-eun emphasized, "There is nothing certain in the world. What's given to me now won't necessarily continue forever. I must do well in each work and continuously prove myself. That proof becomes the stepping stone to the next work."

"There are still many faces within me that I haven't shown you. I hope you continue to wonder, 'Will Kim Go-eun show yet another new face?'"

<Photos by Reporter Song Hyo-jin>