[Interview①] 'Samjin Group' Esom: "I Wanted to Relate to Yuna as a Young Mom"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] “After finishing filming ‘Samjin Group English TOEIC Class,’ I unintentionally took a good rest. I seriously contemplated how I want to live going forward.”

Actress Lee Som said that acting has increased her sense of responsibility. Although she didn’t have big ambitions, she now sparkled with excitement at the thought of trying various roles.

On the afternoon of the 15th, Lee Som shared various stories about the film during an interview held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, ahead of the release of the movie ‘Samjin Group English TOEIC Class’ (directed by Lee Jongpil).

‘Samjin Group English TOEIC Class’ is a film about three friends who have been working at the company for eight years, are veterans in their job skills but always remain at the bottom of the hierarchy. They attend the company’s TOEIC class together and join forces to uncover corruption committed by the company.

When asked about her reason for appearing in the film, Lee Som immediately pointed to director Lee Jongpil. She said, “Ten years ago, the director and I acted together in the same production. That memory played a big role,” adding, “I heard that when he wrote the character Yuna, he had me in mind. Also, he thought it would be fun and enjoyable to work on a project set in the 1990s, and the process of the three friends uncovering corruption was portrayed in a lighthearted way, which was interesting. I was very curious about how it would be to work with Go Ah-sung and Park Hye-su.”

The story follows Ja-young (played by Go Ah-sung) from Production Management Department 2, Yuna (played by Lee Som) from Marketing, and Boram (played by Park Hye-su) from Accounting, all eight-year junior employees who accidentally witness the company’s wastewater discharge site and bravely confront the massive barrier that is the company.

Lee Som expressed affection, saying, “It was my first time working with actors of a similar age. I had always worked with seniors, but this was my first time acting with female actors around my age. I always wanted to do it but never had the chance. Since I’m a few years older, I didn’t think of myself as an older sister; we got along like friends as the story required. Go Ah-sung and Park Hye-su have great personalities and opened their hearts a lot, so I felt comfortable around them.”

Recalling that she got an “okay” on the first take of the first day of shooting ‘Samjin Group English TOEIC Class,’ Lee Som said, “I analyzed Yuna as someone who pretends to know what she knows and acts strong. I tried to imagine and find this based on the script. The tone naturally changed when she was with friends versus with her boss. I hoped the three characters would be portrayed with distinct personalities in the film,” adding, “So the first shoot was important, and I was relieved to get an okay on the first take.”

Outside the company, Yuna’s individuality as a working woman in 1995 was expressed through semi-formal wear that combined comfort and style, power shoulder jackets, gold accessories, and miniskirts. Her seagull-shaped eyebrows and heavily teased hairstyle were also impressive. Lee Som recalled that the preparation process was fun as she personally went to Dongmyo Market to shop around.

“Maybe because I used to be a model, I really enjoyed preparing the costumes and props. I looked for video materials from that time to prepare the style and hair and makeup. The costume team said they were going to Dongmyo Market, so I went along. There were so many clothes that really captured the vibe of that era. I tried them on and bought them myself, which was really fun.”

Lee Som said that when she wore the makeup and costumes from that era and went to the set, Yuna’s persona naturally emerged. She said, “Yuna came out naturally with the help of the makeup. She’s different from my real personality. I’m not as talkative or strong as Yuna. But people around me say I’m the type to speak my mind. I don’t think so,” she laughed.

While researching 1990s styles, Lee Som happened to come across photos of her parents, which became a major motif in expressing Yuna. She said, “While researching, I looked through my parents’ album. Although my mother’s life is different from Yuna’s, I wanted to empathize with my mother more in Yuna. There’s even a scene where Yuna reflects my mother’s image exactly as seen in the photos,” reflecting on its significance.

Lee Som said she organized her thoughts during the time alone due to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus infection). She expressed curiosity about various characters and said, “I want to try many characters I haven’t done before,” adding, “Personally, I think I’ve become a bit more mature. I hope to grow as a person.”

She also showed a changed perspective, saying, “I’ve come to value harmony more when working.” Lee Som said, “Although I haven’t done many projects, I really like being on set. I feel the energy there, and when resting, I want to leave quickly. I like the atmosphere and vibe of a set where many people work hard for one project.”

Lee Som, who recently took up hiking as a new hobby, said, “Because of COVID-19, I couldn’t go to exercise facilities, so I went to the mountains, and it was really nice. It helped me organize my thoughts. I love mountains so much that I go to Hallasan in Jeju or climb Bukhansan every year. Recently, I’ve been going to Umyeonsan often, but it’s more like a trail than a mountain,” she laughed. She added, “After finishing filming ‘Samjin Group English TOEIC Class,’ I unintentionally rested a bit. I also seriously reflected on how I want to live going forward,” calling it a turning point.

Finally, she added, “I want to bring joy to the audience through this film during the COVID era.”

‘Samjin Group English TOEIC Class’ opens on October 21.

Photo = Lotte Entertainment