[Interview] Im Yoon-ah "Cautious in Dating... Meeting Park Jung-min Was a Miracle"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actress Yoona (Im Yoona), formerly of the girl group Girls' Generation, gives a clear impression like a sky that clears up after rain. She is an actress who exudes a strength that cannot be defined simply as 'energy' or 'vitality.' This shines uniquely in every character she meets in her works. It is the same in the movie Miracle.

In an interview on the morning of the 8th for the movie Miracle (directed by Lee Jang-hoon), Yoona said, "I wanted to express well the charm of a lovely, bold, and cute role."

The film tells the story of a math genius Jun-kyung (played by Park Jung-min), whose only life goal is to have a small train station built in a village where the only accessible path is the railway but there is no station. The work is inspired by Yangwon Station, the first privately funded station in Korea in 1988, and is directed by Lee Jang-hoon, who also directed Be With You (2017).

Yoona plays Ra-hee, the fearless and action-oriented muse of Jun-kyung, and she shares great chemistry with Park Jung-min, who plays the quirky Jun-kyung whose sole goal is the train station.

She said, "I wanted to express Ra-hee's charm exactly as I felt it through the script," adding, "If I were to give a score, since I love the character, I would give more than 80 points."

The biggest challenge was the dialect. Born in Seoul, Yoona revealed that she worked hard to deliver her lines in the Bonghwa dialect of Gyeongbuk. "The dialect is a big charm of the movie. I wondered if I could do it and studied hard to make it sound natural. I wrote so much that the script was almost full. I was worried that if the dialect sounded awkward, it might be uncomfortable for the audience."

Yoona, who said she cried many times while reading the script, recalled, "I felt I absolutely had to do it as soon as I saw it. I cried when I first read the script and also when I saw the revised version later. I watched the finished film twice and cried both times."

Throughout the interview, Yoona expressed special affection by mentioning Park Jung-min's name repeatedly. Her smile, recalling the filming together, never faded. She said they felt comfortable as if they had known each other for a long time. Since the two actors had many scenes together, they naturally became close.

"Park Jung-min warmly accepted my friendly approach and came close comfortably. He is witty and serious. We got along well. Because we shared the common challenge of the dialect, we formed a bond early in the shoot. Im Yoona and Park Jung-min felt like Ra-hee and Jun-kyung coming to life. It was even better that Park Jung-min played Jun-kyung. Thanks to that, I was able to immerse myself emotionally."

Earlier, Park Jung-min revealed his fandom for Girls' Generation and said, "Working with Yoona was a 'miracle'." When Yoona sent a text saying she had seen the article, Park Jung-min responded with even greater fandom.

He said, "Yesterday (the 7th), I saw Park Jung-min's interview article and sent a text, and he replied with 'Yungprodyte (Yoona + Aphrodite).'" He laughed, "I'm a fan of Girls' Generation, but I don't know if I'm a fan of Yoona. During filming, I even put a sticker from the coffee truck the members sent on my phone. Then I asked, 'When is Girls' Generation coming?'" He added, "I also feel like a miracle working with Park Jung-min."

Ra-hee expresses her emotions honestly and actively. Yoona said, "I am usually honest with my feelings, but I can't act on them like Ra-hee does," adding, "Ra-hee goes straight ahead in love, but I tend to be more cautious."

Having mainly played bold and lively characters in recent works, Yoona confessed, "Honestly, I get a lot of those roles," and expressed her desire to "show a new side."

"I have many sides, so I want to show different aspects little by little. In the movie Confidential Assignment and JTBC variety show Hyori's Homestay, I showed my true self, and the reaction was surprisingly positive. I was just being comfortable, but people accepted it as something new. I realized that the public's image of Yoona might be different from who I really am."

Yoona began acting in 2007 with the drama 9 End 2 Outs and debuted the same year as a member of the idol group Girls' Generation. Fourteen years later, she has stepped down from the glamorous stage to focus on acting. Now, Yoona's main career is as an actress.

She said, "It might be hard to say outright that I have firmly established myself as an actress. Since I spent more time as a singer than an actress, there are many things I want to show in the future. As time passes, I mature in some ways. When I set clear standards for myself and make choices, the satisfaction is greater. I want to take it step by step, do what I want, and walk alone."

Photo = SM Entertainment, Lotte Entertainment