[Interview] 'Pokssak' Kim Geumsun "I Didn't Want to Miss a Single Gesture or Glance from Rich Kid Jenny's Mom"

From Theater to Marriage and a Decade in Brazil
Returning Through Short Films: "Grateful to Act Again"

Actress Kim Geum-soon, who appeared as Jenny's mother in 'Pokssak Soksassuda'. Netflix

Amidst her gentle tone, a roughness slips through. The condescending gaze subtly reveals the inferiority complex of a nouveau riche. Jenny's mother, who used to serve coffee at a teahouse in Busan, moved to Seoul in the 1990s and built wealth through real estate investment. In the process, raising her daughter Jenny alone, she constantly schemes and does not hesitate to use shortcuts to compensate for her complex about her limited education.

In the recently concluded Netflix series "I Was Totally Tricked," Jenny's mother is undoubtedly one of the most striking characters. Actress Kim Geum-soon (51), who played this role, shared in a recent interview with Asia Economy, "It was an honor to be part of such a great project."

"Teacher Yang Geom-myeong (Yang Geum-myeong), I'll lay down the heuksari (black thorn bush), so you eat and do the godori." "Isn't it only right and proper that everyone makes a living doing what they do best, godori?"

These lines from Jenny's mother became a hot topic. Numerous short-form videos were produced online. When asked about the backstory of this scene, Kim Geum-soon said, "Director Kim Won-seok gave clear direction with the image of a nouveau riche. She wanted to speak Seoul dialect but inevitably slipped into Busan dialect, a self-made woman who built connections but couldn't hide her true self."

When Yang Geum-myeong returns home in the drama, Jenny's mother reveals her true face. The scene where she sits with one leg on the dining chair and stuffs kimchi into her mouth left a strong impression with its realism. Kim Geum-soon joked, "The side dishes were really delicious during filming." She added, "In the eating scene, my shirt rode up halfway, showing my back, but the director didn't edit it out and used it as is. That kind of detail made it feel more lifelike, which was actually good."

Jenny's mother appears as a key figure causing trouble for Yang Geum-myeong (IU) in episodes 7 and 8. IU recalled in a previous interview with this publication, "When I first heard Jenny's mother's lines during rehearsal, I was shocked. I thought, 'This is serious, I might not be seen,' and it really woke me up." Park Bo-gum and Moon So-ri also named Kim Geum-soon as the most impressive actor.

Actor Kim Geum-soon conducted an interview with Asia Economy on the 11th. Saram Entertainment

In fact, Kim Geum-soon initially wanted to be part of the 'Haenyeo Trio' helping Ae-soon in Jeju. She said, "I had five meetings with the director and writer about the roles, and I begged to play a haenyeo. I kept saying, 'I'll lose weight. I want to be a haenyeo,' but the director insisted I had to play Jenny's mother."

From the moment her role was decided until the day of filming, Kim Geum-soon's mind was filled entirely with Jenny's mother. To deeply internalize the character's justification, she continuously asked herself questions and sought answers. "I wanted to portray Jenny's mother's life as vividly as possible. I didn't want to waste even a single gesture or glance. I kept thinking and thinking to fully capture every emotional nuance."

Kim Geum-soon is an actress who honed her skills on the theater stage and has shown a strong presence in the independent film scene. Born in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, she spent her school years in Jinju, Gyeongnam. In the second year of middle school, she joined the drama club on a teacher's recommendation, and after graduating high school, she worked with the Jinju theater troupe 'Hyeonjang' and later with 'Yeonhuidan Georipa.' After marriage, she left the stage and lived in S?o Paulo, Brazil for ten years.

"Some people ask if that time was hard or if I missed the stage, but I was truly happy. I lived each day grateful for the routine. Then I returned to Korea and looked for work, and I heard films pay well (laughs). I saw a casting call for short film actors on the 'Filmmakers' site and submitted photos and a profile taken at home. That's how I started acting in media."

She said everything was new when she first stood in front of the camera. "On stage, you can't show your back to the audience, but in media, it feels like the audience is everywhere. The camera was so fascinating that I kept looking at it. The fact that fleeting emotions can be captured was really attractive."

She gained significant attention with the film "Jeongsoon" (2024), which depicts the journey of a middle-aged woman whose life collapses due to digital sexual crimes and who regains her life. Starting with the 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival in 2022, it won eight awards at festivals including Rome, San Sebasti?n, and London. She has also built her unique color by portraying realistic characters in dramas like "Not a Hero," "Mom's Friend's Son" (2024), and films such as "Svaha" (2019), "Broker," and "Sleep" (2023). Her strongest supporters are none other than her children.

"I try to empty my turbulent emotions and just live my daily life well. I cook for my kids and sometimes argue with them. When a good project comes my way, I will wholeheartedly throw myself into becoming that character with gratitude. I want to meet the audience through roles and walk happily."