[On Stage] Baek Seungyeon Debuts as a Vampire Girl: "I Dream of Becoming an Actor Who Understands Life"

Actress Baek Seungyeon was introduced to stories about the world through films during her childhood. Her parents were film enthusiasts. In particular, her mother, who was a teacher, wanted to show her daughter the diverse worlds depicted in movies. If a good film was broadcast late at night on TV, she would even wake her sleeping daughter to watch it together. Baek Seungyeon also found great joy in watching movies with her parents and having long conversations about them.

After watching "Interstellar" late at night with her parents, she even found herself in tears, developing her emotional sensibility. "I was deeply moved by the way a father and daughter, separated by fate, continued to communicate and ultimately expressed their love. I also felt a sense of envy toward director Christopher Nolan, who was able to bring his imagination to life through film."

"Let Me In," first seen as an audience member 9 years ago... reunited as 'Eli'

As her interest in film?a medium that can turn imagination into reality?grew, Baek Seungyeon saw her first play in January 2016, just before entering the Department of Theater and Film at Gyeonggi Arts High School. She watched Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale" at the National Theater of Korea's Daloreum Theater and the premiere of the play "Let Me In" at the CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center. "I was so impressed by how the actors poured their hearts and souls into their performances."

"Let Me In" is a play that drew attention because Park Sodam, who had gained recognition the previous year for her role in the film "The Priests," starred in it. Baek Seungyeon still remembers the stage from that time. "The stage set was fascinating. I thought the direction pursued a style that was somewhat different from typical plays."

Baek Seungyeon is currently performing as 'Eli'?the role played by Park Sodam nine years ago?in "Let Me In" at the National Theater of Korea. This is Baek Seungyeon's stage debut, following her graduation from university in February of this year.

The current run of "Let Me In" marks the first performance in nine years since 2016. Production company Shinshi Company had planned a second run in 2020. At that time, they even selected two actors for the role of Eli through auditions, but the performance was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19. Baek Seungyeon made it to the final audition round, where six candidates were chosen, but in the end, she did not get the part. She said, "I was convinced the play would be staged again, so I kept checking the Shinshi Company website. I felt a sense of competitiveness. It was my first ever open audition, and when I made it to the final round, I really wanted to succeed."

Baek Seungyeon also said, "It's not common to get the chance to play a non-human character, so I think I felt a certain pull toward the role." "Let Me In" is a unique and mysterious story about the strange attraction between a vampire girl and an ostracized boy. Based on Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist's 2004 novel, "Let Me In" was adapted into films in Sweden in 2008 and in the United States in 2010.

Theater performance scene of "Let Me In"
Photo by Shinshi Company

A story of a vampire and an ostracized boy..."My dream is to act happily for a long time"

Baek Seungyeon described her character, the vampire girl Eli, as "a person who is under-socialized because she cannot see sunlight and is only active at night."

Baek Seungyeon portrayed the cold, eerie presence of the vampire girl Eli through a dry, almost expressionless tone and a gaze that seemed to closely observe human behavior. "Through my tone, gaze, and the way I move my head, I wanted to show many mysterious and distinctly non-human qualities."

Baek Seungyeon believes that, to act well, one ultimately needs to understand both people and society. That is why she minored in sociology at university.

"When acting, you often encounter limitations. You have to bring the script's text to life, but when you're young and inexperienced, you feel restricted in your expression. Although that turned out not to be entirely true, I wanted to study stories about people's lives, so I chose to study sociology."

She said her dream is to act happily for a long time. Ultimately, understanding human life is essential. Only then can you give good performances and sustain a long career as an actor.

"I want to become an actor who can think in a healthy way. I want to understand what it means to live as a person. Whether life is healthy or not, I want to be an actor who can fully experience it."

Theater performance scene of "Let Me In"
Photo by Shinshi Company