Bang Hyorin's Rebuttal and Determination in "That's All" [Limelight]

Debuting as Shin Juae in Netflix's "Aema"
"Building My Acting Identity by Following Jung Heeran"
"Aspiring to Become an Actress Who Surpasses Her Limits Like Shin Juae"

In the Netflix series "Aema," Shin Juae (played by Bang Hyorin) makes her debut in the provocative film "Madame Aema." At her first official event, a stage greeting, she introduces herself with an artificial voice recorded during post-production, which is noticeably different from her usual tone. "Hello, I am rookie actress Shin Juae."

Netflix 'Aema' Still Cut

In a recent interview with Asia Economy, Bang Hyorin, who plays Shin Juae, explained, "To make my presence felt as an actress, I even mimicked the speech and intonation of the voice actress from that era," adding, "It was the moment when she began to hide her true self."

As she mentioned, Shin Juae's once-bold personality gradually becomes hidden behind the mask of an actress. She starts to create a new identity by following her senior, Jung Heeran (played by Lee Honey). However, the mask does not last long. When a love scene with Yunho (played by Hwang Sungbin) appears on screen, she lowers her head in embarrassment, and she reacts the same way when reuniting with friends after the screening. "I was really happy when you said you were making a movie. But I didn't know it would be this kind of film. Honestly, I'm a bit embarrassed." After a brief hesitation, Shin Juae responds to her friend's comment, "Guys, if you were embarrassed, I'm sorry. I just want you to know that I did my best here. Anyway, I'm so excited you came. That's all."

Netflix 'Aema' Still Cut

Bang Hyorin performed this scene with a forced smile, but at the final line, "That's all," her expression shifted to seriousness. This conveyed both a rebuttal that she is not ashamed of her actions and a determination to move forward as an actress. She said, "There wasn't a separate scene to express my inner struggles about this, so I wanted to show my true feelings in front of my friends."

The background that enabled such delicate acting is Jung Heeran. Even before Shin Juae's debut, Jung Heeran is the one who toughens her up with blunt words. In particular, the admonition she gives early in the filming of "Madame Aema" remains the overarching message of the work. "At some point, no matter how hard you try to believe, there will be a moment when you just can't. A moment when even the director can't convince you. What will you do then? What will you work hard for?"

This line became a moment of self-reflection not only for Shin Juae but also for Bang Hyorin herself. She confessed, "I was confident, but since it was my first series, it wasn't easy. There were many physically and mentally challenging moments." She added, "Rather than just working hard, I thought it was important to achieve something meaningful, so I focused solely on Shin Juae throughout the filming period, without engaging in any other activities. Even when I had time off, I avoided meeting friends and tried to embrace the character's past and pain alone."

Netflix 'Aema' Still Cut

Shin Juae is a girl who dreamed of acting while watching hostess films in the 1970s. To escape the bleakness of reality, she grew up admiring screen heroines like Jung Heeran. Bang Hyorin hoped that, even when faced with social stigma and limitations, Shin Juae would survive as someone who does not break.

The real-life inspiration, actress Ahn Soyoung, appeared in similar films such as "Bulbaram" and "Amsaseum," as well as the local erotic film "Wild Strawberry" after "Madame Aema," but she broke away from such roles through Im Kwon-taek's "Ticket." However, she was unable to continue a long acting career.

Bang Hyorin said, "Even if Shin Juae walks the same path, she is someone who will inevitably challenge her limits somewhere," adding, "She will not stop fighting even after the screen goes dark." She laughed and concluded, "I also want to become an actress who surpasses her own limits."