Actor Ha Ji-won. [Yonhap]
Actor Ha Ji-won. [Yonhap]

Actor Ha Ji-won shared behind-the-scenes stories from her big-screen comeback film "Bigwang."

On Monday, Ha appeared on the YouTube channel "Sung Si-kyung's Mannaltende" alongside actor Kim Seon-young to talk about the project.

Ha described her character as "Nam-mi, a top star who becomes an actor just trying to make ends meet," adding that the role appealed to her ambition as a performer. "It was a character that made me want to challenge myself, because it let me express new emotions and sides of myself as an actor," she said.

Ha also revealed that she bleached her hair and learned to smoke for the first time in her life to embody the character.

"I tried bleaching my hair for the first time and learned how to smoke," she said. "The director filled a big shopping bag with different kinds of cigarettes as a gift and was considerate enough to let me pick whichever one I felt most comfortable with."

Ha also expressed satisfaction with her on-screen chemistry with Kim Seon-young. "I already had faith in her as an actor because she performs so well, and in this film too she delivered beyond my expectations," Ha said. "Watching her up close, I thought, 'She can be this flexible even in a situation like this' — I was envious, I wanted to learn from her, and I was so happy acting alongside her."

Ha also spoke about "26th Enrollment Jiwon," a YouTube variety show she currently appears in. "I had long wanted to try communicating with a generation different from my own, and the perfect offer came along — I just knew it was the one," she said.

Meanwhile, "Bigwang" opens Wednesday.


choigo@heraldcorp.com