[Interview] "Dear X", Kim You-jung, "Baek Ah-jin Isn't Hate-able But Not Root-able Either"

"I wanted to portray that subtle line where you can't fully hate her, but you can't root for her either".

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""Dear X"" is a project that completely strips away the pure, bright, and lovable image Kim You-jung has shown to the public until now. Playing Baek Ah-jin, a sociopath in the story, Kim You-jung admitted candidly, "She may be the role I played, but it was hard to support the things she did".

The TVING original series "Dear X" follows Baek Ah-jin (Kim You-jung), a woman who wears a mask to climb from hell to the very top, and the 'X's' she cruelly tramples along the way. With ten episodes currently released, the series has maintained its popularity, ranking No. 1 in weekend subscriber contribution for three consecutive weeks. The final episodes, 11 and 12, were released on the 4th.

At the center of the show's success is undoubtedly Kim You-jung's remarkable performance. In an interview with Ilgan Sports, Kim You-jung said with satisfaction, "Once the show was released, I felt so relieved that fans enjoyed it. Most of all, fans who loved the original work told me, 'We're having such a great time watching it', and that made me truly happy".

Baek Ah-jin is a character with sociopathic tendencies who repeatedly commits cruel acts, manipulating those around her for her own gain and ultimately meeting her downfall. Kim You-jung's portrayal, a bold transformation unlike anything she has shown before, has drawn widespread attention. Kim You-jung laughed, saying, "Some people joked that they were scared of me after watching the show".

"I was really drawn to her because I had never played a character with this kind of personality before. Not only Ah-jin, but characters like Yoon Joon-seo (Kim Young-dae) and Kim Jae-oh (Kim Do-hoon-I) are also extremely exaggerated in their traits. The script fascinated me with its depiction of emotions pushed to the absolute limits of what a person can express".

Although Kim You-jung is a veteran actress celebrating her 20th debut anniversary this year after beginning her career as a child actor, she revealed that "Dear X" was emotionally challenging to film due to its many intense scenes. "They say that when someone is really shocked, they can momentarily lose their memory, and that happened to me several times while shooting this project", she said. "Even when monitoring scenes, I often thought, 'Was I really that cruel?' or 'I didn't know I could make a face like that', and found myself startled".

Despite the show's dark and heavy tone, Kim You-jung shared that the atmosphere on set was lively. She grew so close with co-star Kim Do-hoon and the staff that they even traveled overseas together. Photos from that trip sparked dating rumors between her and Kim Do-hoon. Regarding this, Kim You-jung said with a laugh, "I think it was my first dating rumor since my debut. Among ourselves, we even joked, 'If a dating rumor started, I hope the drama benefits from it'."

As she marks her 20th anniversary, Kim You-jung described the milestone simply but firmly: "It feels rewarding".

"There are definitely times when I feel confused, overwhelmed, or anxious. But whenever that happens, the people around me tell me, 'You've done well, you're doing well, and you'll continue to do well'. I want to hold on to those words as I keep moving forward".