[Interview] Shin Ye-eun of "A Hundred Memories" and "The Murky Stream": Diligent and Passionate

In 2016, Shin Ye-eun entered Sungkyunkwan University as a Theater and Film major. Two years later, she debuted as an actress in 2018. Nearly a decade has passed since she began studying acting, yet she still carries the passion of a film student, constantly learning, practicing, and pondering how to perform better. Every day of her life revolves around acting.

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That same dedication and drive allowed her to keep working steadily, even during the challenges of the COVID-19 era, appearing in at least one project a year. Following Netflix's "The Glory", her presence grew even stronger. After recently wrapping up JTBC's "A Hundred Memories" as Seo Jong-hee, Shin Ye-eun now stars in Disney+'s "The Murky Stream" as Choi  Eun.

"I can't remember exactly where I first heard it, but there were rumors about a drama about 'bus conductors'. I think I heard it through an acquaintance, and I really wanted to try it. When I read the script, I was drawn to the character Jong-hee. I expressed my enthusiasm to the writer and director, and that's how I got the role".

Set in 1982, "A Hundred Memories" portrays Jong-hee as the "It Girl" of her era, sporting "denim-on-denim" fashion and long, flowing hair. She shares a warm friendship with Go Yeong-rye (Kim Da-mi) but disappears after a tragic accident, only to reunite with Yeong-rye seven years later, along with Han Jae-pil (Heo Nam-jun), who sits between friendship and love.

"The character had such a distinct identity, the flared denim pants, long straight hair. I thought my cool appearance and tone when I'm not smiling would suit Jong-hee well. Though she looks strong, she carries trauma from domestic violence. Rather than constantly emphasizing that pain, I tried to convey it powerfully in the moments the writer and director created for it".

For Shin Ye-eun, the biggest gift from this project was meeting actress Kim Da-mi. To her, Kim Da-mi was the kind of person who naturally made you want to be a fan, someone comforting and warm. Whenever Shin Ye-eun struggled to grasp Jong-hee's emotions, she would simply look into Kim Da-mi's eyes a little longer. Their bond formed effortlessly, naturally.

"Heo Nam-jun, who played Jae-pil, also gave me a lot of strength. I learned so much from all the senior actors. Park Ji-hwan, whom I met in both "A Hundred Memories" and "The Murky Stream", would call me and even recommend books. He once said, 'If I wanted to give one-time advice, I'd just hand you a book, but if you're to become a great actor, this is part of your process', and suggested I read Zorba the Greek. I was so grateful".

Since "The Glory", Shin Ye-eun has played Yoon Dan-oh in "The Secret Romantic Guesthouse", Heo Yeong-seo in "Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born", and Choi  Eun in "The Murky Stream", all historical or period roles set in times like the 1950s or 1980s.

"It's not that I prefer historical dramas, but somehow I ended up getting roles like that. I focused on being present in each moment of emotion, asking myself whether my character's lines came from her own will or were a reaction to others' words".

This reflects a deeper level of acting, performing from herself rather than by rote. Even after shooting, she would keep studying the script to understand her character's emotions and actions. For "The Murky Stream", having mostly done bright or cold-toned roles before, she intentionally pressed her tone down, adding emotional weight to each line. Through this, she portrayed Choi  Eun, a bold young woman chasing her dreams amid the rough traders along the Han River's tributaries in the Joseon era.

"At the Busan International Film Festival, a clip of me acting cute on the red carpet went viral. I didn't expect people to enjoy it so much, but they did, even Guillermo del Toro responded warmly! Honestly, I'm more introverted than people think, so afterward I kept asking myself, 'Why did I do that?'"

In person, Shin Ye-eun is expressive, cheerful, and full of smiles, but also shy within limits. She might be the most extroverted type of introvert. Her energy is entirely devoted to acting, constantly thinking about how to bring joy to herself and the audience through her performances.

"I'm working hard now, but if more good projects come my way, I'll take them without hesitation. Each opportunity means so much to me. Even when I'm tired, the happiness outweighs the hardship. That's what keeps me going. Lately, I've even been exercising diligently, so I can do my best in every role".