On the 6th of next month, Kim So-yeon will return to tvN's 'Tale of the Nine-Tailed Fox 1938'. 'Tale of the Nine-Tailed Fox 1938' is a K-fantasy action drama in which 'Gumiho' Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook), who crash-landed in the chaotic era of 1938, tries to return to modern times. Kim So-yeon plays the role of Ryu Hong-ju, the owner of Myoyeon-gak, a high-end restaurant in Gyeongseong, and a former western mountain god with tremendous strength. Along with Lee Yeon, he was one of the four major mountain gods who rule the Korean Peninsula. His true form is an eagle owl, known as the king of the wild.
In the released teaser video, Kim So-yeon is wearing dark smokey eye makeup and bright red lipstick. The overall makeup has a dark feel. Here, the costumes also focused on splendor. By choosing clothes with lace or frills, attention was increased.
Kim So-yeon explained Ryu Hong-joo's charms, saying, "It's a really colorful character. He's cute and bold, but he's also very lovable. As you know, he's pretty, but he's good at fighting, and he's very strong. I worked hard at action school for the sword fighting scenes in the beginning."
Kim So-yeon chose 'Lovely' and 'Action' as her differences from her previous work. However, from the public's perspective, the shadow of 'Chun Seo-jin' can be seen somewhere. Just looking at the styling, Seojin Cheon and Hongjoo Ryu are very similar.
'Penthouse' Seojin Cheon always wore bright red, tight-fitting clothes. The combination of black hair and red lips showed off her charisma, and bold accessories added to her sophisticated charm.
Ryu Hong-ju was also similar. She decorated her visuals with large earrings, a hairpin, and a luxurious pearl necklace. This time, the bun hair style gave an alluring and deep look.
The character's personality is not much different. Seojin Cheon is one of the representative villains of ‘Penthouse’. As each episode progressed, her evil deeds became more intense. She appeared full of desire in every episode and was born as a ‘Maramat’ actress.
Ryu Hong-joo's character also has the strength and ability to say anything and is as strong as a man. If you look closely, it is said that compared to Cheon Seo-jin, he did not commit evil acts and added action, but the overall flow has been obvious for four years.
It's not something to say unconditionally about capturing the character you're good at. However, what actors who have been loved by the public for a long time have in common is that they have tried various characters. The evaluation surrounding Kim So-yeon is that there are no new challenges in sight. It may be a clever strategy, but it may not meet the standards fans expect from the grand prize winner.
All actresses of a similar age to Kim So-yeon are breaking away from the image they had previously adhered to. Gong Hyo-jin took on the challenge of being a single mother and a psychiatrist, while Lee Young-ae showed off her messy hair and tracksuit fashion in 'Gu Gyeong'. Go Hyun-jung also played a dark role as the daughter-in-law of a chaebol from a poor family, and Song Hye-kyo received favorable reviews for her portrayal of a victim of school violence.
The desire for diverse acting leads to development. Even if a new challenge is daunting right now, Kim So-yeon also needs the process of eventually making it 'mine'.
Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr