Rising Star Choi Yoo-ri Talks About Her Role in 'Zombie Daughter' and Her Unique Hobbies

"I invited a few close friends to the premiere. They said they laughed and cried because it was so entertaining. They also told me I did a great job. Friends who couldn't make it to the premiere promised to watch it on the release day. I'm really grateful."

Choi Yoo-ri, who is starring in her first lead role in the film 'Zombie Daughter' as a high school freshman, expressed her gratitude to her supportive friends. 'Zombie Daughter' is a comedic drama about a father, Jeong-hwan (played by Jo Jung-suk), who undergoes secret training to protect his daughter, the last remaining zombie in the world. Choi Yoo-ri plays the role of Su-a, the daughter infected with the zombie virus.

Choi Yoo-ri joined 'Zombie Daughter' after receiving a casting offer, not through an audition. She shared, "After receiving the script for 'Zombie Daughter,' I had a one-on-one meeting with the director. He talked about Su-a's atmosphere and character traits. Since it's based on a webtoon, he wanted Su-a to be portrayed as cute and lovable, and I agreed."

"I was thrilled to play my favorite character from a work I loved. I felt a sense of responsibility but was grateful for the opportunity. Filming was a lot of fun. It was enjoyable. I had been following the original webtoon since it was serialized, and it felt like Su-a's character came to me as if by fate."

Unlike other zombie-themed films, 'Zombie Daughter' features zombies with a sense of humanity. In the film, Su-a shows improvement thanks to her father's dedicated training. Choi Yoo-ri explained, "Su-a is a zombie, but unlike any zombie you've seen before, she feels emotions and has mood swings. She even recalls certain memories. I focused on portraying Su-a's humanity." However, due to the zombie setting, there were more sound effects like 'ugh' and body movements than spoken lines. Choi Yoo-ri admitted, "In previous roles, I had lines to express the character's emotions, so it was easier. This time, it was confusing at first."

"I drew a lot of inspiration from pets while completing Su-a's character. Animals convey their state through gestures and eyes without speaking. I tried to express Su-a's gestures and emotions similarly. I watched videos of animals, especially felines like cats and tigers in zoos. I also have a pet dog, and when we play, it growls. I drew inspiration from that sound to portray the zombie."

Choi Yoo-ri and her on-screen father, Jo Jung-suk, have a real-life age difference of 29 years, similar to that of a father and daughter. Choi Yoo-ri said, "On set, just like in the script, we called each other 'Dad~' and 'Su-a~.' It felt like we became a real family, and it was heartwarming. He was incredibly considerate, and I'm grateful for that. Thanks to him, the family-like atmosphere was well captured in the film."

Before playing Jo Jung-suk's daughter, Choi Yoo-ri had experience playing the daughter of famous actors. In the drama 'Itaewon Class,' she was Yoon Kyung-ho's daughter, and in the film 'Alienoid,' she was Kim Woo-bin's daughter. Choi Yoo-ri shared, "Every time, I feel honored to work with such great actors. They treated me like their real daughter and praised me a lot. Whenever I was confused or inexperienced, they helped me without hesitation. I'm always grateful."

The film 'Zombie Daughter' features BoA's song 'No.1' as part of its soundtrack. This song represents Su-a's preparation for a dance competition and her relationship with her father, Jeong-hwan. Born in 2009, Choi Yoo-ri was not familiar with 'No.1,' released in 2002. She said, "I knew BoA but not 'No.1.' I learned about it through this project. The director said it fits our film well, and the lyrics seem like Jeong-hwan's words to Su-a. Initially, I thought it was just a soundtrack, but after hearing the director's explanation, I realized it has a bright melody but carries a sad emotion."

"There was a dance teacher who taught me the choreography. I practiced for a little over four months in a separate studio. I'm not a natural dancer, so it wasn't easy at first. Thanks to the dance teacher's guidance and the director's direction, I think I appeared less clumsy on screen. Haha."

When asked if she's interested in K-pop choreography, she replied, "I have hobbies far from dancing." Her actual hobbies are "observing and birdwatching."

"I love birds, so I look at bird guides and go for walks to observe them. I like owls, owlets, and crows. Although owls and owlets are rare to see, you can spot crows. I often go for walks to see crows. I also visited the zoo at Seoul Grand Park to see Eurasian eagle-owls. There were two adults and three young ones. The young ones were fluffy, like cotton balls with beaks, and they were adorable."

Another hobby of Choi Yoo-ri is 'writing novels.' She said, "I've recently started writing stories about birds, focusing on crows and Eurasian eagle-owls. My experience seeing the eagle-owls at the zoo helped with my writing. As someone who loves eagle-owls, seeing them in person was a new experience."

"I have many drafts, but only one completed short story. I have more poems than completed stories. As I write, the story sometimes goes off track. I often think, 'The concept was good,' but end up shelving it. Haha. I'm planning to finish the bird-themed novel soon. It's only about 15% complete, though. Haha."

Debuting in 2014, Choi Yoo-ri has a solid background as a child actress. Now a high school freshman, she's preparing for her future as an adult actress. With her love for writing, she also dreams of becoming a writer.

"I truly love my job as an actress. I want to continue acting and plan to do so. Since I enjoy writing, I also want to publish a book. It would be great to continue my acting career while pursuing writing."

As a high school freshman, what are Choi Yoo-ri's interests and concerns? She said, "As a high school student, managing grades has become important. I'm thinking about it, but it's not too serious yet. I often worry more about 'what's for lunch.'" She also shared a more serious concern, "I'm trying to memorize the names of owl species I like, but it's not easy," bringing a smile to her face.

Reporter Kim Ji-won, TenAsia bella@tenasia.co.kr