‘Pyramid Game’ is a stepping stone in an actor’s life… Oh Se-eun “I want to have a different face for each character”

"'Pyramid Game' will remain a stepping stone in my life as an actor. There are many things I learned and realized while working on this work. I have faith that it will serve as a solid foundation for my continued acting."

Actor Oh Se-eun, who added interest in the drama by synchronizing with the original webtoon character in TVING's 'Pyramid Game', said about the meaning of the work, saying, "It is an honor to meet an attractive character who fits my current age."

An in-house interview with Oh Se-eun, who performed passionately in 'Pyramid Game', was conducted at Ten Asia's headquarters in Jungnim-dong, Seoul on the 29th of last month. He said that this was his first time doing an interview like this, and he looked excited and handed over bread he baked himself and a handwritten letter. Even before the interview began in earnest, a warm atmosphere was created.

Oh Se-eun greeted the reporters with a short-haired smile, which was contrary to her visuals in the work, where she had her long hair tied up and honestly wore glasses. Thanks to the natural and lively energy that radiates from the 23-year-old, the hour-long interview was so exciting that you didn't notice the time passing. From his thoughts on the end of the show to his final greeting to his fans, he revealed one by one the unvarnished and honest stories of his heart.

Oh Se-eun plays the role of Song Jae-hyung, a hidden idol fanatic and loyal strategist of friendship. 'Pyramid Game' is a work that depicts a cruel battle of survival rankings among students who increasingly fall into violence in a place where perpetrators, victims, and bystanders are mixed, called Baekyeon Girls' High School's second-year class 5, where outcasts are selected by secret ballot once a month.

Oh Se-eun said in her thoughts on the end of 'Pyramid Game', "I am even more overwhelmed and grateful because I did not expect the attention and love I am getting now. Since I have acted on set dozens of times, there are times when it feels like work, but I am feeling my popularity as I have received many happy calls from people around me." He smiled.

When asked about the comment that moved his heart, he said, "I was very happy to see a comment saying, 'If it's not Oh Se-eun, who will play the role of Song Jae-hyung?' I also liked the story about my high synchronization with Song Jae-hyung and the response that I was full of charm. I also liked the image of myself appearing in the work. He said, “I was also impressed by the fact that this ‘GIF’ was created.”

What were Oh Se-eun’s school days actually like? He said, "My bright personality towards people is similar to the role of Song Jae-hyung. Except for my senior year of high school, I was always class president in middle and high school. I tend to get along with a lot of people rather than being close to a few people. I think they also resemble the energetic persona. “He said. On the other hand, he explained that "in reality, personality is more important than face," and that he is different from the 'Eolppa' character in the drama (a fan who likes celebrities with pretty faces and handsome faces).

When asked how she became an actress, Oh Se-eun said, "I started acting at the recommendation of my acquaintances when I was in middle school. I wasn't sure about my career as an actor, so I entered a high school with a strong academic background and was a liberal arts major. Afterwards, I developed a thirst for acting, so I continued my studies and acting in minor roles. “I started working in parallel, and my desire for acting grew,” he said. He recalled his intense teenage years, saying, "Thankfully, my parents actively supported my dream of becoming an actor. I lived in Cheongju and came to Seoul with my younger brother when I was a senior in high school. I prepared for the university entrance exam and filmed my work at the same time."

I asked Oh Se-eun, who attended a girls' high school before coming to Seoul, what she had in common with Baekyeon Girls' High School and what the differences were. Oh Se-eun said, "I have a great memory of shaking my head and washing my hair at school. The atmosphere on the filming set was friendly, but the actual experience of my high school days remains as a difficult memory where I had a strong academic passion and studied hard. It was very different from Baekyeon Girls' High School." He confessed honestly.

"I wore hair extensions and a wig for several months to look as similar to Song Jae-hyung in the webtoon as possible. I tried on dozens of glasses. The glasses I wore in the movie were actually the ones I hated wearing the most (laughter). I couldn't get used to it at first, but “I was satisfied as the webtoon character gradually began to appear on my face.”

Oh Se-eun tells the story of how she repeatedly tried to look similar to the original visuals. The character of Song Jae-hyung stands out for his loyalty. Oh Se-eun said, "I actually have a similar side to Jae-hyung. If someone I care about is having a hard time, I tend to go to them right away rather than talk for a long time," showing her aggressive side. He added, "I share my house password with my close friends, so I visit often and share when I cook."

"There were actors whose webtoon characters could not be seen during the script reading, but each of them worked hard to prepare and on the day of filming, everyone was in character. It was truly amazing and rewarding. Everyone who worked on 'Pyramid Game' was not only sincere about the work, but also showed great affection to others. “I did my best to do no harm.”

Oh Se-eun also talked about the actors she worked with. Jang Da-ah and Shin Seul-gi's debut work is 'Pyramid Game'. When Oh Se-eun, who has a lot of acting experience, asked if she gave them acting advice, she answered, "We just gave each other feedback on equal footing, but I didn't give them advice as an experienced person." He then showed delicacy by saying, “Each actor has something to worry about, but it may not be polite to talk about acting while the other person is giving advice.”

‘Pyramid Game’ reached its conclusion with the release of episodes 9 and 10 on the 21st. Oh Se-eun expressed her affection, saying, "We all gathered together after the last episode. It was a project that took 5 to 6 months to film, and I was so sad that it was over. I thought it would be nice if there were just two more episodes. We each loved the characters we played so much." He continued, "If I were to go back to the filming days, I don't think I would have been able to put in as much energy as I did back then. Everyone did their best. This is a work that took the blood, sweat, and tears of the actors and staff, and I am thankful that the results are good."

“I started feeling affection for Song Jae-hyung when I read the script. It was so fun that I felt overwhelmed the moment I played the character. As I fell in love with Song Jae-hyung, I desperately hoped that viewers would also love Song Jae-hyung.”

Throughout the interview, I felt that Oh Se-eun cherished the role of Song Jae-hyung. He expressed regret, saying, "If I were to grade my acting in 'Pyramid Game', it would be around 60 to 70 points. I think I could have done better if I had met Jaehyeong when I had more acting experience than I do now." Oh Se-eun revealed what she realized, saying, "While monitoring, I had a lot of lingering thoughts like, 'I should have tried different lines.' I decided that I should try a variety of things in my next work."

Oh Se-eun, born in 2001, who has the confident and lively energy of the MZ generation, sparkled her eyes and said, “I dream of becoming an actress whose face changes dramatically for each character.” Reporters also cheered for Oh Se-eun's actions, saying that they want to meet her next project quickly and saying, "I want to hear the story, 'Was that actor who played the role of Song Jae-hyung in 'Pyramid Game'?'"

Ten Asia Reporter Lee So-jeong forusojung@tenasia.co.kr