Kim Ji-yeon Reflects on Her Chemistry with Yook Sung-jae in 'The Haunted Palace'

Actress Kim Ji-yeon shared her thoughts on working alongside Yook Sung-jae.

On the 9th, an interview with Kim Ji-yeon, who delivered a compelling performance in the SBS drama 'The Haunted Palace', took place at the King Kong by Starship office in Gangnam, Seoul.

'The Haunted Palace', which concluded on the 8th, is a fantasy romantic comedy about Yeori, a shaman who rejects her fate (played by Kim Ji-yeon), and Kang Chul-yi, an Imugi trapped in the body of Yeori's first love, Yoon Gap (played by Yook Sung-jae), as they confront a vengeful spirit haunting the royal family. Kim Ji-yeon portrayed the strong-willed shaman Yeori with nuanced depth.

Kim Ji-yeon expressed her thoughts on the series finale, saying, "I grew a lot through this project. With so many genres mixed together, it felt like filming multiple dramas at once. I gained a lot and became more resilient as an actress."

She also spoke about her co-star Yook Sung-jae, saying, "We've known each other since our trainee days, so filming was really comfortable. I was surprised by how professional Sung-jae was. We frequently gave each other feedback during filming, helping each other shine. That's why our chemistry was so good."

When asked if she discovered anything new about her 16-year friend Yook Sung-jae during filming, Kim Ji-yeon replied, "I didn't know how we worked before, but I learned this time. I think he's a focused and talented actor."

She added, "This was my first time trying fantasy acting, and it was really challenging. But Sung-jae seemed familiar with the genre, and his expressiveness was impressive. I tried to learn a lot from watching him."

By Se-yoon Jung, Ten Asia Reporter yoon@tenasia.co.kr