Han So-eun's Journey to Becoming the Perfect Queen in 'The Haunted Palace'

Actress Han So-eun steps into the spotlight as a queen embodying solitude and maternal love. To perfect her portrayal, she visited multiple clinics to lower her voice. 'I changed ENT doctors three times to lower my tone,' Han So-eun revealed, showcasing her relentless dedication to her craft.

On the 13th, at the TENASIA headquarters in Jungnim-dong, Seoul, we met Han So-eun, who starred in the SBS drama 'The Haunted Palace.' The series, which concluded on the 8th, is a fantasy rom-com about a shaman named Yeori (played by Kim Ji-yeon) who rejects her fate and encounters a dragon spirit, Kang Cheol-yi (played by Yook Sung-jae), trapped in the body of her first love, Yoon Gap. Han So-eun played Queen Park, the wife of King Lee Jeong (played by Kim Ji-hoon), delivering a powerful performance with her calm demeanor and resolute gaze.

Debuting in 2016 with the web drama 'Go Ho's Starry Night,' Han So-eun has taken on various roles in projects like 'Mystic Pop-up Bar,' 'Death to Snow White - Black Out,' and 'Joseon Attorney.' Her efforts shone in the 2020 tvN drama '18 Again,' where she played the younger version of Kim Ha-neul's character and the first love of Lee Do-hyun's character, leaving a strong impression on the audience.

To embody the perfect queen in 'The Haunted Palace,' Han So-eun revisited the basics of acting. 'It was mentally challenging at the beginning of the project,' she confessed, as she needed to lower her natural voice to convey the queen's gravitas and authority.

'The director wanted me to not appear too young, so I worked hard. It was tough enough that I visited three different ENT doctors. I practiced lowering my tone until my voice was hoarse and consistently worked on my vocal exercises as if I were learning to act from scratch,' she recalled.

Expressing the queen's complex inner world was also a challenging journey for her. Han So-eun shared, 'Although I had done a historical drama before, playing a queen with a sick child was very difficult.' To understand the queen's maternal instincts, she isolated herself.

'I've never been a real mother, so I wondered if I could even imagine this character. I decided to follow the queen's loneliness and solitude. I cut off contact with friends and stayed home all day without smiling, suppressing myself. I watched sad movies and works showcasing maternal love, crying repeatedly,' she explained.

Han So-eun, who approached the project with sincerity, found herself gradually embodying the role. 'I used to be very bright, but preparing for this character changed me a lot,' she said. 'Before filming, my similarity to the queen was about 10%, but now I see many more similarities.'

When asked about the most significant turning point in her career, she cited '18 Again.' Han So-eun explained, 'After '18 Again,' more people recognized me, and I received more offers for various projects. My follower count increased, and it was a stepping stone for me as an actress.'

While filming 'The Haunted Palace,' Han So-eun also benefited from her experience in '18 Again.' 'I played a young mother in '18 Again,' and that experience helped a lot,' she said.

'During '18 Again,' I was such a rookie that the director gave me a lot of direction. He advised me not to fabricate my acting but to feel it naturally. That advice was invaluable while filming 'The Haunted Palace.' I approached the role with the thought that a mother's heart is the same, regardless of the situation,' she shared.

When asked about future roles or genres she wants to explore, Han So-eun gave an interesting answer. 'I want to take on more peaceful roles now. I've played many tragic characters or those who meet their end. I want to play bright, uncomplicated roles,' she said with a smile.

In conclusion, Han So-eun expressed her desire to become an actress who elicits the reaction, 'Oh, it's her.' 'Whenever I work on a project, viewers often wonder, 'Who is that?' I want to do more diverse projects and make my face more recognizable,' she hoped.

'I used to want to be the lead and succeed quickly, but now I want to be an actress who takes on various roles. It would be great to win a newcomer award someday. I want to be an actress whom everyone recognizes instantly, like seniors Ra Mi-ran and Ahn Nae-sang,' she concluded.

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