Kim Go-eun's Emotional Moment at 'You and Everything Else' Press Conference

Kim Go-eun, known for her bright and lovely charm, unexpectedly shed tears during an event. Despite wiping them away with tissues, the tears wouldn't stop, leading her to pause her responses momentarily. Her character Eun-jung, portrayed by Kim Go-eun, is moved to tears at the mere thought of Sang-yeon, played by Park Ji-hyun.

On the morning of the 5th, a press conference for Netflix's new original series 'You and Everything Else' was held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by actors Kim Go-eun, Park Ji-hyun, and director Jo Young-min.

'You and Everything Else' is a story that captures every moment of two friends, Eun-jung (Kim Go-eun) and Sang-yeon (Park Ji-hyun), who admire, envy, and sometimes resent each other throughout their intertwined lives. The narrative spans from their teenage years to their 40s, filled with the saga of their ever-crossing paths.

Director Jo stated, "We strived to capture the essence of the era. The art, props, and backgrounds were prepared to evoke nostalgia," adding, "The actors prepared well for each age group, and we used different filters for each era to show the differences."

Kim Go-eun shared her reason for choosing 'You and Everything Else,' saying, "When I was first offered this project, I could only see up to episode 4. Episodes 1 and 2 cover the teenage years, and episodes 3 and 4 move into the 20s. Despite the story flowing quietly, I found myself eager to see episode 5."

Park Ji-hyun expressed, "I have previously worked with director Jo Young-min on 'Do You Like Brahms?' and I have great respect for him. I was also drawn to the project because of my admiration for Go-eun. Sang-yeon's narrative resonated with me, and there were many aspects I wanted to express. It was a project I felt I had to do."

Kim Go-eun described her character, "Eun-jung admires and looks up to Sang-yeon. She sees Sang-yeon as special and shining, different from herself. It's more admiration and envy than jealousy. I played a 20-year-old college student in the series, an age that still retains a teenage vibe. I looked back at my younger self and noticed my chubby cheeks, so I gained weight to portray that look."

Reflecting on the storyline, Kim Go-eun said, "I feel this is a very precious project. I wanted to send it off well," before suddenly bursting into tears. In the series, Sang-yeon reappears in Eun-jung's life, ten years after they parted ways, to ask her to be with her in her final moments.

After wiping away her tears, Kim Go-eun continued, "I felt countless times that it was fortunate Ji-hyun was Sang-yeon. This sense of reassurance is indescribable," adding, "The writer shared the overall direction of the story with me. It could be a story about those who remain. I thought a lot about Eun-jung's feelings while accompanying Sang-yeon and the situation after. It seemed like an opportunity for Eun-jung."

Park Ji-hyun shared, "I thought a lot about life and death in my acting and studied various books and documentaries to express it. I tried to immerse myself as much as possible based on indirect experiences. Thanks to Kim Go-eun, who was like Eun-jung to me, I was able to complete my performance."

Finally, Kim Go-eun expressed her hopes for the series, which will be released around the same time as Disney Plus's 'Polaris,' starring Jun Ji-hyun and Kang Dong-won, saying, "I respect and love the director, writer, and actors of that project, but I hope we can succeed."

'You and Everything Else' will be available on Netflix with all 15 episodes released on the 12th.

Reporter Ryu Ye-ji, TenAsia ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr