Kim Yoo-jung Opens Up About Fainting on Set and Challenges of Playing a Villain in 'Dear X'

Actress Kim Yoo-jung revealed that she fainted during filming.

Recently, at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Kim Yoo-jung, star of the TVING original series 'Dear X,' shared her experiences.

'Dear X' tells the story of Baek Ah-jin (played by Kim Yoo-jung), a woman who wears a mask to escape hell and rise to the top, and the Xs she cruelly tramples on. The series is a suspenseful melodrama about the downfall of South Korea's top actress Baek Ah-jin, who hides her cruel nature behind a beautiful face, and the love of Yoon Jun-seo (played by Kim Young-dae), who chooses hell to protect her.

Kim Yoo-jung admitted that managing her mental state was challenging, given her character's manipulative and murderous tendencies. She confessed, "It still feels like an unsolved puzzle. Sometimes I wonder if I've fully released the emotions accumulated during filming." However, she added, "The atmosphere on set was very positive, unlike the work itself. I had many personal and professional conversations with the two directors. I prepared myself by promising to protect myself from Ah-jin."

Kim Yoo-jung also mentioned that she didn't want to support the villainous Baek Ah-jin. She explained, "The work posed conflicting questions about whether you can support this character or throw stones at her. I wanted to convey the message that it's important to share and empathize with each other's emotions and live kindly."

Previously, Kim Yoo-jung had revealed that she fainted twice during the filming of 'Dear X.' She cited the scene where she kills her father as the most physically and emotionally challenging. She said, "Not just that scene, but moments like when her grandmother leaves or when Heo In-gang departs are emotionally tough for anyone. It wasn't the acting itself that was difficult, but hiding my personal emotions was."

She added, "While the audience might see it as a sad scene, from Ah-jin's perspective, it's not a sad situation, so hiding that emotion while acting was the hardest part."

Reporter Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr