Ha Yoon-kyung Reflects on Her Role in 'Undercover Miss Hong' and Her Chemistry with Park Shin-hye

"I was really pleased to hear that the 'womance' aspect stood out. I was also grateful to be told that I seemed like the male lead (laughs). It wasn't something I consciously aimed for. For Bok-hee, Geum-bo (played by Park Shin-hye) is the first person who believed in her and gave her a new life. I wanted to express the process of Bok-hee opening her heart to Geum-bo more delicately. It seems like people appreciated that aspect, which is why they supported the two characters so much."

Actress Ha Yoon-kyung recently sat down for an interview at a café in Gangnam, Seoul, to commemorate the conclusion of the tvN weekend drama 'Undercover Miss Hong' (hereafter 'Miss Hong'). A graduate of the Korea National University of Arts, Ha Yoon-kyung debuted as an actress in 2015 with the National Theater Company's 'Ballad for Roxanne.' She gained significant recognition in 2022 through her chemistry with Park Eun-bin in ENA's 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo.' Since then, she has steadily built her filmography with works like 'See You in My 19th Life' and 'Gangnam B-Side,' and recently starred alongside Park Shin-hye in 'Miss Hong,' leaving another memorable 'womance' narrative.

'Miss Hong' is a retro office comedy set in the late 1990s, where elite securities supervisor Hong Geum-bo goes undercover as a 20-year-old entry-level employee at a suspicious securities firm. The show started with a 3.5% viewership rating and climbed to 13.1% by episode 15, maintaining a steady rise and concluding with double-digit ratings.

In the drama, Ha Yoon-kyung played the role of Go Bok-hee, the eldest sister of Room 301 and the dedicated secretary to the president of Hanmin Securities. Her portrayal of a character who appears tough and prickly on the outside but is warm on the inside was praised for enhancing the show's immersion. Following 'Miss Hong,' she is set to take on leading roles in upcoming JTBC dramas 'God's Marble' and 'Apartment,' which are soon to be released.

When asked about her decision to join 'Miss Hong,' Ha Yoon-kyung recalled, "First of all, the script was fun. Secondly, I felt that the character Bok-hee had many facets that I could showcase as an actress. It was such a multi-dimensional character that I felt I could really spread my wings. And I had always wanted to work with actress Park Shin-hye."

"'Miss Hong' was a great opportunity for me. My chemistry with Shin-hye was so perfect that filming wrapped up quickly. Most of our scenes together were approved in one take without any NGs. It felt like we had been working together for years, which naturally brought out our chemistry."

She spoke highly of Park Shin-hye, saying, "She has a charisma that encompasses the set, but it's not an overbearing presence. Her leadership, which involves gently suggesting and organizing, was impressive. As my roles grow and I have more juniors, I want to learn from her and become a senior who can guide others like Shin-hye."

"Since Shin-hye has a lot of experience, she quickly catches when a scene might become dull without dynamic elements. She would suggest adding some movement, and I would respond with my ideas. The ability to freely share thoughts was the best part. Thanks to the atmosphere she created, I could comfortably propose ideas and try ad-libs even in scenes without her. The director appreciated that too."

After working with Park Eun-bin in 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo,' Ha Yoon-kyung reunited with Park Shin-hye for another 'womance' that garnered attention. She laughed, "I'm not sure why 'womance' always gets attention, but I love it. I always feel that I work well with female co-stars." She added, "Most of my fans are women. There seems to be something about my chemistry with women that stands out. I think that's why I get cast in such roles. I'm quite easygoing and honest, so I quickly become close with others, which might be the key point."

Ha Yoon-kyung also expressed her desire to return to theater. "My original dream was to be a stage actress. In my early 20s, I had the ambition to 'die on stage.' But as I continued with media acting, I started to fear the stage a bit. I wondered if I could handle the one-take nature of it. Still, I have always loved the stage and performed with the National Theater Company, so if a good opportunity arises, I would love to try it again."

"'Miss Hong' taught me how to love a character. I've always tried to love the roles I take on, but Bok-hee was particularly multi-faceted and required a deeper look. As I continued to explore her, ideas naturally came to me. I also learned new ways to approach a role as an actress. It was a project that taught me a lot."

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr