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EXCLUSIVE: Kim Hye Yoon DECODES switching between her characters in Secret Royal Inspector & Joy and Snowdrop
In an EXCLUSIVE chat with Pinkvilla, Kim Hye Yoon was her candid self as she discussed her recent outing, Secret Royal Inspector & Joy, in detail, along with endearing qualities about her co-star Ok Taecyeon, the difference between her character in tandem with the one in Snowdrop, how she made her bold on-screen avatar likeable, and much more.
Kim Hye Yoon ended 2021 on a major high as she had a successful lead run in the historical comedy drama, tvN's Secret Royal Inspector & Joy (developed by Studio Dragon), opposite 2PM member Ok Taecyeon. Interestingly, it was Hye Yoon's first stint leading a historical comedy drama and through the bold, beautiful and intellectual character of Kim Jo Yi, Hye Yoon was able to extract acting gold, much further than was even thought possible from the talented, versatile actress.
Hye Yoon has always been attracted to complex characters, who have in-depth narratives setting them apart from other roles. While in Secret Royal Inspector & Joy, we see Hye Yoon's Kim Jo Yi as a strong, likeable lead, we also simultaneously see her double-faced avatar in Snowdrop as Kye Boon Ok, where we're constantly oscillating between loving and disliking her. Speaking specifically about Secret Royal Inspector & Joy, Hye Yoon portrays Kim Jo Yi, a woman who gets divorced in the Josean era and teams up with Taecyeon's Ra Yi Eon, a young aspirant gourmet who is forcefully appointed as a secret royal inspector, to investigate and expose corrupt politicians.
I had the humble opportunity to interview Kim Hye Yoon, post the successful series finale of Secret Royal Inspector & Joy, as fans of the drama loved her electrifying performance, especially her easy-breezy chemistry with Taecyeon. The 25-year-old actress spoke candidly with me about what attracted her to play Kim Jo Yi in Secret Royal Inspector & Joy, what aspect she'd take back from her first lead acting experience in a historical comedy drama, how she made the bold Kim Jo Yi a likeable character, similarities and dissimilarities between herself and Kim Jo Yi, her co-star Ok Taecyeon's endearing quality, the hardest scene to shoot from the drama, if she was satisfied with Secret Royal Inspector & Joy's ending, an interesting anecdote from the sets of the drama and how she shifted between her Secret Royal Inspector & Joy and Snowdrop characters.
Those two characters are very different. I didn't have any big trouble in playing the two roles as their backgrounds and the era were totally different from each other. I just have to think about those differences when I play the roles.
Kim Hye Yoon
Check out snippets from Kim Hye Yoon's EXCLUSIVE interview with Pinkvilla for Secret Royal Inspector & Joy below:
From the get-go, there was major intrigue towards your Secret Royal Inspector & Joy character Kim Jo Yi, given how she not only gets divorced in the Joseon era, but also investigates crimes. Would you say it's Jo Yi's feminist qualities that attracted you to play her?
I read the script and found the character Joy very attractive. Joy said in her role, 'If something is not right, then it's not right. If I have to say, I'll say it!' The line was fascinating and I wanted to take on the role.
Secret Royal Inspector & Joy is your first lead acting experience in a historical comedy drama. Portraying Kim Jo Yi for six months, what's the one aspect of this genre that you'd take back as an actress in your future dramas and movies?
I was able to experience the Joseon dynasty, albeit indirectly by acting as Joy. It was quite fun as I had a chance of using diverse traditional items used in this era such as clothes, objects and even an unfamiliar background. I had to ad-lib in certain scenes and it gave me a moment to reflect on myself as I found myself using so many foreign words when I talk.
When women play bold characters, it's more likely to be antagonistic characters. How did you work upon portraying Kim Jo Yi as not just bold, but also a very likeable character?
I was a little bit worried as my role is very assured and confident and such a feature might not be loved by TV viewers. But whenever I became concerned, the director (Yoo Jong Seon) of the drama helped me a lot. I reminded myself of Judy in the animation film, Zootopia, since she is quite similar to Joy. So when I felt confused, I tried to think about the character Judy.
What would you say are the similarities and dissimilarities between you and your Secret Royal Inspector & Joy character, Kim Jo Yi?
Joy is bright and laughs a lot. That is the same as me. The difference is Joy is forward-thinking, confident and very thoughtful. Those are the aspects I want to learn from her.
You have mentioned before how Ok Taecyeon was always the mood maker on Secret Royal Inspector & Joy's sets. What's another endearing quality of Ok Taecyeon that you came to admire while filming?
He was positive and mischievous, giving us many smiles. He was also reliable and very professional as an older brother. I relied on him and he was a big help.
Which was the hardest scene to shoot in Secret Royal Inspector & Joy and why?
It was so comfortable overall, but when I did an ad-lib, I was embarrassed as foreign words came out too much, although the drama was based on the past Joseon dynasty.
Did Secret Royal Inspector & Joy's ending live up to what you had envisioned for your character, Kim Jo Yi and Ra Yi Eon?
Yes, the ending was what Joy and Ra Ian have hoped. I fully support them as they followed their happiness.
Is there an interesting anecdote while shooting Secret Royal Inspector & Joy that fans may not know of?
Yook-chil (Min Jin Woong) and Goo-pal (Park Kang Seop) [characters of the drama] made me laugh and feel comfortable. However, because of that, I had to bite down on my cheeks or tongue to stop me from laughing in many scenes.
You juggled between playing Kim Jo Yi in Secret Royal Inspector & Joy and Kye Boon Ok in Snowdrop. With both these characters being stark opposites, how were you, as an actor, able to switch between the two characters so effortlessly?
Those two characters are very different. I didn't have any big trouble in playing the two roles as their backgrounds and the era were totally different from each other. I just have to think about those differences when I play the roles.
We can't wait to see Kim Hye Yoon in more dramas and movies!
Which was your favourite Kim Hye Yoon moment from Secret Royal Inspector & Joy? Share your personal picks with Pinkvilla in the comments section below.
Stay tuned for Pinkvilla's interview Part 2 with Kim Hye Yoon, where she speaks candidly about her impressive career trajectory at such a young age; from being an extra in many popular dramas like Goblin and Legend of the Blue Sea to actually being a lead protagonist in dramas that fans love like Secret Royal Inspector & Joy and Extraordinary You.
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