“The dialogue volume in 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' is overwhelming compared to all my works since my debut. It was harder than this medical drama.”
“I haven't heard anything about season 2 of 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' yet.”
For actress Park Eun-bin (32), who took her first challenge in a medical drama, the medical terminology was not an issue. She said it was easier compared to her time in 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo'.
The Disney+ series 'Hyperknife' is a medical thriller that depicts the fierce confrontation between 'Jung Se-ok' (Park Eun-bin), a once-promising genius doctor, and her mentor 'Choi Deok-hee' (Seol Kyung-gu), who brought her to ruin. It concluded with a total of 8 episodes on the 9th.
Park Eun-bin expressed her thoughts on her appearance, saying, “I feel that talking about the work and character in front of the press is the conclusion of the drama journey. There were many intense moments while living as Se-ok, and I feel relieved that I can completely hand her over to the viewers today. After the release, I find it hard to gauge the reactions, but I am happy to hear from those around me that they enjoyed it.”
Introduced as meticulous not only in acting but also in her personality, Park Eun-bin caught attention during the press interview with her exceptional preparation. She brought the 'Hyperknife' script, saying, “I brought it in case I might provide incorrect information or if there’s anything I could explain further.” She also showed that she had prepared answers to questions on her tablet PC for reference.
In the drama, Park Eun-bin played 'Jung Se-ok', a once-promising genius doctor with psychopathic tendencies. She showcased a tense performance as she fell from grace due to her respected mentor 'Choi Deok-hee'.
Park Eun-bin stated, “The character itself is unpredictable and has extreme temperature changes, so I tried to maintain consistency. I wanted to convince the viewers that 'there can be such a person' whenever there was a significant change in the character. I believe that is my duty as an actor,” mentioning her mission as an actress.
Additionally, she said, “I tried to create the character multilayered by referencing antisocial personality disorder. I made an effort to interpret a person I have never met in my own style,” and explained, “In terms of costumes, I had many discussions with the costume director. I thought it would be good for the present to wear red tones and for the past to wear green tones. I considered how to create a contrast between the past and present. I aimed to show the process of transitioning from the green 'sprout' to the red 'anger'.”
Through 'Hyperknife', Park Eun-bin challenged herself with her first OTT (Over-The-Top) content performance. Despite her active participation in various works that achieved high ratings in the past, this was her first medical drama. It is true that medical dramas often contain numerous medical terms specific to the medical community.
Regarding that aspect, Park Eun-bin said, “There weren't as many medical terms as I expected. Even after the drama was released, there were no annotations in the videos. It was a bit surprising that there were no interpretations for the viewers,” and reflected, “I think it might be because it wasn't good content from the medical community, and in fact, there were only two scenes where medical terms were mentioned.”
She added, “I feel like I didn't show much as a professional doctor, so I want to take on a different type of doctor role.”
Before this OTT challenge, Park Eun-bin had previously released the drama 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' through ENA, a broadcasting channel that was unfamiliar to the public in 2022.
Proving her worth, Park Eun-bin led the drama to a peak rating of 17.5%. The character she played was also similar to 'Jung Se-ok', possessing a genius brain and being on the autism spectrum.
Park Eun-bin remarked, “Compared to 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo', this drama didn't have much dialogue. There were fewer medical terms, and it can't be compared to 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo',” shaking her head and smiling.
Nevertheless, her passion for acting seems to have been reignited through this drama. She said, “After 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo', I thought I shouldn't take on genius characters anymore because there are too many things to endure,” but added, “I believe there is definitely catharsis that viewers feel while watching such characters, so I thought it would be a good thing if they feel vicarious satisfaction. So now, I plan to keep my options open regarding character selection.”
Many people are waiting for season 2 of 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo'. In response, Park Eun-bin said, “I think it’s right to proceed only if there is certainty beyond season 1,” and cautiously added, “I haven't received any contact regarding my participation yet.”
Finally, Park Eun-bin stated, “Since my debut, I have had almost no breaks. I think I have been living diligently. As time goes by each year, it seems that the responsibilities I have as a lead increase. I think of it as a sense of responsibility rather than pressure. I want to envision myself growing further as an actor, looking further ahead,” and added, “I always reflect on my acting, introspect, and try to reduce my mistakes. I want to be a person who has no regrets.”
Having successfully completed 'Hyperknife', Park Eun-bin is currently in the midst of filming her next project, 'The Wonderfuls'.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
