Kim Yoo Jung 김유정 金裕貞

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/10/689_338557.html
[INTERVIEW] Kim You-jung says persevering in entertainment industry wasn't easy

 

By Kwak Yeon-soo | 2022-10-25

 

Actress portrays story of first love in new film '20th Century Girl'

Actress Kim You-jung / Courtesy of Netflix

Kim You-jung is one of those few actors who found fame at a young age and has continued to find success in TV and cinema well into her adult years. However, the star said the process of persevering in the entertainment industry wasn't easy. 

The 23-year-old actress began her career at the age of four, working as a child model for a confectionery brand. She was thrust into limelight at the age of six, appearing as a child in "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" (2005) alongside actors Choi Min-sik and Lee Young-ae. She then went on to appear in a slew of mainstream hits as a child including "Road No. 1" (2010), "Dong Yi" (2010) and "Moon Embracing the Sun" (2012). 

As she moved toward her young adult years, Kim starred in various romance TV series, including JTBC's "Clean with Passion For Now" (2018-2019), SBS' "Backstreet Rookie" (2020) and "Lovers of the Red Sky" (2021), which affirmed her status as an A-lister. 

"Until now, I've never had another career path in mind. But when I turned 20, I was confused and emotionally unstable. I endure that period of time by doing a lot of hobbies and going on solo trips. I think I've grown stronger. I am now happy and at peace," she said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Tuesday. 

A scene from the film, "20th Century Girl" / Courtesy of Netflix

In Netflix's film, "20th Century Girl," Kim plays the role of Bo-ra, a 17-year-old girl who decides to play cupid for her best friend, but then gets swept up in a love story of her own. Although the film is mostly set in 1999, the year Kim was born, the actress had no difficulty understanding set pieces of the 1990s and early 2000s, with their retro charm.

"I collect vintage vinyl records and listen to'80s and '90s music. My favorite singers are ballad singers Park Hey-kyoung, Park Ki-young and Yangpa (who were famous in the late 1990s to early 2000s). Although some of the set pieces, like a floppy disk and a beeper, were unfamiliar to me, I was aware of the existence of many of the retro items," she said. 

Although the central theme of the film is about a teenage girl's first love and its lasting impact, it also deals with navigating friendship and adolescence.

"If I were in Bo-ra's position, I, too, would choose friendship over love," she said. Kim revealed that although she started pursuing acting at a young age, she didn't miss out on school activities, including field trips and excursions.

"I loved going to schools. In fact, I was very active in school activities, performing talent shows with my friends and hanging out with them after work. Luckily, I have all good memories from school," she said. 

Actress Han Hyo-joo portrays the adult version of the protagonist. "We didn't have any scenes together, but she visited the set to cheer for me. She gave a lot of advice, telling me to call her if I have any worries about acting or whatsoever," she said.

"20th Century Girl" is currently the most-watched movie on Netflix Korea and ranked fifth on its global streaming chart. Kim said she is surprised to see such a positive feedback from viewers home and abroad. "I'm in awe, really. I didn't expect that our film would be so successful on global chart," she said. 

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/10/26/entertainment/movies/CELEB-Kim-Youjung-20th-Century-Girl/20221026152141924.html
[CELEB] The 'nation's little sister' is still looking for love

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr] | October 26, 2022

 

Kim You-jung, left, portrays a 17-year-old high school student who goes through turbulence in her romance and friendship in the Netflix film “20th Century Girl.” [NETFLIX]

Actor Kim You-jung is still waiting to find love — just like her character in Netflix film “20th Century Girl.” 

“20th Century Girl” revolves around a 17-year-old high school student portrayed by Kim. Set in 1999 before the turn of the century, the turbulence of the times represents what the protagonist goes through as she tackles problems in romance and friendship for the first time in her life. 

The 23-year-old actor, coincidentally born in 1999, says that it wasn’t easy to fully comprehend the era’s vibe. 

“Because I haven’t experienced it,” Kim said during a press interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, on Tuesday. “So I talked a lot with director Bang Woo-ri to understand the scenes.” 

The actor gave example of the scene where her character calls up her best friend's crush. 

 

Spoiler

In the film, Kim’s character calls up her best friend’s crush in a phone booth to find out more about him. [NETFLIX]

“I never knew about that,” Kim said, referring to the best friends' plan to get more information on the romantic interest. “They weren’t big details, but they weren't superficial either. I’ve always been interested in retro content and songs, such as music by Park Ki-young and Park Hae-young. For the latter, I loved her song ‘Haru’ and it was actually one of my karaoke-favorites.” 

Kim says she said yes to the role almost immediately after reading the script. 

“This is a genre that I would only be able to pull off around this age,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to try it out once, and I thought it was the perfect timing to do it. 

“The film is not only about first love, but for every first that Bo-ra [Kim's character] goes through,” Kim continued. “It’s also Bo-ra’s first time to experience fighting with her best friend. I really tried to decipher what Bo-ra was going through. I tried to remember my 17-year-old self and how would I respond and what my expressions would be when I go through a situation like Bo-ra’s. I set everything up in order starting from Bo-ra’s voice, and I talked through each scene with Bang and other actors too.” 

Through the role, Kim had the chance to reminisce on her own teenage years. Kim, who debuted in the entertainment industry at the age of four, already has a career which spans nearly two decades, juggling both work and school life until her high school graduation. 

“I have a lot of memories in school,” Kim said. “There were times when I couldn’t fully commit to school, but I tried as best as I could to participate, because I thought I would be missing out — I mean, you don’t get to relive your school life. 

“There’s this one memory, a scene which stands out during my school years,” she said. “I think I was 15 or 16. There was a steel gate at the corner of the schoolyard. After school, me and four of my friends — that was our gang — we just hung around there, swinging from the gate for like five hours, talking non-stop. We would laugh at the littlest of things. I still vividly remember the color of the sunset that day.” 

Unlike her character, however, Kim is yet to find her first love. 

“Maybe because I’ve been so committed to work,” Kim said with a laugh. “But I don’t think I’ve experienced my first love, or felt my heart flutter like Bo-ra did [...] The films which come to my mind when I define what love is ‘Laurence Anyways’ [2012] [...] I’ve watched that film dozens of times. I also love the 'Before' trilogy.” 

“20th Century Girl” was released on the streaming platform on Friday and currently sits at No. 2 in the non-English film category on Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart, having been streamed for 8 million hours during the first week of its release. Despite the current global popularity of K-content, Kim says she still finds it something of a novelty to see a coming-of-age story of a Korean high school student resonate with global audiences. 

“I still can’t believe it,” Kim said. “I thought the film was a narrative which only Korean audience could relate to. I never thought audiences from overseas would find the story equally entertaining. I think people are generally interested when they see something new, and I think the film is new, yet feels similar to the global audience due to its ubiquity — it is, in essence, about friendship and romance, and that’s what makes the film so appealing. 

 

Kim is recognized for her roles in historical fiction drama series, such as KBS’s “Love in the Moonlight”(2016), above, and SBS’s “Lovers of the Red Sky” (2021). [SBS,KBS]

Kim hopes to try out more bubbly, youthful roles which suit her age in the future. 

“I think ’20th Century Girl’ was the closest to fulfilling that goal,” Kim said. “Not only in my career — I want to try out more things, experience more in my life. I actually love traveling, and for my travels, I like to do it alone, whether it’s within Korea or overseas. I’ve been to Los Angeles and New York on my own [before the Covid-19 pandemic] and the reason why I got my driver’s license was so that I could drive around on my own during my travels. One of the local places I loved was Pyeongchang County [in Gangwon]. I love mountains, and I rented out a little cottage and stayed there for several days. After that trip, I felt really refreshed like I had got rid of all the toxins in my body. I just felt like I’d received clean energy from the mountains.” 

Kim has earned the affectionate nickname “nation’s little sister" among local audiences. 

“I didn’t even know I had that nickname,” Kim said. “I think it’s so dear and intimate, and I hope it can stay with me as long as possible. I also want to hear that I’m a good actor, someone that people can trust when they come to see my films or drama series.” 

Kim You-jung

Date of birth: Sept. 22, 1999 
Zodiac Sign:  Virgo 
Birthplace: Seongdong District, eastern Seoul 
Debut: Model for 2003 commercial of Crown Sando biscuits 
Agency: Awesome ENT 

Kim debuted at the age of four as a child model in the 2003 commercial advertising Crown Sando biscuits. In 2004, she turned to acting, having her feature film debut in the film “Demilitarized Zone.” Since then, she has consistently starred in numerous series and films, becoming one of the most popular and iconic child actors. She also has numerous hits in the genre of historical fiction, such as “Moon Embracing the Sun” (2012) on MBC, “Love in the Moonlight” (2016) on KBS and “Lovers of the Red Sky” (2021) on SBS. 

This information was confirmed by Awesome ENT on Oct. 26, 2022.

[Helena]

https://zapzee.net/2022/10/26/kim-yoo-jung-says-she-had-fun-working-with-byeon-woo-seok-in-20th-century-girl-ending/
Kim Yoo Jung on Working With Byun Woo Seok and the Ending of ’20th Century Girl’

By KRISHKIM

 

Spoiler

 

 

Credit: Netflix

Kim Yoo Jung showed her best performance in the Netflix movie 20th Century Girl, making everyone take a walk down memory lane of first love. The actress told Ilgan Sports various stories about the movie.

Q1. Why did you choose ’20th Century Girl’?
When I first received the script, I was filming another project. I was curious about Director Bang Woo Ri and I wanted to meet her. I felt comfortable and had fun after meeting her. It was an honor to be part of her debut project.

Q2. Any movies you used as a reference?
I like the movie Lovers’ Concerto, and it was the first thing that came to mind after reading the script. As for foreign films, I referenced One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, etc. Though the times are a little different, they show a similar sensibility. 

Q3. Bo Ra had such diverse expressions. What did you focus on the most?
I tried to think as comfortably as possible. I simplified the outfits, hairstyle, and makeup and really worked to bring out the realism. So I tied my hair myself and actually wore the clothes that Bo Ra wears in the movie. I thought Bo Ra would look pretty that way. I thought, “The innocence of a 17-year-old girl would show 
once viewers can comfortably see how I look.”

Q4. If Young Bo Ra had found out about Woon Ho, what do you think would have happened?
I think it might’ve been difficult to accept the situation. And even I wouldn’t be able to accept it. I was curious about how Han Hyo Joo portrayed Bo Ra, and after seeing the ending, I felt overwhelmed. I thought about what it’d have been like if I had played the scene, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it. The age is different, and even if I thought hard about it and did my best to portray it, it wouldn’t have touched viewers’ hearts. Then the movie would’ve suffered. 

Q5. What is first love to Kim Yoo Jung?
The boundary of love first is ambitious. I think it’ll be a refreshing feeling. I’m not sure who my first love is. I’ll have to find (my first love) in the future.

Q6. I’m sure you got asked out a lot.
I really wasn’t asked out a lot. I had someone I liked at school, but other students were never comfortable around me. 

Q7. What was it like working with Byeon Woo Seok?
Byeon Woo Seok is lively and playful. So we enjoyed the whole process. I had really good teamwork with the other actors as well. We didn’t have any troubles and just thought that we were having fun together. When we were filming the school trip scene, I was just excited that I’ll get to travel to Gyeongju. We traveled the city, going to famous restaurants and taking pictures at a cafe. 

Q8. What are your future plans?
As long as I can, I’ll continue to improve and show better performance with every project. I want to keep doing something and creating something. 

Source (1, 2)