Park Ji-yeon & Hwang Sang-kyung: Villain Acting Secrets

Actress Park Ji-yeon, who delivered a powerful villainous performance as the "troublesome parent" Woo-jin's mother in the Netflix original series 'The Bequeathed', revealed that she was able to complete the character with the help of her husband, actor Hwang Sang-kyung. 'The Bequeathed' is based on a webtoon of the same name and depicts the process of a fictional government agency under the Ministry of Education, the 'Bureau of Teacher Protection', rectifying collapsed teacher authority and public education. Since its release, it has gained immense popularity, ranking first in the non-English TV shows category worldwide for two consecutive weeks.

Park Ji-yeon expressed her surprise at the unexpected level of attention following the release of 'The Bequeathed', stating that more people now recognize her on the street. After 21 years in the industry, she revealed that she shed tears of joy upon receiving global recognition. She added that 'The Bequeathed' provided significant strength during a difficult period in her acting career due to concerns about her public recognition, and that the acknowledgment from many people reaffirmed her value as an actress.

Park Ji-yeon attributed the secret to her passionate performance in 'The Bequeathed' to her fourth collaboration with director Hong Jong-chan. She expressed her gratitude, calling him a benefactor-like figure who gave her the trust to act freely and entrusted her with her first regular role in 'Juvenile Justice' and her first villain role in 'The Bequeathed'. Director Hong also praised Park Ji-yeon's acting, reportedly saying, "Let's win an award."

To embody the character of Woo-jin's mother, Park Ji-yeon observed parents by watching her first-grade nephew and immersed herself in the character by researching related documentaries and books. Although she is not a parent herself, she expressed regret upon belatedly learning about the difficulties in the actual education field and the suffering of teachers. She revealed that she particularly pondered how to deliver the line, which has become a famous quote, "The child's father is very angry," in a way that would hurt the other person.

Park Ji-yeon revealed that she and her husband Hwang Sang-kyung, after a 12-year relationship, are now in their 9th year of marriage, and that her husband provided significant assistance with her villainous performance. Her husband, Hwang Sang-kyung, a specialist in villain roles, offered Park Ji-yeon realistic advice. In particular, the intercom scene was practiced together in front of their home before filming, explaining that it was a result created by the couple working together. Park Ji-yeon humorously responded that her synchronicity with her husband was 15%, adding that she also has a somewhat "hot-tempered" personality.