Choi Sung-eun Captivates Audiences in 'Last Summer' with Nuanced Performance
Actress Choi Sung-eun has enthralled viewers with her detailed and powerful acting in the new KBS 2TV weekend mini-series 'Last Summer'.
In the episode aired on the 2nd, Choi Sung-eun portrayed Ha-kyung, skillfully revealing the hidden inner wounds and complex emotions beneath her prickly exterior amidst continuous conflict with Do-ha (played by Lee Jae-wook).
Ha-kyung's competitive spirit ignited with Do-ha's reappearance. Do-ha, a childhood friend with whom Ha-kyung shared countless memories, returning every summer. Despite pushing Do-ha away two years prior with a promise never to see each other again, Ha-kyung found herself entangled with him once more due to the 'Peanut House Incident'. Issues over the shared dog 'Subak-i' and the pet tree 'Jong-mani' escalated their confrontations, with Ha-kyung's resentful words sharp as needles.
However, as Ha-kyung clashed more with Do-ha, her past hurts surfaced. Despite suffering from insomnia and desperately trying to appear indifferent, her determined efforts to protect a box of childhood memories during a basement flood revealed a heart far from cold. Encountering a 'Baek Do-yeong nametag' inside the box, Ha-kyung finally unleashed her suppressed emotions. Her pain, evident in her desperate denial of Do-ha, brought the unresolved trauma of her past to the forefront, intensifying curiosity about the truth of that summer two years ago.
Choi Sung-eun masterfully depicted Ha-kyung's multifaceted personality – her facade of strength and coldness cracking under emotional turmoil. Her energetic delivery, sharp diction, and dynamic portrayal breathed life into every line, while the subtle tremors and subdued voice conveyed the depth of her wounded heart, leaving viewers with a lasting impression.
Netizens lauded Choi Sung-eun's performance, commenting on her ability to portray Ha-kyung's complex emotions so effectively. Many expressed sympathy for the character and anticipation for her future development in the drama.