Kim Go-eun on 'Jealousy Incarnate' Casting Controversy: 'I Didn't Pay It Much Mind'
Actress Kim Go-eun has revealed her nonchalant attitude towards the casting controversies surrounding the Netflix series 'Jealousy Incarnate' (tentative title).
During a wrap-up interview held on the morning of the 12th at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Kim Go-eun addressed the past issues concerning changes in cast and director for the series. 'Jealousy Incarnate' is a mystery thriller depicting the events that unfold between Yoon-soo (Jeon Do-yeon), accused of her husband's murder, and the enigmatic woman Mo-eun (Kim Go-eun).
The drama initially garnered significant attention with director Lee Eung-bok and lead actresses Song Hye-kyo and Han So-hee attached. However, production saw a change in directors from Lee Eung-bok to Shim Na-yeon in 2023, followed shortly by the departures of Shim Na-yeon, Song Hye-kyo, and Han So-hee. Subsequently, Lee Jung-hyo was confirmed as the new director, and Jeon Do-yeon joined the cast. The role of Mo-eun, initially offered to Kim Ji-won, was ultimately taken on by Kim Go-eun after the offer fell through.
When asked if the series of director and cast changes caused her concern, Kim Go-eun responded, "Honestly, I don't pay much mind to such things." She elaborated, "In any project, it's common for roles to be offered to one actor and then not materialize. While it may seem significant when reported by the media and the project is ultimately shelved, throughout my decade-plus career as an actress, I've encountered numerous situations like this. I believe every actor has experienced something similar, so it didn't bother me at all."
Regarding her decision to take on the challenging role of Mo-eun, she explained, "Before the project was concretized, I had a chance to read the script for monitoring purposes. It wasn't a script given with the expectation that I would star in it, but rather for my feedback. I had glimpsed it some time ago and only remembered that the characters were appealing. Then, when I heard it was moving forward, I received the offer while filming 'Eunjung and Sangyeon'. Hearing that senior actress Jeon Do-yeon was participating and recalling the character's appeal, I asked to be considered for the role."
Kim Go-eun also shared her thought process in portraying Mo-eun. "There was a lot of collaboration with the director in developing the character. In the initial draft, Mo-eun's direction was that of someone making a significant effort to appear like a psychopath. However, it's revealed in the latter half that she wasn't one. Until that reveal, the audience needed to be deceived. While the script was engaging, when I started acting, I felt there might be parts that didn't align with my character's credibility, specifically regarding her actions when alone. If she commits murder like a psychopath in a crime scene captured on a pet cam, and then it's revealed she's not a psychopath, the audience might wonder, 'Then what was that?' It's difficult to depict her reverting to her true self when she's alone, as the audience shouldn't know about the twist."
She continued, "After discussing various ideas, I thought it would be more fitting if Mo-eun remained passive while many people misunderstood and made assumptions about her. Psychopaths, after all, are individuals who cannot empathize. Considering this, I thought it might be effective to later reveal through her backstory that she is someone whose emotions were completely broken, who experienced emotional castration. To achieve this, I determined that her backstory needed to be clearly established and approached the character accordingly."
When playfully asked if she ever regretted her decision to take on the role despite the extensive effort, she firmly replied, "Not at all." Kim Go-eun added, "In 'Eunjung and Sangyeon,' Eunjung is on set constantly. For 'Jealousy Incarnate,' senior actress Jeon Do-yeon was like Eunjung on set, present every day, while I felt like I went only occasionally. When I went to portray Mo-eun, I was incredibly excited, and thinking about meeting Jeon Do-yeon made me happy. Since she had so many scenes, I knew she must be tired. With many rain scenes and action sequences, I thought she must be physically exhausted. So, I approached the project with the mindset of needing to 'inject some vitality,' feeling enthusiastic about it." (Continued in Interview ②)
Netizens are expressing excitement, commenting things like, "Kim Go-eun is truly a pro! It's amazing she didn't mind the casting controversy," "The combination of Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Go-eun already has me hyped," and "I'll definitely be tuning in for 'Jealousy Incarnate'."