By Puja Talwar
She is determined, resilient and conscientious. Nam Ji-hyun’s ‘Oh In-Kyung’ was based on my all-time favourite book character the feisty ‘Josephine (Jo) March’ from Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women’ an idealistic, opinionated young girl fiercely devoted to her family. However, that’s where the similarities end as the ‘Oh sisters in Director Kim Hee Won and writer Chung Seo-kyung’s ‘Little Women’ a loose adaptation of Alcott’s novel, are dealing with a lot more than the March sisters did in 19th Century New England.
As they relentlessly persevere in the face of their depressive financial crises, the Oh siblings are unwarrantedly caught in a perilous web of financial scams, political intrigue, and orchestrated brutality.
Nam Ji-hyun as In-Kyung the defiant news reporter probing a murky investigation that could blow the cover off on the rich and powerful on one hand is also battling alcohol addiction and coping with her family’s hand-to-mouth existence. Jo March would have been proud to have met her modern-day avatar, In-Kyung’s strong sense of conviction and credence has you rooting for this underdog.
27-year-old Nam Ji-hyun who transitioned from child star to leading lady has had to her acting credits in popular shows such as ‘Shopaholic King Louis’(2016) ‘Suspicious Partner’( 2017) and ‘100 Days My Prince’ scores with a spontaneous and rooted performance as In-Kyung. Produced by Studio Dragon, ‘Little Women’ ended its suspenseful and successful 12-episode run with an all-time high viewership. In an exclusive interview, Nam Ji-hyun talks about shows success, playing In Kyung, strong female narratives In K Dramas, and more:
FE: Your character In-kyung is fearless as well as impulsive. For her, everything is in black or white. What was it like to approach and immerse yourself in this character?
Nam Ji-hyun: In-kyung makes impulsive choices when faced with injustice, and I was not afraid to express that. Although acting as In-kyung was difficult, it was an amazing experience for me. It’s not easy to meet a character who is rational and passionate at the same time.
FE: Your character is dealing with her issues but also puts herself in dangerous situations for her work and her family. Did you relate to your character at any level?
Nam Ji-hyun: We both value our family over anything else. We could abandon our values for the sake of our family. Although In-kyung is much more persistent in protecting her values, I am rather persistent as well.
FE: The amazing thing about Little Women is it’s a show led by women from director Kim Hee-won, writer Chung Seo-kyung and wonderful actors like you, Kim Go-eun, Park Ji-hu,
headlining the show. What drew you to this project and what’s it like working with such talented women like yourself?
Nam Ji-hyun: It’s been a great honor to work with such a wonderful writer, director, staff, and actors. I am happy that this meaningful drama has become a part of my acting career. On the way to the set, I would be so excited about that day’s scene. Every day was so meaningful and enjoyable.
FE: You began your career as a child artist and then went on to play the lead in successful dramas. What has been the biggest challenge for you and how has your process changed as an actor?
Nam Ji-hyun: It took me a long time to become the actor that I am today. I hope that when I look back on my life, I see that I have walked a long path. I try my best to live in the moment so that I do not regret it later on. I think it’s also important to understand that although I’ve tried my best, I could be unsatisfied with the results. But everything leaves a mark, so I like to take the time to look back and reflect on how every experience has influenced me.
FE: K Dramas have a huge global audience and are breaking viewership records across the world, how do you think it has impacted storylines and challenged actors?
Nam Ji-hyun: We hope that people from all over the world enjoy our dramas. As more people watch our dramas, we could tell more stories. We, as actors, hope to try new roles. Although we are still in the process of experimenting and learning, I believe we are moving forward.
FE: From comedy to sageuk to thrillers, a genre do you enjoy the most? Do you have a dream role?
Nam Ji-hyun: I cannot choose a specific role. Maybe it’s because I want to try everything: roles that I want at the moment, roles that I could do well, and roles that I could show a new side of myself. Maybe this is why I cannot choose the role of my dreams. Regarding genres, I find it difficult to watch horror or gore films, and I love animated films.
FE: Your favourite and the most difficult scene in Little Women?
Nam Ji-hyun: Most of the scenes were difficult, haha. Surprisingly, there aren’t many scenes in Little Women in which all three sisters appear together. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed filming the scene of In-hye’s birthday party so much. The most difficult scenes were with great-aunt
Hye-sook. I was worried because we had a complicated relationship as well as long scenes and dialogues. However, I was able to overcome my worries, thanks to the director and actor Kim Mi-sook.
FE. K Dramas have very strong female characters, what is the one thing you look for in a role when it’s offered to you?
Nam Ji-hyun: I need to understand the reasons behind my character’s actions. It is easy to act out a character when her background and motives are carefully constructed.
Eventually, it’s the narration that’s important. That’s why I focus on expressing the reasons behind my character’s actions. It is difficult to understand In-kyung due to her complicated personality and relationships, but her motives become clearer as the drama goes on. I believe In-kyung has changed throughout the drama and I hope I expressed this aspect well.
Little Women is currently streaming on Netflix.
