MANILA, Philippines — South Korean actress Park Bo-young said she accepted the lead role in the crime drama Gold Land to explore a genre she had not previously done in her career.
Park discussed her role during a press conference for the series, which premiered on April 29. She said viewers often associate her with lighter roles because of her image and past projects.
The actress previously starred in projects such as A Werewolf Boy, Oh My Ghost, and Strong Woman Bong-soon.
In “Gold Land,” Park plays Kim Hee-ju, an airport worker who becomes involved in a gold bar case and later develops an obsession with acquiring more gold. The story centers on conflicts involving morality, greed, and theft.
Park said she lost weight for the role to reflect the character’s troubled background and emotional condition. She explained that director Kim Sung-hoon wanted her character to appear exhausted and worn down while on the run.
She also said she wore little to no makeup during filming to match the character’s appearance.
Park said she understood the character’s desire for wealth and used that perspective in portraying Hee-ju.
Kim praised Park’s performance, saying she effectively portrayed the character’s emotional changes and completed demanding action scenes for the series. He also noted her physical transformation for the role.
“Gold Land” also stars Kim Sung-cheol, Lee Hyun-wook, Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Hee-won, and Moon Jeong-hee.
