Red Velvet’s Yeri and Lee Eun-saem on their K-drama Cheongdam International High School
CNA Lifestyle sat down with the two South Korean stars who were in Singapore to promote their new K-drama, Cheongdam International High School.
Kim Ye-rim aka Yeri (left) and Lee Eun-saem (right) were in Singapore to promote their new drama Cheongdam International High School. (Photo: tvN Asia)
The thriller, which airs on tvN Asia (Singtel TV channel 518 and StarHub TV channel 824) every Wednesday, stars Lee as Kim Hye-in – a teenager who transfers to a new school after witnessing a murder. There to make Hye-in's life miserable is Yeri's Baek Jenna – the most powerful student in the school, who also happens to be the prime suspect in the murder case.
Naturally, the two characters engage in a battle of wits and power as they unravel the mystery behind the murder.
In real life, however, Yeri and Lee have nothing but admiration for each other. The two co-stars mentioned their warm friendship several times during the interview, with Yeri saying that they “got close quickly and relied on one another a lot”.
She even went so far as to proclaim: “I was happy to have a friend of the same age whom I could interact with at a human level.”
Lee echoed Yeri’s sentiments, revealing that one of her best memories on set was when she tried to hold in her laughter as Yeri recited her lines.
Even though filming for Cheongdam International High School has ended, the two actresses said they still meet up whenever they’re free. Their most recent hangout session had them visiting photo booths and eating out.
Fans of K-pop group Red Velvet, which Yeri is a member of, will know that the 24-year-old idol is well-regarded for her liveliness and bright energy. Those traits were present in full force as she fielded questions with charm, peppering a few responses with jokes.
Yet, Yeri's character Baek Jenna is the complete antithesis of her – cold, ruthless and manipulative. One scene in Cheongdam International High School even had Jenna publicly eviscerating her teacher for her lacklustre English.
So where does a ball of sunshine like Yeri get the inspiration for such a dark character?
She admitted: “There wasn’t a specific person or event. I referenced other evil roles from various dramas and used them to aid my character.”
Portraying characters who are polar opposites of their real selves appears to be a common thread between the two main stars of Cheongdam International High School.
Lee, who previously played an outspoken, chain-smoking high school senior in Netflix’s All Of Us Are Dead, said: “Kim Hye-in is not a character whom I can draw reference from my high school life. When I was preparing for my character, I used my imagination more than my experiences.”
For those who’ve watched Cheongdam International High School, it’s easy to see why. Kim Hye-in, with her rebellious streak and morally gray persona, eschews the “poor bullied girl” trope commonly found in K-dramas.
As Lee put it: “The protagonist doesn’t always have to be the kindest in the show”.
Having already portrayed such complex and nuanced characters in Cheongdam International High School, what kind of acting roles would Yeri and Lee take on in the future?
Drawing from her experience as a Red Velvet member, Yeri said: “I would like to try a variety of roles from different genres. Acting and singing have different appeals but I will still try to bring a positive energy to them.”
Lee, on the other hand, had a more definitive answer.
“Something that’s action-based. A role that allows me to box or hold a gun.”
The future remains to be seen but for now, the two actresses are hard at work for the remainder of their press tour. The duo will meet Singapore fans at ION Orchard on Saturday (Jun 24) before flying off to Malaysia.
The final two episodes of Cheongdam International High School will air next Wednesday (Jun 28).
