Actor Lee You-mi has opened up about her deep emotional journey and bodily transformation whereas filming Netflix’s authentic sequence “As You Stood By,” a darkish, gripping drama about two girls pushed to the sting by violence and survival.
In an interview on Tuesday at a restaurant in Seoul, Lee mentioned her portrayal of Hui-su, a once-promising kids’s e book creator enduring an abusive marriage. The sequence follows Hui-su and one other girl who, trapped in an inescapable actuality of abuse and despair, make a fateful determination that modifications their lives eternally.
“I rewatched it yesterday as a result of I used to be too nervous to actually take it within the first time,” Lee stated, recalling her pressure on launch day. “Throughout filming, I wasn’t instantly experiencing the violence, however as soon as I noticed it onscreen, it hit me — the ache and creativeness past what was proven.”
Lee stated she was drawn to the undertaking due to its concentrate on girls who actively form their very own narratives.
“Hui-su and Eun-su (performed by Jeon So-nee) are on the middle of the story, main it by means of their selections,” she stated. “Although it offers with delicate materials, I needed to save lots of Hui-su someway — to present her happiness by means of my efficiency.”
After the present’s premiere, Lee stated she learn viewers’ reactions and was grateful for the empathy towards her character. “Folks had been livid with Jin-pyo, the husband, and that made me really feel comforted,” she stated. “It was like individuals had been indignant on Hui-su’s behalf — that meant loads to me.”
To deal with the heavy feelings, Lee stated she tried to separate herself from her character each time potential. “On set, I stayed true to who I’m,” she stated. “Once I felt myself getting drained, I reminded myself to maintain a ways — to let Hui-su’s ache exist solely throughout the scenes.”
Her bodily transformation additionally mirrored the character’s struggling. Lee revealed she misplaced weight all the way down to about 36–37 kilograms from her normal 41 to embody Hui-su’s frail state.
Actor Lee You-mi as Hui-su in “As You Stood By” / Courtesy of Netflix
“I needed her ache to be seen — in her thinness, her posture, the way in which she sat on the dinner desk along with her husband,” she stated. “I naturally ate much less and slept extra throughout taking pictures, so the change got here simply. Perhaps I used to be made for this position.”
Having usually portrayed emotionally intense characters, Lee stated “As You Stood By” felt like a milestone in her appearing profession.
“It’s the primary time I felt like I actually met a personality who made me stronger,” she mirrored. “Hui-su’s struggles and selections helped me turn out to be extra resilient and grounded as an individual.”
When requested about home violence in actual life, Lee’s tone turned agency. “I hope abusers face penalties — that their lives are by no means peaceable,” she stated. “They need to dwell daily feeling the ache they brought on.”
Launched on Dec. 7, “As You Stood By” has gained momentum worldwide. Based on streaming analytics website FlixPatrol, the sequence ranked No. 1 on Netflix’s world TV chart as of Dec. 11, topping the checklist in 21 international locations — a mirrored image of its rising emotional impression and word-of-mouth success.
A scene from “As You Stood By” / Courtesy of Netflix
This text from Xportsnews is translated by generative AI system and edited by The Korea Instances.
