[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun] Actress Shin Ye-eun shared her thoughts on wrapping up the ENA drama "Doctor on the Edge."
"Doctor on the Edge" is a medical human romance drama about public health doctor Do Ji-eui (Lee Jae-wook), who arrives on the notorious island of Pyeondongdo that everyone avoids, and nurse Yuk Hari (Shin Ye-eun), who carries many secrets. Shin played Yuk Hari, a character who was burdened by an unfair rumor that all of her ex-boyfriends were doctors, that she used them for their money, and that she would switch to a better man if one came along. She delivered a strong performance as a woman who overcomes those rumors and her trauma to find true love and freedom.
"It was such a warm drama, and it healed me as well. I was happy while watching it air, and I was grateful to share the precious experiences I felt with viewers."
"Doctor on the Edge" is based on Kim Tae-pung's webtoon "Doctor Jonbeo." It was directed by hitmaker Lee Myung-woo, who helmed "Punch," "Whisper," "The Fiery Priest," and "Boyhood." At the drama's production presentation, Lee drew attention when he said, "I still remember the moment I first met Shin Ye-eun at the audition. She was so pretty that she was more beautiful than the character I had in mind, so I didn’t cast her. Yuk Hari was also originally a more plain character, so I struggled with the decision until the very end."
"I think the director said that just for me. During 'Doctor on the Edge,' he worked hard to make me look beautiful on screen. I really loved that. It felt like a dream to have the chance to work with him, and I was so grateful. He brings out an actor's natural charm so well and knows how to make fun scenes shine, so it was a learning experience for me. When acting, I usually try to erase as much of myself as possible and build the character from scratch, but he let me use my reactions and habits as they are. He told me, 'Just do it your way,' so I acted with the emotions I felt. He welcomed ad-libs, and even the lines we jokingly tried during rehearsals were given a chance. On set, he would also make spontaneous suggestions to the actors, making each scene more fun and richer."
Yuk Hari is a complex character: bright and lovable on the outside, but carrying deep wounds inside. Even under the stigma of being a "doctor killer," she shows determination as she fights to save others. At the same time, she struggles in her relationships with her grandmother Oh Mi-ja (Gil Hae-yeon), who is battling cancer, and with Do Ji-eui (Lee Jae-wook), who carries trauma from failing to save a friend who fell into the sea.
"The part I paid the most attention to was Hari's experiences and circumstances, rather than her image. I had to sustain the emotions and expressions that came from facing everything with her grandmother and her boyfriend over a long period of time. I also tried to balance the intensity so viewers wouldn't feel like, 'She just keeps crying,' or 'She's surprisingly too detached.' I built each moment one by one, thinking, 'What would I have done in her place?'"
As Shin Ye-eun herself is known for her lovely, positive energy, many have wondered how closely she matches the character.
"First of all, I was drawn to the character's clear, sunshine-like side. Many people tell me that I seem pure and bright, and if that is my charm, I wanted the chance to show it through acting. I did have a little greed for that. Hari and I are similar up to about 90 percent. I put a lot of myself into her. She seems like someone who needs protection, but she can also stand on her own, be spirited, and be strong. I related to that mix of strength and softness."
While playing Yuk Hari, who ends difficult days with a can of beer and actively tries to heal the wounds of herself and those around her, Shin said she also found a great deal of healing herself.
"I think that role becomes healing when she moves beyond pain. The character struggles because of her grandmother and her boyfriend, and even though it is acting, I empathize with her emotions. So when she is freed from that pain, I feel relieved too. There are difficult parts in my life and in other people's lives as well, but the message that 'you can solve it, you can move forward' made me feel healed."
In particular, Yuk Hari's tearful breakdown after Oh Mi-ja's death moved many viewers.
"I was actually very close with my grandmother, and while filming 'Doctor on the Edge,' I called her almost every day. For the crying scene where Hari says, 'Why won't you take care of me?' I thought I wouldn't react that way myself, so I asked the consultants on set, 'What would you do in that situation?' I realized how deeply doctors think about their patients. Looking at it purely from Hari's perspective, I thought, 'Why is no one taking care of me? Why does no one understand how I feel?' But when I first saw the scene where the grandmother tells her friend, 'I'm scared. No one is on my side, so can you be on my side too?' I cried so much. I realized later, after watching the broadcast, that I had only been thinking about myself and had not considered the feelings of the grandmother who was leaving. It was one of those scenes that made me think a lot."
Shin said she bought a nurse's kit, practiced repeatedly, and kept working closely with the doctors and nurses who were on set as consultants to study the role of a medical professional. Her efforts were recognized by viewers. "Doctor on the Edge" maintained ratings in the 4% to 5% range and was praised as a "well-made healing drama."
"Hari has such a wide emotional range that I can't say I simply enjoyed it comfortably, but because the character gives off bright and positive energy, I also gained a lot of strength from her, and that became a healing point for me. I'm grateful that viewers said I grew through the role. That was one of the small goals I wanted to achieve. I wanted to express this character by bringing out all the emotions I have. I can't be 100% satisfied, but when I played her, I was sincere. Even in my daily life, I thought that I should cherish this character so much that I would cry just thinking about her. This time, I had that kind of experience, and it made me think that I want to keep acting this way in the future."
Baek Ji-eun, silk781220@sportschosun.com
