Park Bo-young on Playing Twins in Netflix’s ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’: ‘It Felt Like Shooting Two Dramas at Once’

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Actress Park Bo-young is stretching her acting abilities more than ever before, as she tackles a challenging and intricate portrayal in the upcoming Netflix Korean series “Our Unwritten Seoul.” In this show, she portrays twin sisters who exchange identities, resulting in her embodying four unique characters – an experience that could be her most difficult role yet.

Actress famous for her performances in “Strong Girl Bong-soon” and “Oh My Ghost” discusses the distinct difficulties she faced playing twin roles in the romantic drama, focusing on characters Yu Mi-ji and Yu Mi-rae – they look alike but couldn’t be more different in temperament. As destiny steps in, the sisters exchange identities, leading them to explore uncharted territories as they find love and self-discovery.

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The actress renowned for her roles in “Strong Girl Bong-soon” and “Oh My Ghost” talks about the specific hurdles she encountered while portraying twin characters in a romantic drama. The story revolves around Yu Mi-ji and Yu Mi-rae, identical twins with contrasting personalities. When fortune takes a turn, the sisters trade places, forcing them to tread new paths as they uncover love and self-realization.

Upon reading the script, it struck me as an extraordinary test – and a tremendous possibility,” Park Bo-young expresses. “I found myself pondering, ‘Will I ever have another shot at something like this? If not now, will such an opportunity arise again?’

The project signifies several novel experiences for the adored actress, such as her inaugural appearance with radiant blonde locks playing the spirited Mi-ji, a former track star who saw her athletic aspirations cut short due to injury. Now, Mi-ji navigates temporary work opportunities in the village of Doo-son-ri while preserving her contagious positivity amid life’s challenges.

Mi-rae, her twin sister, stands out in sharp relief – despite being born with a health challenge, she’s known for her diligence, resilience, and ability to keep emotions hidden, as described by Park Bo-young. Due to challenging circumstances in Seoul, the sisters were compelled to swap their lives.

The unique twofold part played in the production posed unforeseen technical hurdles, as Park Bo-young explains. “It turned out to be far more challenging than I initially thought,” she says. “Usually, I concentrate on responding to my co-star’s performance. However, this time, I was not only reacting but also trying to forecast the actions of the other character, who happened to be me.

In the TV series “When the Star Gossip,” Director Park Shin-woo utilized innovative methods such as having a substitute actor mimic one character’s actions while Park Bo-young portrayed another. During certain visual effects sequences, she even acted “as if there was nothing there.

Park Bo-young describes the challenge of memorizing lines for her characters Mi-rae and Mi-ji in a conversation: she initially thought she could simply commit the entire dialogue to memory, but found that wasn’t effective. Instead, she had to learn Mi-ji’s lines independently and then do the same for Mi-rae’s lines. It felt like acting in two separate dramas at once.”

“Park Bo-young shares her difficulty in memorizing lines for her characters Mi-rae and Mi-ji during their conversations: rather than thinking she could memorize the entire conversation at once, she found it necessary to learn Mi-ji’s lines on their own and then do the same for Mi-rae’s lines. It was as if she were acting in two separate dramas simultaneously.

Actress Park Bo-young is teaming up with Park Jin-young, previously of boy band Got7 and now portraying Lee Ho-su, a prosperous lawyer dealing with unresolved pain. Park Jin-young compares his character to a swan, appearing serene on the surface but working furiously beneath it.

The show signifies Park Jin-young’s comeback to acting following his military service completion. He expresses, “Resuming work in my beloved field brought me genuine joy.” Additionally, he mentions that Park Bo-young provided significant assistance, making it less challenging for him to adapt swiftly to the filming conditions.

In the main cast, Ryu Kyung-soo (“Yadang: The Snitch”) portrays Han Se-jin, who was once a top investment officer but now manages his grandfather’s strawberry farm following a transformative event. Known for his intense roles in various genres, Ryu takes on a more lighthearted approach here. However, he points out that beneath Se-jin’s peculiar demeanor lies a deep feeling of loneliness and separation.

For director Park Shin-woo, the project presented a chance to delve into various aspects of human nature using Park Bo-young’s distinctive perspective. “Upon reading merely one script episode,” he notes, “I no longer regarded it as a ‘dual role.’ Instead, I became captivated by the prospect of witnessing numerous dimensions of humanity.

As a passionate cinephile, I can wholeheartedly say that for this project, I prioritized authenticity above all else. Instead of getting lost in the complexities of cinematic wizardry, I chose to present the actors in their rawest, most genuine forms. In my own words, “This time around, I made it a point to emphasize the natural essence of each actor.”

When it came to the captivating Park Bo-young and her challenging dual role, I encouraged her not to fret about separating the characters. My goal for her was to concentrate on the emotion of the moment, the circumstances unfolding, and what her character needed to address at that very instant. In essence, “I wanted her to zero in on the feelings evoked by each scene and how her character should respond accordingly.

The intricacies of romantic interactions are equally multifaceted, as Park Bo-young’s characters forge diverse connections with their male counterparts. She characterizes Ho-su, played by Park Jin-young, as someone who would selflessly shield her from rain under an umbrella, getting his own shoulder wet in the process, while Se-jin, portrayed by Ryu Kyung-soo, is depicted as a character who might discard the umbrella and encourage playful puddle-splashing together.

Park Bo-young describes Mi-ji as vibrant and joyful, while Ho-su has a more down-to-earth personality that helps mute Mi-ji’s brightness. On the other hand, Mi-rae is quieter, but when she’s around Se-jin, she finds solace and encouragement.

The series ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’ hails from Studio Dragon, the influential Korean production house responsible for Netflix sensations like ‘The Glory,’ ‘Queen of Tears,’ and ‘Crash Landing on You.’ This division, a part of CJ ENM, manages 266 international premium intellectual properties encompassing 4,127 episodes. Annually, they produce around 25 new titles for global distribution.

As the series is set to debut, the cast expresses their hope that it will strike a chord with viewers looking for a blend of enjoyment and heartfelt connection. Ryu Kyung-soo comments, “I hope it offers solace to the audience.” For anyone currently struggling or lost in emotional turmoil, he adds, “My wish is that this show can inspire you to find the strength to recover and progress.

Park Bo-young expresses a similar thought: “On numerous occasions, I’ve found that the things I tell others are often things I need to hear myself. I think the audience will grasp why I make such statements while watching the drama.

“Our Unwritten Seoul” premieres May 24 on Netflix.

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2025-05-23 12:47