“I’m excited to see what kind of sides of myself I’ll be able to show. Even I’m looking forward to who I’ll become in the future.”
Kim Hye Yoon is an actress powered by an engine that never seems to tire. Not only that, but the depth of her filmography stands out. She has continuously transformed herself across genres and characters without limitation.
From a suspenseful school drama (SKY Castle), to fantasy romantic comedies ('Extraordinary You', 'Lovely Runner'), a fusion historical drama ('Secret Royal Inspector & Joy'), and crime ('The Girl on a Bulldozer')—she has built a diverse and dynamic career.
She refuses to settle for what she does well. Now, she has added yet another challenge to her repertoire: horror. Through the film 'Salmokji: Whispering Water' (directed by Lee Sang Min), she took on the genre and proved her versatility once again with a restrained yet powerful performance.
Dispatch met Kim Hye Yoon at a café in Jongno District, where her passion burned just as brightly off-screen.
“I had been waiting for horror.”
'Salmokji: Whispering Water' is a horror film that follows a production crew who suffer harm after visiting the mysterious Salmok Reservoir. Kim Hye Yoon plays Han Su In, the team leader who carries guilt after passing her responsibilities to colleague Gyo Sik (played by Kim Jun Han) due to her fear of water.
“I’ve always loved horror films. I even watch related YouTube channels. When I first received the script, I found it incredibly fun and intriguing. The concept of a water ghost, in particular, felt fresh and unique, which made it even more appealing.”
Known for her bright and cheerful image, Su In marks a stark contrast. She embodies a weary office worker drained by relentless demands. Even when confronted with a ghost, she remains composed rather than reacting with exaggerated fear.
“I tried to give off a lifeless energy. I wanted her to seem deeply stressed and exhausted by everything. I also focused on expressing the guilt she feels toward Gyo Sik.”
“Restraint was more difficult.”
Holding back, she admits, is harder than adding more. Kim Hye Yoon agreed wholeheartedly.
“Internally, I’m terrified, but externally I have to appear calm. That made it really challenging, and I spent a lot of time thinking about how to portray it.”
“While trying to stay composed, I had to express unrest through my eyes and breathing—fear, anxiety, urgency. The director helped guide Su In’s emotional direction a lot, which was incredibly helpful.”
Working on a horror film also taught her something new about acting.
“I realized for the first time that, as an actor, you have to calculate the exact timing of when you ‘discover’ the ghost. I had to constantly think about when fear would peak, and how to react in a way that would maximize the impact. That’s when I truly felt the rhythm of horror acting.”
“In real life, Kim Hye Yoon is fearless.”
Filming took place at night by a reservoir, including underwater horror scenes—conditions that could easily intimidate anyone. But Kim Hye Yoon proved fearless.
“I’ve always liked water. I enjoy horror too, so it felt like I was living out a dream,” she said with a smile.
“Of course, as I went underwater, I suddenly felt tense. The props and set were dark and intentionally eerie. Thankfully, Lee Jong Won handled everything so skillfully that I felt reassured in that moment.”
She also helped set the mood on set by sharing ghost stories.
“It felt like a campfire setting. I talked a lot with the other actors, and I was usually the one bringing up ghost stories,” she recalled.
“You know how, during retreats, people sit in a circle and tell scary stories? I created that kind of atmosphere. But there were quite a few people who got scared easily—eventually, they started avoiding me,” she added with a laugh.
“What Kim Hye Yoon truly fears.”
She enjoys fear itself. There are no genres she dislikes, and no roles she avoids. So what does she truly fear as an actress?
Kim Hye Yoon gave a thoughtful answer and shared, “If the day comes when I no longer yearn to learn, that would be the scariest thing for me. As an actress, I always want to keep learning. That mindset will never change.”
Born in 1996, she turns 30 this year. She opened a new chapter in her career with 'SKY Castle' and solidified her place with 'Lovely Runner.' Looking ahead, a lineup of projects promises to further showcase her range.
She has already confirmed five upcoming works, spanning various genres: a legal drama ('Good Partner 2'), a crime entertainment film ('Land'), a comedy film ('High School Detective'), and a fantasy drama ('The Miracles of the Namiya General Store'), among others.
“I’m just grateful that I’m being sought after across so many different genres. When I look back 10 or 20 years from now, I hope I can say that I steadily built my career and grew with each project. That’s why I want to keep trying and learning every time.”
SEE ALSO: Kim Hye Yoon’s Osaka fan meeting cancelled a week before event
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