That's how the character Baek Ha-rin was created

"The eyes that witness my pain. Have you ever felt the urge to gouge them out??” It's the moment when the always kind Ha-rin reveals her true feelings in front of transfer student Su-ji (Kim Ji-yeon).

"It was a scene I acted out during the audition. It was important to find the right balance because the character was not in her usual kind self, yet she wasn't also revealing everything sincerely. Thanks to her deliberation in acting, actress Jang Da-a was selected for the role, receiving praise for “successfully portraying the creepy image of Baek Ha-rin when she transforms”.

At class 2-5 of Baekyeon Girls’ High School, where popularity polls determine rankings, Ha-rin has never missed a grade A. However, everyone fears her due to the maliciousness that torments those beneath the surface. To Jang Da-a, "that dual aspect felt charming”. "When I look closely at Ha-rin, there are various emotions such as loneliness. Even if I didn't sympathize, I tried to fully accept and express Ha-rin's complex emotions.”

Because even a single glance from Ha-rin receives significant reactions from those around her, she devoted efforts to ”studying non-verbal expressions such as facial expressions and gestures written in the script”. Amidst this, the most enjoyable dialogue she delivered was before she started seriously tormenting Su-ji, when she shouted, "Run, now!" “The director said I looked like crazy in real. (laughs) Capturing the right tone to bring out the taste of the words was important. When I first read the script, that tone came out naturally, so I just went with it. After portraying Ha-rin, I feel like my acting spectrum has broadened.”

She can easily capture dance scenes of Ha-rin due to her love for dancing since childhood, which started in elementary school. Similarly, her dream of becoming an actress began around the same time. "I enjoyed watching plays, musicals, and dramas like My Love from the Star, The Legend of the Blue Sea, and It's Okay, That's Love.” Consequently, she memorized lines and naturally enjoyed mimicking them. Filming and reviewing her acting on her phone were like her hobbies.

Actress Jang Da-a hopes to someday encounter an "honest, assertive, and proactive" character like Hae-soo (Gong Hyo-jin) in It's Okay, That's Love. “I also like quirky, 4-dimensional characters. All of these are aspects that Ha-rin doesn't have."

Although she had to give up dancing, which she had studied for a long time, when she embarked on the path of acting, she has no regrets. Because "the process of acting, which breaks my own boundaries, is so enjoyable”. Therefore, she welcomes feedback from others with an open heart. "It's more important to grow through that. I'm not wavers with every feedback. I want to continue acting happily without losing my essence as an actress while improving myself through advice from those around me."

Written By Jo Hyun-na, Photo by Baek Jong-heon, Translation by Jang Yuri