“I felt numb at first”: Song Hye-kyo dishes on her experiences, struggles, and more while filming The Glory
On Wednesday, March 8, Korean actor Song Hye-kyo, along with the production team and cast of The Glory, attended a press conference held for the upcoming part two of the drama. Jung Sung-ll, Cha Joo-young, Kim Hie-ora, Kim Gun-woo, and the director and screenwriter of the drama, Ahn Gil-ho and Kim Eun-sook, also joined the actors.
Netflix's hit series The Glory season 1 aired on December 30 and soon became a worldwide phenomenon. The series showcased the harsh and brutal bullying Moon Dong-eun had to deal with throughout her high school life and how she is determined to take revenge on her bullies even if it takes years.
In the press conference, Song Hye-kyo shared how she did not eat anything before the shoot of episode 6 and her make-up where she had to showcase her scars took around four hours. The actress also commented on how she felt before the release of the first part, stating:
"Before The Glory Part 1, I felt very nervous because I was afraid that I would ruin the show since I am the lead. So, the reaction was beyond expectation and I felt numb at first, but I am very happy with the reaction"
“It was difficult and sad”: Song Hye-kyo talks about her character Moon Dong-eun in The Glory
At the press conference held for The Glory part 2, Song Hye-kyo talked about how difficult it was for her to portray a character like Moon Dong-eun who suffers a lot at the hands of her fellow classmates and could never experience real happiness in her life because of all the hardships and struggles she went through.
She shared that it is very difficult to portray a character like Moon Dong-eun who is in a lot of pain. Despite her sadness, the actress still admired how she was able to showcase a glimpse of hope through Dong-eun in The Glory:
““It was difficult & sad to express a lot of pain, but it was very meaningful to show that there is hope for a char like Moondong. It was a real honor to appear in a work where everyone can sympathize, suffer together, and share their hearts.”
During the press conference, the actress also answered some questions from fans where she mimicked Song Hye-kyo’s lines “don’t laugh like that” from the first part of The Glory, adding how the said dialog and scene was very melancholic:
“Hyekyo explained how "don't laugh like that!!" scene is a very sad scene for Dongeun, how part 2 basically made Dongeun's emotions explode. She also said felt energized by casts synergy on set”
The actress continued that while portraying the character of Moon Dong-eun, she tries her best to act 100% like her but somehow she has a bit of herself while chronicling The Glory character.
Song Hye-kyo also stated that her make-up, which required to paint the burned scars on her body, took almost four to five hours and that she has to do that every time she has to film.
Following this, she put herself on a strict diet where she would eat nothing for three consecutive days. She also disclosed that she never drank water a day before the shoot so that she would be able to showcase her best side in the drama.
The actress revealed that she feared that people might forget about part 2 by the time it is released in March, however, she is relieved to watch people discover new theories and talk about the drama on social media platforms, which makes her more confident.
After the press conference for The Glory was released, fans could not stop being proud of the actress' determination to portray her character with this much professionalism.
More about The Glory
The first part of The Glory was released on December 30, consisting of eight episodes starring Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, and others. The show was soon a smash hit worldwide and became one of the most-watched non-English shows on Netflix. According to Nilsen Korea, the show was watched for more than 24.5 million hours worldwide within three days of its release.
Fans loved the different side of Song Hye-kyo, who portrayed this kind of role for the first time in her acting career. They kept praising Moon Dong-eun and her scars in the most natural way possible. They also loved the chemistry between Song Hye-kyo and Lee Do-hyun, and cannot wait to watch season two as soon as possible.
The upcoming part 2 is slated to premiere on March 10 and will be available to stream on Netflix.
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Abhipsa Choudhury