My Name Is: Im Joo-eun
With MBC’s horror-thriller Hon being lauded as a well-made drama and its unknown lead actress garnering a lion’s share of the attention, Im Joo-eun has made a definitive leap to the big time. Here’s a look at the actress and how she beat out more than a thousand competitors to make such a splash in her first leading role.
Last March, a group of rookie actresses who had undergone an acting test took part in a question and answer period in front of MBC directors, who were acting as judges in the third round of auditions for the female lead of MBC’s special miniseries Hon. Out of 1,058 candidates, the final group comprised 14, and Im Joo-eun demonstrated comparatively solid acting skills. One director tossed out a question to Im, in a joking way, “If you want to be the lead in a horror drama, won’t you have to lose some of the fat in your cheeks?” Im Joo-eun didn’t hesitate for a second before calling out, “I’ll run 2 kilometers every day.” Immediately, she added, “Is that too little? Then, I’ll run 10 kilometers!” At her unexpected but determined attitude, everyone laughed. Two days later, director Kim Sang-ho ended his deliberations by choosing the large-eyed new actress for the lead role in the 10-episode drama.
Tags: Hon, Im Joo-eun, interviews
