Versatile actress Jeon Yeo-bin continues to meet audiences with ‘The Black Nuns’ following ‘Harbin’. Through these two works, she showcases her wide spectrum by presenting contrasting faces.
In an interview for ‘The Black Nuns’ (directed by Kwon Hyuk-jae) held at a café in Samcheong-dong on the morning of the 21st, Jeon Yeo-bin said, “While preparing for the release of both works, I made a resolution to work hard not only on filming but also on promotion. Although they are completely different genres and stories, the keywords of ‘belief that transcends oneself, immense altruism, and courage’ run through them. Perhaps because of that, I felt deep contemplation and a great sense of responsibility.”
The film is a spin-off of ‘The Priests’ (directed by Jang Jae-hyun), which opened a new chapter in Korean occult films, depicting the story of people who embark on a forbidden ritual to save a boy possessed by a powerful evil spirit. It portrays the noble spirit of sacrifice of the lowest-ranking nuns in the Catholic Church, who strive to save the boy even if no one acknowledges their efforts. It blends the deep ‘woman-centric’ relationship between Song Hye-kyo and Jeon Yeo-bin with the theme of the occult.
Jeon Yeo-bin plays ‘Sister Michaela’, who grows amidst wavering beliefs. She stated, “The character’s backstory was solidly built, so I was able to immerse myself easily. As a person with spiritual abilities, she inevitably faces various difficulties, pains, fears, and terrors during her growth, which led her to live a life of restraint. However, through a fateful encounter with ‘Unia’, who recognizes her essence, she is liberated and grows.”
“If the socially presented image was a confined one, I feel like I was able to find the courage to fully express myself through ‘Unia’. So, there are moments where I act childlike, curse, and be honest with my emotions. I gained the courage to confront my fears, especially during the exorcism scenes, which seemed to amplify that.”
Jeon Yeo-bin mentioned, “I usually find the occult scary, but there’s a certain fun in watching it while trembling. I can’t watch it alone; I have to watch it with friends,” adding, “I found the previous work ‘The Priests’ enjoyable in that aspect, and since it was a well-made traditional occult film, I felt some pressure about appearing in the sequel. Fortunately, it has a different color from the previous work, emphasizing drama and woman-centric themes, which gave me the courage to participate.”
“For those who, like me, have a lot of fear, I think you can enjoy our movie without any burden. Since it has strong dramatic elements, I believe it will be quite entertaining. It’s a drama occult that even beginners can watch, so I hope you won’t be scared and come to see it. (laughs)”
What was it like during the actual filming? Jeon Yeo-bin recalled, “I thought it would be really scary, but as an actress, I had a clear mission, so I focused on my reactions and it wasn’t that difficult due to fear. To express my performance as truthfully as possible, I had to concentrate and immerse myself in the character. I think I believed in ‘Unia’, who unfolds her beliefs without wavering, and went all in.”
She added, “I think I was able to absorb the energy from working with such great actors. Thanks to the performance of the young actor Woo-jin, who is beyond his years, and Song Hye-kyo, who was the character itself, I was able to fully become Michaela.”
“The most important mission for me in this work was my reactions. Rather than trying to show something, it was important to observe and watch. That alone became a lot of learning for me. It’s a work from which I gained a lot as an actress. Just like Michaela, I think I’ve grown a little too? (laughs)” (Continued in Interview ②)
