Actor Moon So-ri shares various stories during an interview. Courtesy of C-JeS Studio

Actor Moon So-ri disclosed the reason behind her special appearance in tvN's "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born," revealing that memories of her late "pansori" (traditional Korean musical storytelling) teacher drove her decision.

Moon, portraying Seo Yong-rye, a brilliant vocalist in a drama about traditional Korean all-female theater, revealed she couldn't refuse the role. She imagined her late teacher playfully scolding her from above for not putting the skills they had imparted to her to good use.

"That teacher adored me so much," Moon recalled in a recent interview at C-JeS Studio in Seoul. "Even though the teacher knew I wasn't going to pursue pansori professionally, she always encouraged me. I could just picture the teacher saying, ‘I taught you this, and you're not even using it?' That thought stayed with me."

Moon's performance of the pansori piece "Chuwolmanjeong" in the drama enthralled audiences. Despite her limited screen time, she trained rigorously for nearly a year.

"I started around March or April last year, and the final recording was in April this year," she said. "If I sang it three times a day, that's easily over a thousand times of practice. I've never worked on anything like this before."

Moon has a history of going above and beyond for her roles. For her special appearance in the 2016 film "The Handmaiden," she spent over four months mastering Japanese to portray an aristocrat. "I started with the Japanese alphabet and kept building from there," she said.

Her role in "Jeongnyeon" required similar dedication, including a "dialect immersion course."

"I spent four days going to markets, pretending to shop, and chatting with elderly women to record their accents. I even worked with a dialect coach while rehearsing my lines," she said. "Kim Tae-ri and Oh Kyung-hwa joined me. We had a blast, and it helped bring authenticity to our characters."

Moon praised her co-stars Kim Tae-ri and Ra Mi-ran for their chemistry on set. Having worked with Kim in previous projects, she noted that their on-screen mother-daughter bond came naturally. "Tae-ri and I just click. There's a comfort in working with someone who truly understands you," she said.

She also expressed warmth for Ra Mi-ran, joking about their long-standing friendship.

"We've known each other forever. I always say we're friends, but Mi-ran is quick to remind me, ‘You're not my friend, you're my eonni (senior sister)!'" Moon laughed. "Because of that familiarity, there wasn't much need for rehearsals. Everything just felt natural."

Moon So-ri portrays a political character in the Netflix series "Queenmaker." Courtesy of Netflix

Theater roots and 25 years of acting

Reflecting on her roots, Moon spoke fondly of her start in theater.

"The stage was my beginning. Watching plays is what first sparked my interest in acting," she said. "Even when I feel worn out, stepping onto the stage reminds me of who I am. It's where I can see my weaknesses clearly and work to improve them."

Her recent work in the play, "The Sound Inside," was another reminder of the beauty of live performance.

"There's something magical about the stage. Certain moments feel so beautiful, they're almost overwhelming," she said with a smile.

As 2023 marks her 25th year in acting, Moon shrugged off the milestone.

"I don't really think about it. I'll be acting forever, so let's not count the years," she said with a laugh.

What keeps her going? "I'm just grateful," she said. "Every time I have a project, I feel lucky to be part of it. Having a supportive team and a fun environment to work in—that's what makes me happiest."

With her passion and dedication undiminished, Moon is set to deliver many more performances in the years ahead.

"As long as there are stories to tell, I'll keep going," she said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.