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INTERVIEWWhy 'Under the Queen's Umbrella' star Yoo Seon-ho loves his nickname 'princess'

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Actor Yoo Seon-ho / Korea Times file
Actor Yoo Seon-ho / Korea Times file

Singer-turned-actor gets favorable viewer responses for portrayal of secretive character

By Dong Sun-hwa

For Yoo Seon-ho, playing Grand Prince Gyeseong in tvN's historical fiction drama "Under the Queen's Umbrella" was not a walk in the park. During the day, Gyeseong, the fourth son of Queen Hwaryeong ― played by actress Kim Hye-soo ― is her best-behaved son, who pleases his mother with his academic accomplishments. But at night, he secretly heads to his "haven" and disguises himself as a woman to express his hidden sexual identity.

The rationale behind his double life is simple. Being a prince of the conservative Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), Gyeseong's life could have been threatened if his sexual orientation had been revealed. His life, however, takes a drastic turn after his mother gets to know about his secret.



"When I first flipped through the script of 'Under the Queen's Umbrella,' I didn't quite know what to do," Yoo said during an interview with The Korea Times at the newspaper's headquarters in central Seoul, Dec. 6. "I had no idea how to approach my character, so I referred to a series of films, dramas and documentaries and even read some research papers to get some hints. I actually watched the 2015 biographical romantic drama film 'The Danish Girl' ― which revolves around a sexual minority ― four to five times. I also studied male and female hormones."

His efforts seem to have paid off. Numerous viewers praised his realistic and sensitive portrayal of a challenging character after watching "Under the Queen's Umbrella." The 16-part series ― which is a tale of a queen who dedicates herself to her sons' education to make one of them the next king ― was also successful in terms of viewership ratings, with its finale airing on Dec. 4 scoring a 16.9 percent rating, according to Nielsen Korea.

"Dressing up like a woman was something unfamiliar to me in the beginning, but as time went by, I got used to it," Yoo recalled. "I think I really looked like a woman in the end. (Thanks to the drama,) some fans began calling me 'princess' and now it is my favorite nickname. I think the word itself looks pretty and sounds pretty."

Yoo Seon-ho disguises himself as a woman in the tvN drama,
Yoo Seon-ho disguises himself as a woman in the tvN drama, "Under the Queen's Umbrella." Courtesy of tvN

He added that he was particularly fond of the last episode, in which Gyeseong decides to leave the palace to pursue his own happiness.

"Just like many other actors, I had regrets for not having done a better job, but now I am more lighthearted," he said. "I am thankful to people for loving our series so much."

The drama has wrapped up, but Yoo's fans will still be able to see him on TV, as he recently joined the cast of the popular KBS travel variety show "1 Night 2 Days."

"I was anxious about appearing on my favorite TV show, but I was warmly welcomed by everyone when I went to the filming spot for the first time," he said. "Honestly, I am not very humorous, but I can spread positive energy to people around me. In the future, I want to visit Dokdo and nearby Ulleung Island in the East Sea with the members of '1 Night 2 Days.'"

Yoo first made his name known to the public in the second season of Mnet's audition program "Produce 101" (2017). Although he could not join Wanna One ― the project boy band formed on "Produce 101" which consisted of the top 11 contestants ― he still won the hearts of numerous fans for his endless efforts to hone his performing skills. At the moment, Yoo does not plan to release a new album or a single, but hopes he gets the chance to sing a song for a drama he will star in.

"One of my goals is to sing a song for my character if I get to appear as a protagonist," he said. "I hope I can be featured in some great works in 2023, too."


Dong Sun-hwa sunhwadong@koreatimes.co.kr


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