(Yonhap Interview) Actress Kim Go-eun likes her looks in 'Sunset in My Hometown'

SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- One thing that undoubtedly catches the eye of audiences in director Lee Joon-ik's new film, "Sunset in My Hometown," is actress Kim Go-eun's transformation into a wild and chubby country girl.

The actress gained eight kilograms for her role as Seon-mi, protagonist Hak-soo's high-school classmate and a public employee at a rural township office.

The two main characters meet for the first time in 10 years when Hak-soo, an unpopular rapper who leads a tough life in Seoul, returns to his countryside hometown of Byeonsan following a phone call from home.

"I was really happy because I tend to find great happiness in eating," Kim said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at a cafe in central Seoul on Wednesday. "I didn't mind eating even late at night and getting my face swollen from eating too much, and I liked that."

Kim said the director never asked her to gain weight but that she conceived the idea of putting on a few pounds as soon as she read the screenplay.

"When I was studying the characters, I thought that Seon-mi wouldn't look so pretty and that Mi-kyung, on whom Hak-soo had a crush, should look prettier. So I decided to gain weight."

But a painful diet to return to her normal physical state was the price she had to pay after filming, said the actress.

"Suddenly I couldn't eat (as much as I wanted), which made me sad. I had a diet for two months, constantly asking myself such questions as 'What am I living for?' and 'Am I happy now?'"

"Sunset" marks her return to the screen after she gained huge popularity in and out of the country for her role in the Korean drama sensation "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God."

Questioned about her motive in choosing the film, Kim said she wanted to heal herself while carrying out a less demanding character.

"After finishing 'Guardian,' I was trying to find something that could help heal me. I thought it would be better if I could do some amusing and less demanding role, and received the offer to appear in 'Sunset' at just the right moment."

Seon-mi has won a local literary award for her book of essays titled "Sunset-mania." As a literary writer, her lines touch the hearts of many people.

Asked which of her lines was the most memorable, Kim singled out one that said: "Don't be a loser even if you can't afford to be well-to-do."

"I think the nuance or meaning of the line touched my heart the most. It's a line that I want to keep in mind for the rest of my life."

sshim@yna.co.kr
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