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| yna@yna.co.kr 2026-08-03 13:37:50
By Lee Seung-mi
SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Yonhap) -- For actress Yoo Ji-an, the villainous Joo Hye-ri in SBS hit drama "Agent Kim Reactivated" is the character who sets everything in motion.
It is Hye-ri's actions that lead to the kidnapping of Kim Min-ji, the daughter of protagonist Kim Bu-jang (So Ji-sub), ultimately forcing the former special agent to reveal his hidden abilities and risk his life to save her.
"It was true that I felt pressure playing the villain who triggers the entire story," Yoo, 20, said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency. "But at the same time, it was such an appealing role for an actor."
"Agent Kim Reactivated" marked Yoo's acting debut. The action drama, starring So Ji-sub as a father desperately searching for his kidnapped daughter, wrapped up last month with a nationwide viewership rating of 23 percent, according to Nielsen Korea.
For Yoo, landing the role of the widely despised antagonist in the highest-rated drama of the first half of the year was both an honor and a career-defining opportunity.
Her social media following has surged from around 700 before the drama aired to more than 100,000.
"I'm still overwhelmed by how popular the drama became," she said with a laugh. "When viewers say they wanted to pull my hair out because they were so immersed in the story, I take it as a compliment."
In the series, Yoo plays Hye-ri, the daughter of Joo Kang-chan (Joo Sang-wook), chairman of Joohak Construction, who bullies Kim Min-ji (Seo Soo-min) at school.
Her convincing performance was so effective that acquaintances were frequently asked whether she was as mean in real life as her character.
"Those reactions really made me realize how successful the drama was," she said. "In reality, I was very quiet in school. My MBTI is 99 percent introverted."
Although Yoo and Seo Soo-min played bitter enemies on screen as bully and victim, the two first-time actresses became close supporters of each other behind the scenes.
"The director was actually worried we'd become too close," Yoo recalled. "He even told us to keep some distance during filming. Soo-min and I often talked about how lucky we were to make our debut through this drama."
Working alongside veteran actors such as Joo Sang-wook and So Ji-sub also became an invaluable learning experience.
"My very first day on set was the scene where my father slaps me," she said. "Mr. Joo could tell I was extremely nervous, so he kindly explained everything as if he were talking to his real daughter."
She also remembered being impressed by So Ji-sub's generosity toward fellow actors.
"During the vacant lot scene in the first episode, I watched him patiently guide actor Hwang Sung-bin through the action choreography," she said. "I remember thinking that I wanted to become that kind of senior actor someday."
Yoo discovered her talent quickly, winning the grand prize at an acting monologue competition just three months after beginning formal acting lessons.
Convinced early that acting was her calling, she left Gyeonggi Arts High School, earned her high school equivalency diploma and entered Sungshin Women's University's Department of Media and Acting a year ahead of schedule.
"I wanted to get on set as soon as possible," she said.
She credits her artistic side to her mother, who had once dreamed of becoming an actress and now works as a home shopping host.
"From the moment I started acting, I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Yoo said. "Now I feel like I've found the motivation that will keep me going for a lifetime."
After making a strong impression with her debut as a villain, Yoo hinted that she is already preparing her next project -- one that she hopes will surprise audiences.
"I want people to say, 'That was her?'" she said.
Watching actors Choi Dae-hoon and Yoon Kyung-ho bring comic relief to "Agent Kim Reactivated" also inspired her to take on comedy.
"I'm ready to throw everything away for a role," she said. "I hope people will look forward to seeing me completely transform with every project, without reminding them of my previous work."
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