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| ▲ This photo of South Korean actor Lim Seong-jae is provided by SEM Company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL,
Aug. 14 (Yonhap) --
The 12-episode tvN weekend drama, which ended on Sunday, follows the growth stories of associate lawyers commuting daily to the Seocho-dong legal district.
Lim played Ha Sang-gi, an associate lawyer indifferent to others’ affairs and focused solely on money, but whose difficult childhood and struggle to continue his studies were revealed later in the series, earning audience sympathy.
Known for mostly playing villains, Lim said with a laugh, “My parents didn’t say it outright, but I think they were comfortable watching me this time since I wasn’t killing anyone and was playing a professional role.”
He said the role was easy to approach because the writer allowed him to act naturally in colloquial dialogue. “I think 90 percent of Sang-gi is me,” he said, recalling a scene where his own mannerisms slipped through as he cried with his lips jutting out “like a hippo” under the eaves on a rainy day.
Lim said Sang-gi’s quiet endurance in order to spare others harm, even at the cost of being misunderstood, is also similar to his own personality.
A highlight scene was when Sang-gi revealed his impoverished past after being mistaken for a second-generation chaebol. Lim said he worked to keep the emotion measured — “stoic but with a touch of tears” — and recorded four versions of the narration on set, from which the director chose the best.
On the final episode’s romantic subplot with Kim Ryu-jin, played by Kim Ji-hyun, Lim admitted, “It was my first bed scene, so I was nervous. But my co-star led the way, so it went smoothly.” He added that since the romance ended just as it was starting, he hopes to try a lighthearted romantic comedy in the future if the chance arises.
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