On December 15, the production team of Channel A’s new weekend drama “Check-in Hanyang” released an interview with actress Kim Ji-eun, in which she shared her reasons for choosing the project and his thoughts on his character.
Premiering on December 21, “Check-in Hanyang” is a youth romantic historical drama set in Joseon’s largest brothel, Yongcheonru, where anyone with money can become a king. The drama follows the turbulent growth of the young people who work there.
“Check-in Hanyang” is generating buzz with its golden combination of three men and one woman, particularly highlighting Kim Ji-eun (Hong Deok-soo), who will work with Bae In-hyuk (Mu Young-gun Lee Eun/ Lee Eun-ho), Jeong Geon-ju (Cheon Jun-hwa) and Park Jae-chan (Go Su-ra) as part of the group “Hao Na 4”. Kim Ji-eun plays Hong Deok-soo, an education servant who enters Yongcheonru disguised as a man to discover the secret behind her father’s death.
Kim Ji-eun described “Check-in Hanyang” as “the story of Deok-soo, who for some reason lives as a cross-dressing woman, and the four young people, including Deok-soo, who grow up against the backdrop of ‘Yongcheonru’, the largest hotel in Joseon.” He added, “It was my first historical drama and the setting of a woman disguised as a man was intriguing, so I wanted to participate in the project.”
In the drama, Hong Deok-soo, who loses his father and lives as a cross-dressing woman, faces numerous difficulties. Despite difficult circumstances, he stubbornly carves out his own path. Kim Ji-eun said, “Deok-soo is a character who overcomes difficulties without showing it, remaining bright and strong. I think it’s really cool,” expressing his affection for the character.
When asked about the resemblance between her and Hong Deok-soo, Kim Ji-eun humbly replied, “I’m strong too, but I think Deok-soo is even braver and stronger.” However, his brilliant laugh immediately followed, showing a high level of synchronicity with his character.
“Check-in Hanyang” is a challenging project for Kim Ji-eun in many ways. It is her first historical drama, her first role as a female transvestite and an opportunity to try various new experiences. He shared, “Through this project, I want to show that Kim Ji-eun can tackle various genres,” and added, “For me, ‘Check-in Hanyang’ will be a new challenge and another growth experience.”
