[Busan = E-Daily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] “I think training yourself to let go and be at ease takes a lot of courage.”

Actress Kim Go-eun spoke about her approach to her work and the process of developing characters in her major films at the Actors’ House event for the 31st Busan International Film Festival, held on the 8th at the Culture Hall on the 9th floor of Shinsegae Department Store Centum City in Haeundae-gu, Busan.

When asked about stress, Kim Go-eun confessed that she tends to experience extreme stress. “I tell myself, ‘So what? What am I going to do about it? Just deal with it,’” she said with a smile.

She went on to share her personal approach, saying, “I tend to be hard on myself until I actually step onto set, but once there, I try to relax and stay energetic.”

Kim Go-eun said, “Many people tell me I don’t seem stressed, but I try very hard to appear that way,” adding, “The more we approach a major emotional scene, the more pressure actors feel on set, but the closer I get to such a scene, the more I laugh, joke around, and stay energetic.”

She also shared her thoughts on the flexibility and composure required for acting. Kim Go-eun said, “I believe that flexibility requires a sense of composure,” adding, “I don’t think composure comes simply from having been in the industry for a long time, getting older, or having a lot of experience.”

She emphasized, “While there may be some predictability, there are definitely times when you have to hypnotize yourself,” adding, “I think training yourself to let go and remain at ease takes a great deal of courage.”

She also described the process of closely observing her characters in each project and adding her own interpretation. Kim Go-eun, who played Jae-hee in the film *How to Love in a Big City*, recalled that when she first read the script, the character felt like a being with raw, unadulterated vitality.

“Jae-hee felt—I don’t know if this is the right way to put it—like raw fish. She seemed to be flapping about, like a character straight out of the water,” she said.

She continued, “I could also see her self-defense mechanisms. When you’ve just become an adult and are navigating your 20s, don’t you go through a lot of trial and error? I saw Ja-hee just beginning to navigate through that process.”

Her affection for Jae-hee was what ultimately led her to decide to take on the role. Kim Go-eun said, “I liked Jae-hee so much that, watching her, I felt like I wanted to be a good older sister to her and guide her,” adding, “I found the story so engaging that I read it all the way through in one sitting.”

Although it took about two and a half years from the time she decided to take the role until actual filming began, her commitment to the project never wavered. “We always talk about diversity, and I think this is one example of that,” she revealed. “I want to bring this character into the world. And I think I hoped that I could be the one to do it.”

When portraying the shaman Hwa-rim in the film *Exhumation*, she focused on conveying the character’s professionalism. Kim Go-eun defined Hwa-rim as “a character with a strong sense of professional duty.” She explained, “She’s clear-cut when working, but when she’s not working, she lives for herself—which is probably why people started calling her an ‘MZ-generation shaman.’”

In particular, she decided that to portray Hwa-rim convincingly, she had to present a picture of professional perfection. Kim Go-eun said, “I thought that to establish the character that way, I had to be extremely professional in my work,” adding, “There was a part where I was obsessed with ensuring not even a hint of clumsiness showed through.”

She put great effort into even the smallest gestures. Kim Go-eun explained, “I believed that what sets a truly professional person apart—even among other professionals—is in the subtleties,” adding, “I realized those subtleties would shape the character, so I focused intently on even the smallest movements.”

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held throughout Busan until the 15th at venues including the Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, Lotte Cinema Centum City, the Korean Film Council’s Standard Screening Room, the Sohyang Theater Woori Bank Hall, and the Busan Viewers’ Media Center Public Hall.