To our K-Drama fan readers, Shin Se Kyung is a name that every drama fan will undoubtedly recognize. Having acted in lead roles for many popular dramas such as Fashion King and When A Man Loves, The Fifth Parlour is proud to bring you an exclusive Interview with rising actress Shin Se Kyung, who plays Oh Cho Rim in the acclaimed romance-comedy – The Girl Who Sees Smells. The elegant Shin Se Kyung sat down with us to share more about her experience playing Oh Cho Rim, as well as to give us the inside scoop on how it felt acting alongside prominent actor-singer Park Yoo Chun. Read on to find out more!

As The Girl Who Sees Smells Shin Se Kyung shared that her personality in reality is rather similar to Oh Cho Rim, as she is a sensitive and kind-hearted individual. Although most of the time she is alert and highly aware of her surroundings, she explained that at times she can also be rather dense. The soft-hearted Shin Se Kyung said it is her personal mission to strive to be more tactful and sensitive, elaborating that she too would be hurt if she had unintentionally caused another person any form of harm.

We were also curious to know if her sense of smell was in any way as heightened as her character Oh Cho Rim. Shin Se Kyung explained that other than the sense of smell, if there was one sense she would want to be the most sensitive, it would be her intuition. Laughing lightheartedly, she recounted how although her eyesight is not perfect, she chooses not to wear contact lenses as they are uncomfortable. As for her most developed sense? She chose the sense of taste, explaining with laughter that because she loves to eat, her tastebuds are undoubtedly the most sensitive.

It was also Shin Se Kyung’s first time working alongside actor-singer Park Yoo Chun, and of course- we wanted to know the details! She explained bashfully that Park Yoo Chun is a really good man and also a sincere actor that creates a good atmosphere on the set and works very hard. Even though they had not worked together for long, they had many things in common because of their similar ages. Therefore, their chemistry was reflected in the drama and Shin Se Kyung comments that she is genuinely thankful that viewers and fans are enjoying the drama.

From Rain, Jang Hyuk, Han Suk Kyu to Song Seung Heon, Shin Se Kyung has worked with some very big names within Korean showbiz. When asked about how she felt working with such established actors, she explained how veteran actors Song Kang Ho and Han Suk Kyu are big seniors to her. Working together and watching them act allowed her to glean more insight into this industry. Although they were big names in the film industry, she was thankful for their support and guidance.”They respected me and made me aware of the future hardships that I encounter in choosing this career. Although I could not fully understand what they said at that time, I understood them greatly as time went by”, she recounts with a smile.

Because of Shin Se Kyung’s previous work “When a Man Falls in Love”, many viewers seem get the impression that she is undoubtedly a very strong, independent and opinionated girl. However, Shin Se Kyung explains that her true personality is actually really similar to “Oh Cho Rim” from the drama “The Girl Who Sees Smells”. As compared to her character Mi Do in “When a Man Falls in Love”, the latter is a character she feels fond towards. However, the writers from “The Girl Who Sees Smells” were able to create a character that portrayed Shin Se Kyung’s true personality more accurately.

Korean drama fans would know that Shin Se Kyung made her debut in the film industry at a very young age as a child star. We asked her about her childhood days, and if she had any regrets as to not being able to have a normal childhood. She explains that thankfully, she had normal school days even though she started acting at a young age. Most of her friends were from middle and high school. Therefore, just like any normal student, she had school trips, school picnics and spent time with her friends. Till today, she believes strongly that these experiences have brought a positive influence to both her personal life and as an actress.

When asked how she coped with the stresses of the entertainment industry, she explained that at times she was indeed worried that people could misunderstand her. Therefore, her personal goal is to always give her best at every moment. Although life as an actress is hectic and busy, she states that the most important thing is to have a balanced lifestyle, to set aside quality time with precious people, and to find happiness from the things that come from within.

As the interview came to a close, we asked the bubbly Shin Se Kyung if she agreed with her fans calling her a sexy icon. Laughing bashfully, she jokes that she wants to be both sexy and cute. She explains that It would be so cool to have many attractive qualities as a person and an actor. The humble actress continued to share that she doesn’t know if she is at her sexiest as she would rather be a woman who with a sexy brain. When asked who her role models were, she explains excitedly that she fell in love with “Scarlett Ingrid Johansson” from the movie “Avengers”, and would want to strive to be like her one day.

The Girl Who See Smells currently airs every Monday and Tuesday on ONE at 8.55pm/7.55pm (JKT).

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