[NC Interview] "I Want to Become Someone Strong at My Core" — Chae Won-bin on Her First Rom-Com and Seven Years of Growth

Actress Chae Won-bin. Photo by Outer Universe.

"More than anything, I want to become someone who remains strong at the center of who I am."

Those were the words of actress Chae Won-bin as she reflected on completing her first romantic-comedy series, "Today, Sold Out Again."

On June 2, News Culture met Chae at the Outer Universe office in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul, where she spoke about the recently concluded SBS Wednesday-Thursday drama "Today, Sold Out Again" and the experiences she gained through the project.

The series follows perfectionist farmer Matthew Lee (Ahn Hyo-seop) and top-selling home-shopping host Dam Ye-jin (Chae Won-bin), whose lives become intertwined day and night. Taking on her first romantic-comedy lead role, Chae showcased a broader acting range through Dam Ye-jin's confidence, energy, charm, professionalism, and emotional depth.

Known primarily for her performances in heavier genre productions, Chae admitted she was initially surprised when she received an offer for a romantic comedy.

"My first reaction was, 'Why me?'" she recalled with a laugh. "I wondered what side of me they had seen. Later, I heard that the production company's CEO watched me receive the Rookie Award at the MBC Drama Awards and thought, 'She's exactly Dam Ye-jin.'"

Despite the pressure that came with leading her first rom-com, Chae embraced the challenge.

"I definitely felt the pressure, but at the same time it made me more ambitious," she said. "I decided to face it head-on and simply focus on doing my best."

She explained that romantic comedy required a different acting approach than the genre projects she had previously worked on.

"In romantic comedy, controlling the intensity of emotions is much more delicate. Even when a character is going through something serious, expressing everything exactly as you feel can throw the entire scene off balance. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to find the right tone."

Chae Won-bin in "Today, Sold Out Again." Photo by SBS.

Chae also earned praise for her convincing portrayal of a professional home-shopping host, delivering lengthy product presentations with natural confidence and precision.

Although the production team prepared a teleprompter, she chose to memorize every line herself.

"I'm not very good at multitasking," she explained. "I had to stay in character while presenting products, and whenever I looked at the teleprompter, my eyes felt unnatural. It almost felt like I was cheating. So I memorized everything and even planned my gestures beforehand."

Comparing herself to her workaholic character Dam Ye-jin, Chae acknowledged that she could relate to certain aspects of the role.

"I understood the perfectionist side of her," she said. "Ye-jin constantly pushes herself and neglects her own well-being in pursuit of results. I'm not quite that extreme."

Still, she admitted that she can be stubborn when it comes to acting.

"The one area where I become relentless is filming," she said. "When it comes to my work, I don't compromise easily. If something feels below my standards, I keep working at it until I'm satisfied."

Many viewers were surprised to discover a brighter and more playful side of Chae through the series. One of the most noticeable changes was the higher-pitched voice she adopted for the character.

"That was actually the first time I'd ever used a voice like that," she said. "I didn't even know I could reach that range. At first it felt awkward, but eventually it became natural whenever I stepped onto the set. Dam Ye-jin is very different from me, so I wanted to create clear distinctions. The voice became one of those choices."

Actress Chae Won-bin. Photo by Outer Universe.

Chae also spoke warmly about working alongside her first romantic-comedy partner, Ahn Hyo-seop.

"He may not seem like it at first, but he's incredibly playful and naturally witty," she said. "He always had ideas, and filming the comedic scenes with him was genuinely fun."

She credited Ahn's experience in the genre for helping her navigate her first romantic comedy.

"I'm truly grateful to him," she said. "Meeting him for my first rom-com felt like a blessing. I learned so much from him."

Chae also shared a behind-the-scenes story about filming their kiss scene.

"At first, I didn't know what to do. I was embarrassed," she admitted. "Ahn Hyo-seop understood exactly how I felt. Instead of telling me not to be nervous, he said, 'You're nervous, right? I was too.' That helped me a lot because you can't simply stop being nervous just because someone tells you to."

Speaking about veteran actress Go Doo-shim, Chae expressed deep admiration.

"She's warm, funny, and incredibly strong," she said. "No matter what challenges come her way, she remains steady. Watching her only increased my respect for her. She's full of love and positive energy."

Actress Chae Won-bin. Photo by Outer Universe.

Since debuting through the 2019 film "Manage," Chae has steadily built her career through projects including "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One," "YADANG: The Snitch," the web drama "Twenty-Twenty," and the "Sweet Home" series. More recently, she has established herself as a leading actress through "Doubt" and "Today, Sold Out Again."

Now seven years into her career, Chae says every new project still feels like the beginning.

"Even after all these years, whenever I step onto a new set and stand in front of a new camera, it feels like I'm filming my debut project again," she said. "There were times when that feeling became stressful because I was always nervous. But honestly, I hope it never disappears. Losing that sensitivity would be much scarier."

She continued, "I'm curious about what kind of person I'll be by my next interview. But I don't think I'll change very much. As I always have, I'll keep reflecting on myself, dealing with challenges as they come, and taking care of both my body and mind. More than anything, I want to become someone who stays grounded and strong."

Chae also briefly teased her upcoming fusion historical romance drama "Records of a Secret Affair at Suseong Palace."

"Filming hasn't started yet," she said. "It's a very different kind of romance from a contemporary drama. Only the first draft is available so far, so I haven't read the entire script. But I've been practicing historical speech patterns quite a lot."

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