Recently, Kim Se Jeong had an interview with Korean media after the TV series "Moon River" (Vietnamese title: Moon River) ended.
This is a romantic fantasy ancient drama, telling the story of the spiritual exchange between a prince who has lost his smile and a wandering merchant who has lost her memory, thereby opening up a journey of empathy and change.
Kim Se Jeong revealed that she initially refused the project because she felt pressured to take on 3 roles at the same time, but in the end she changed her decision because of Kang Tae Oh.
The first time I received the script, I was really very hesitant. There were scenes that made me doubt whether I could do it well or not. But the company director and many people around encouraged me, saying that I could do it.
When I started thinking "Maybe I should try it," I also heard the news that Kang Tae Oh would join the cast.
The scenes that made me worried suddenly became vivid in my head. I can imagine how he acts and how I will react. Every piece fits together, and I have more confidence that I can handle the work.
The actress emphasized that knowing that Kang Tae Oh was chosen for the male lead role has become a decisive factor for her to accept this challenge.
Before "Moon River" aired, MBC faced difficulties with low ratings of only about 1-2% through recent works such as "Crushology 101", "Mary kills people", "To the moon".
In that context, "Moon River" starring Kang Tae Oh and Kim Se Jeong attracted audiences, achieving the highest rating of 6.8%. Although this is not an explosive achievement, it is still a positive figure compared to most MBC movies this year.
Kim Se Jeong is known for her bright, radiant image like the sun in the movie "Produce 101" in 2016. After that, she continued to expand her global fan base with the main role in the movie "Business Proposal" in 2022.
However, her 2024 film "Brewing Love" ended with mixed reviews.
When entering 2025 - exactly 10 years since its release - the public placed high expectations on whether Kim Se Jeong's first historical drama in her career called "Moon River" could help her overcome her previous failed project.
For his first time acting in ancient costume films, Kim Se Jeong admitted: "This is a big challenge. I am really very worried. The pressure is not only in acting but also in shaping.
Because the character uses local language, it is different from the tone of traditional historical dramas. The fact that the traditional historical costume colors are not too sharp helps me worry less, but at the same time brings a different type of challenge”.
Finally, the actress shared: "Looking back, I am really happy to have dared to challenge myself. This project teaches me that in the future I should continue to try new things. This is a valuable work that has given me more courage.
At the recent MBC Drama Awards 2025 drama awards ceremony, Kang Tae Oh and Kim Se Jeong both won the Best Actor/Actress and Best Couple awards.
The movie "Moon River" won a total of 7 awards at this year's MBC Awards.
