Once captivated audiences with the gentle, fragile image of Eun Seo in "Autumn in My Heart", Song Hye Kyo suddenly appeared with a personality dyed black hair and ripped jeans.
No longer the familiar soft sweaters or plaid long dresses, the young actress seems to put on a completely different look.
That is Yoon Hee in "Hotelier" - one of the roles marking Song Hye Kyo's effort to escape the comfort zone in the early stages of her career.
Airing from April 2001 on MBC, "Hotelier" revolves around the life behind the glamorous appearance of the hotel industry.
If films in the same setting often focus on power struggles and the love affairs of managers, this work directs the camera to people directly working in hotels, where luxurious lights hide no small ambitions, hurts and secrets.
In the film, Song Hye Kyo plays Yoon Hee, the only daughter of businessman Kim Bok Man. Born into luxury, she almost has everything a girl can desire.
However, Yoon Hee's life changes when she discovers secrets related to her mother's death. From a spoiled young lady, she becomes indifferent, edgy and rebellious.
This is a character very different from the roles I have played," Song Hye Kyo once shared. According to her, Yoon Hee is a girl who is "bright but carries deep sadness" - a contrast that makes the character more complex than her seemingly carefree appearance.
The role also put Song Hye Kyo at a big challenge. She admitted that she is inherently an introverted, quiet person, so she easily sympathized with Eun Seo in "Autumn in My Heart".
Conversely, to transform into Yoon Hee, she had to find a completely different source of energy. On filming days, the actress even burst into tears alone because she felt that she had not performed the character well.
That pressure is even greater when the success of "Autumn in My Heart" once made her face comments that the appeal of the film comes more from appearance than acting.
Not wanting to be framed in the image of a "muse", Song Hye Kyo actively demanded more from herself, even suggesting director Jang Yong Woo to film the entire scene of a day because he was not satisfied with his performance.
After the "Autumn in My Heart" fever, Song Hye Kyo became a face especially loved by the public and continuously appeared in votes for the most loved female artist. But for her, more important than advertising contracts is being recognized by the audience for her ability to "transform".
Yoon Hee is therefore not just a new role. It is also Song Hye Kyo's silent statement: she does not want to always be a gentle girl in tragic love stories.
She wanted to try her hand, to be clumsy, wild, even rebellious - and most importantly, to be proven that behind that fragile beauty was an actress who always aspired to move forward.
