Siren out to make money: Lim Soo-jung discusses her role in hit webtoon-turned-drama

Korea Herald

6 hours ago

Veteran actor steps into new persona in Disney+'s tentpole series 'Low Life'
You might remember Lim Soo-jung as the doe-eyed, ingenue Eun-chae in the K-drama classic "I'm Sorry, I Love You" or as Su-mi, the tormented older sister fiercely protective of her sister, in the seminal Korean horror film "A Tale of Two Sisters." Lim has long been synonymous with roles that highlight her delicate, naive appearance.
That image is thoroughly upended in 'Low Life.' Disney+ Korea's tentpole series is set in the 1970s in gritty Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, where it follows a cadre of men hunting for treasure in sunken ships. Lim commands attention with her striking transformation as Jung-sook, a cunning, selfish woman out to make money.
In the series, Jung-sook evolves from a modest accounting clerk to the wife of a company president, ultimately leading a syndicate of ruthless men with strategic brilliance and magnetic authority. Clips of Lim's performance have gone viral on short-form platforms, with fans lauding her ability to balance the calculating, money-driven persona with unpredictable vulnerability.
Reflecting on the part, Lim recalled her initial surprise at being offered the role.
'When I first read the original work, Jung-sook struck me as a truly formidable person,' Lim said during a group interview in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on Tuesday. The series is adapted from a 2014 webtoon by Yoon Tae-ho, one of Korea's legendary cartoonists, known for hits such as "Misaeng" and "Inside Men."
'By nature, she's vicious, opportunistic and clever — a character very different in tone from those I've portrayed until now. So when I met the director, I asked, 'Why did you offer this role to me?' … The director explained that his interpretation of Jung-sook was a smart woman with charisma strong enough to not be outshone by rough men — someone who could overpower them with logical arguments, commanding presence and strategic thinking. Hearing that, I told him I felt I could take on the challenge,' she said.
Lim emphasized that faithfully delivering the lines of the original webtoon in the drama, without any changes, was essential to portraying a character such as Jung-sook.
'I personally felt that every single line Jung-sook delivered was really powerful. Many of the lines were taken straight from the original work, like the one that goes, 'Love me — just as ordinarily as you would in a relationship.' … I thought that if I could just embody the lines well, I could make the character convincing," she said.
The character underwent some adjustments from the original webtoon, which depicted a more ruthless and evil Jung-sook. The adaptation, by contrast, aimed for a less explicit portrayal, a choice fans have largely praised.
'In the original work, the character comes across as more adept in relationships. But during the adaptation, there was an intention to show a slightly different side of Jung-sook. Though she loves money, is full of desire and is very driven to succeed, when it comes to love, she's a little clumsy, secretly yearning for it in her own way.'
Lim added, 'As far as I remember, in the original work, there were really strong, bold lines. Jung-sook even made remarks to Hee-dong that bordered on sexual harassment and there were intense lines where she teased him about his masculinity — something about taking off his pants, or them being taken off. The director didn't want that, so it seems they changed it during the adaptation. I think the director carefully considered it and set the limits accordingly."
Lim described taking on Jung-sook as exhilarating, fulfilling a longtime desire to play a bold, villainous role she says is rarely available to female actors.
'These days, acting is fun. … When studying a character, I always encounter sticking points that I have to wrestle with and solve. But at the same time, I felt glad that the pure enjoyment of acting was still alive in me. Being on set was so much fun that I thought, 'Ah, I really am an actor through and through,'' she said.
All episodes of 'Low Life' are streaming now on Disney+.