Kim Hee-sun, A Blind Singer in the New Drama “Sad Love Song”

“I am very worried about my role since I have to play a singer as well as a blind person, something I’ve never experienced.”

Actress Kim Hee-sun (picture) was cast as the blind “Hye-in,” who sings at a nightclub in a U.S. military campsite, in the soap opera “Sad Love Song.”

Around 500 people, including local and international reporters, drama production staff, and fans, gathered together at the drama’s press conference and her music video preview, which were held at Megabox, Gangnam, Seoul on October 20.

Kim, who wore an elegant black dress pants, continually beamed and repeatedly said, “I am very honored and lucky to have this role.”

Hye-in first falls in love with Jun-yeong (by actor Kwon Sang-woo), who is also from the campsite, but departs from him as she and her mother leave for the U.S. Afterwards, she falls in love with Geun-woo in the U.S. Jun-yeong and Geun-woo are best friends. They are so close that either one would sacrifice his life for the other. One of the core components of dramas that hit the cord of the audiences, a triangle relationship, is well structured.

Kim Jonghak Production and two other joint productions will finish producing “Sad Love Song” with an approximate seven-billion won budget, and then will sell the exclusive right of ground airing to a ground broadcasting company. This means that nobody knows yet which broadcasting company will air it and when it will be shown.

“I have acted many times in the triangle relationship, so I don’t worry about that. Also, I practiced playing a blind person by watching movies with blind people in them.”

However, her biggest hurdle is her singing ability.

“I am pretty bad at singing. However, my role is a singer, and the two male figures are all musicians. Singing is the messenger that delivers love to each other in this drama. So, I am practicing with a singer to improve my singing ability so that it will be good enough for me to sing the theme song ‘If You Love.’”

Kim Hee-sun is filming the Chinese movie “SO4” with Jackie Chan. “I have two more months until I finish the movie, and then I will concentrate exclusively on ‘Sad Love Song,’” said Kim.

About Kwon Sang-woo, her partner in the drama, “I met him for the first time in this drama, and he has a good sense of humor and makes the filming location uplifting,” said Kim. Listening to Kim’s comment, Kwon Sang-woo rebounded making a joke, “Hee-sun is very gorgeous, but her face is really small.”

Producer Yoo Cheon-ryong, who produced the drama “All In,” said, “I met her for the first time during the casting process, and I voted for her as I was drawn to her personality and appearance.”

Actor Song Seong-heon was supposed to be “Geon-woo,” but he couldn’t participate in the press conference since he is entangled with the draft-dodging scandal. According to Kim Jonghak production, they are looking for a new figure that could replace Song.

“Seung-heon and I have been friends since junior high school, and we acted together in the movie ‘Calla.’ I thought we could be good partners in this drama, but he dropped out of the team, which is sad,” said Kim Hee-sun.

Jung-Bo Suh suhchoi@donga.com