Actress Park Ji-hyun revealed the extreme efforts she made to portray a sick patient in her 40s in the Netflix series "Eun-jung and Sang-yeon." In an interview held on the morning of the 25th at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Park Ji-hyun stated that she underwent fasting to deeply understand and immerse herself in her character.

"Eun-jung and Sang-yeon" is a work that deals with the complex relationship between two friends, Eun-jung and Sang-yeon. The drama depicts the intertwined lives of the two characters, who admire and envy each other, spanning from their teenage years to their 40s. Park Ji-hyun played the character "Cheon Sang-yeon," expressing a person who feels a sense of lack and struggles between friendship and love.

Park Ji-hyun explained that she filmed Sang-yeon in her 20s, 30s, and 40s in chronological order, which greatly helped her acting. She said, "We filmed the 20s, 30s, and 40s in chronological order. Because of that, it was less difficult."

Especially, Sang-yeon in her 40s is a terminal cancer patient with a complex storyline involving the choice of assisted death. Park Ji-hyun said, "Legally, ethically, and socially, it is difficult to talk about and is considered taboo," adding, "I accept it from Sang-yeon's perspective." She cautiously expressed her opinion, saying, "People do not choose to be born, but having the freedom to choose death might not be a bad thing."

To portray the character in her 40s, Park Ji-hyun attempted fasting. She explained, "I fasted for about 2 to 3 weeks, drinking only water and coffee. My body became thin, but my face was swollen," adding, "I cried a lot right before filming." She added, "Holding back tears was really hard. I cried for 2 to 3 hours and went to the set with a swollen face."

She said that when portraying Sang-yeon in her 20s, she tried to maintain a slim body, and in her 30s, she gained some weight to express aging. Park Ji-hyun said, "I lost weight in my 20s, but the filming location was so cold that I wore a lot of thermal underwear."

"Eun-jung and Sang-yeon" centers on the love-hate and admiration between two friends. Park Ji-hyun said, "Sang-yeon is constantly lonely and hopes for success," adding, "Every scene is deeply imbued with love, hate, admiration, and inferiority toward Eun-jung."

Park Ji-hyun's acting effectively conveys Sang-yeon's complex emotions in the drama and has received praise. She said, "I tried to express unfocused eyes, a bitter smile, and the fear and detachment facing death."

The Netflix series "Eun-jung and Sang-yeon" explores the complex emotions of humans through the lives of two friends and is recognized as a work that highlights the excellent performances of Park Ji-hyun and Kim Go-eun. The drama deeply moves viewers, and the acting of the two actors has become a major topic of discussion.