Actress Kim Go-eun opened up about her transformation for the Netflix series You and Everything Else, revealing the physical and emotional adjustments she made to portray her character across three decades.
During an interview held on September 22 in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Kim Go-eun reflected on the challenges of playing Eun-jung, whose story spans from her 20s to 40s. “For the early 20s, I wanted a more youthful, fresh look, so I gained weight to make my cheeks look fuller. To show the differences over time, I lost about 3kg for the 30s and another 3kg for the 40s, making a total 6kg difference,” she explained.
The actress shared that she carefully considered not just appearance but also mannerisms and energy. “In your 20s, emotions can feel more raw and inexperienced. In the 30s, work and life responsibilities change your tone, gestures, and energy. For the early 40s, I aimed for a calmer, more grounded presence, as Eun-jung had become a writer.”
Kim Go-eun also described You and Everything Else as “a novel-like project that carefully unfolds one page at a time.” She was deeply moved by the positive reception, sharing that colleagues and senior actors reached out after binge-watching the series. “Some told me they stayed up two nights straight to finish it,” she laughed.
Reuniting with Park Ji-hyun after Yumi’s Cells, Kim Go-eun praised her co-star’s portrayal of Sang-yeon: “This story is really Sang-yeon’s, and Ji-hyun delivered such depth and nuance. I found myself looking at her the way Eun-jung looks at Sang-yeon.”
She also spoke warmly about actor Kim Gun-woo, who plays Sang-hak, joking about their school ties and admiring his kind personality. “He turned out to be my junior at Korea National University of Arts. On set, he was warm and easygoing, very much like the character he played.”
She praised the child actors who portrayed young Eun-jung and Sang-yeon, saying their performances moved her deeply: “They were so good that I wondered how it was even possible at such a young age.”
Among the many moments in Eun-jung and Sang-yeon, Kim singled out the scene where Eun-jung reads a heartfelt letter from Sang-yeon as particularly unforgettable.
“By the time we reached the 40s storyline, everything that had been built up from the 20s and 30s felt so meaningful. It was emotionally overwhelming. The director kept it simple, reducing the dialogue to just one line—‘I’ll go with you, right?’—and that restraint made the scene even more powerful.”
Kim Go-eun revealed that filming was emotionally draining, especially since both she and Park Ji-hyun had to hold back tears. “We had to endure it together, which made it even more difficult but also more rewarding.”
Kim Go-eun’s dedication to fully embodying Eun-jung through both physical transformation and emotional depth has drawn praise, reinforcing her reputation as one of Korea’s most versatile actresses.
Sources: Newsen,Nate
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