Every new challenge comes with fear. But instead of avoiding it, actress Roh Yoon Seo chose to confront it head-on. After steadily building her filmography through youth dramas and coming-of-age stories, she took on her first historical fantasy project with The East Palace. Embracing the unfamiliar environment and enjoying every obstacle along the way, she once again proved her versatility as an actress.
Recently, Roh Yoon Seo sat down with The Fact at a café in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the release of the Netflix original series The East Palace. The actress, who plays Saenggang, a princess cast out of the palace who later returns as a court maid by royal command, shared various stories about the series and her character.
Released in its entirety on July 17, the eight-episode The East Palace, written by Kwon So Ra and Seo Jae Won and directed by Choi Jung Kyu, is a royal occult mystery that follows Gucheon (Nam Joo Hyuk) and Saenggang (Roh Yoon Seo), a palace maid who can hear ghosts, as they investigate the curse surrounding the Crown Prince’s Palace under the king’s orders.
Meeting the press after the drama’s release, Roh Yoon Seo admitted she still found the audience’s response surreal. It had been a while since she greeted viewers through a new project, and she had felt nervous before the premiere. Seeing the overwhelming support, however, left her pleasantly surprised. “It had been a long time since I greeted viewers with a new project, so I was very nervous. I still can’t believe how much love the series has received. I was anxious before the release, but I was also incredibly excited.”
In the series, Saenggang is a royal descendant born with the ability to hear ghosts. Banished from the palace because of her gift, she nevertheless carves out her own destiny with courage and determination.
More importantly, The East Palace marked several firsts for Roh Yoon Seo. It was her first historical drama and her first fantasy production. Although stepping away from realistic storytelling into a world driven by imagination was intimidating, her curiosity about exploring a new genre outweighed her fears. “When I first read the script, the unique world felt almost like reading a webtoon. It really stimulated my imagination. I was naturally drawn to Saenggang because she’s someone who throws herself into solving problems without hesitation.”
She continued, “Most of the projects I’d done before were grounded in reality, so I wanted to try something different. Saenggang is an active and independent character, which made me want to challenge myself even more. Of course, I felt pressure, but more than anything, I wanted to have fun with the role.”
Bringing a character who hears ghosts to life was far from easy, especially since she often had to act opposite invisible beings. Rather than relying solely on imagination, Roh Yoon Seo worked closely with the production team. She reacted to the camera’s movements, which represented the ghosts’ perspectives, and watched pre-recorded action scenes to synchronize her reactions with Gucheon’s battles against spirits. “The chemistry with the staff was incredibly important,” she recalled. “It was so much fun creating each scene together on set.”
Although she admitted she is not someone who naturally enjoys imagining things, this project felt different because the script already laid out the situations in detail. Instead of inventing everything herself, she focused on trusting the script and responding honestly. “The only thing I imagined was what the ghosts might look like. Other than that, I simply believed in the situations described in the script and followed them.”
While shaping Saenggang, she frequently discussed the role with director Choi Jung Kyu as well as veteran actor Cho Seung Woo. Rather than portraying Saenggang simply as a daughter abandoned by her father, they explored why she had been forced to leave the palace and what emotions the king carried when making that painful decision.
As a result, Roh Yoon Seo believes the king cannot be viewed as simply good or evil. He was both a ruler forced to make cruel decisions to stop an epidemic and a father who wanted to protect his daughter. That complexity allowed Saenggang to ultimately direct her emotions not toward the king, but toward her father.
“I think the king is an incredibly layered character. At first, Saenggang only saw him as a king, but gradually she came to understand him as a father. That’s why she was able to pour out all those emotions in the final scenes.”
Preparing for her first historical drama required months of intensive training. For about four months, she learned royal etiquette, including formal bows, tea ceremonies, archery, and even underwater action sequences. Wearing hanbok initially felt unfamiliar, but eventually became second nature.
She also had to adapt to historical speech patterns. In scenes with Gucheon, whose status allowed for a more relaxed tone, she focused on preserving their chemistry rather than strictly following archaic language. Whenever she worked with senior actors, she constantly sought advice to improve her performance.
Among those who influenced her most was Cho Seung Woo. “Even in scenes where he could have simply stood still, he kept creating new movements. That naturally allowed the camera to move differently, making every scene much richer. I really admired that level of confidence and ease.”
She was equally impressed by Jang Young Nam, especially during the confrontations between the king and the queen dowager. Watching the two perform felt, in her words, like seeing “two tigers facing off.” “Even though we filmed those scenes multiple times, I found myself watching them like a viewer on set, completely captivated.”
For Roh Yoon Seo, The East Palace offered much more than confidence in tackling new genres. Working alongside talented actors and experiencing such a unique production expanded her perspective as an actress.
At the center of that experience was Nam Joo Hyuk, who played Gucheon. Their characters begin as strangers who use one another to achieve their own goals but gradually develop a deep bond while risking their lives to uncover hidden secrets. Rather than describing their relationship as romance or friendship, Roh Yoon Seo believes it is built on profound comradeship.
“At first, Gucheon was simply a means for Saenggang to achieve her goals. She couldn’t solve the mystery alone and needed him by her side. But as time passed, she experienced the world of spirits herself and came to understand the life Gucheon had endured. Seeing him sacrificed because of the royal family’s secrets filled her with guilt and responsibility, and eventually saving him became just as important as solving the mystery.”
“I think ‘comradeship’ describes them best. As the story progresses, saving each other becomes their biggest goal. I didn’t want to define that emotion simply as love. I hoped viewers would interpret it in different ways.”
Nam Joo Hyuk also gave her some memorable career advice. Despite her desire to continue exploring genre projects, he repeatedly told her that she should do as many romance dramas as possible while still in her twenties.
“He kept telling me, ‘Yoon Seo, do lots of romance projects. Do them while you’re still in your twenties.’ I told him I wanted to try more genre pieces, but he insisted I should experience romance while I still could. Since he’s done so many himself, his advice really stayed with me.”
Roh Yoon Seo’s willingness to embrace challenges dates back to before her acting career. As an art major, she once worried that pursuing acting might inconvenience other students. Someone encouraged her by saying that simply trying something new would never be a burden, and that she could always decide afterward whether it was the right path.
That advice changed everything. Although she loved studying art, acting brought her an entirely different kind of joy. Since then, curiosity has always outweighed fear whenever she considers taking on something unfamiliar. When selecting projects today, she focuses first on the story and the character rather than the genre itself.
“Working on The East Palace reminded me that the saying ‘high risk, high return’ is absolutely true. New genres come with pressure, but they also teach you so much. I want to keep going through that process.”
Her upcoming project, My Reason to Die, reflects the same mindset. Although she remained careful about revealing details because it is based on a webtoon, she hinted that viewers would see another new side of her. “Hear Me: Our Summer* was also a romance, but this feels different in its own way. Once again, I’m playing a strong, proactive character. I think I’m naturally drawn to characters with determination,” she said with a smile.
Rather than calling herself a “rising star,” Roh Yoon Seo said she hopes to become an actress whose next project audiences will always look forward to someone who continues to surprise viewers with every new role.
“Ten years from now, I hope people will still say they’re excited to see my next project. I don’t want to be an actress defined by a single image. I want every role to show audiences something new.”
Sources: Daum
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