According to the Netflix TOP 10 website on the 6th, ‘Kirigo’ topped the Global TOP 10 Non-English TV shows category from last month’s 27th to this month’s 3rd, recording 7.5 million views. After entering at 4th place within three days of release, it climbed to the top in its second week, proving its massive popularity.
‘Kirigo’ tells the story of high school students who struggle to escape a curse of sudden death predicted by a wish-granting app called ‘Kirigo’. By using smartphones and apps, which are used by everyone, as a medium for horror, the show delivers intense tension. The fresh faces and ensemble chemistry of rookie actors like Jeon So-young, Kang Mi-na, Baek Sun-ho, Hyun Woo-seok, and Lee Hyo-je are also receiving great responses.
At the center of it all, Jeon So-young leads the series as Se-ah, a promising track and field athlete. While Se-ah is a character with bright and confident energy, she gradually reveals inner cracks as she faces the fear of the curse and death. Despite this being her first lead role, Jeon So-young stably blended the character’s energy and anxiety.
To prepare for Se-ah, Jeon So-young trained daily for two months with national athlete Kim Guk-young to master the posture and movements of a real track athlete. She also built the character’s physical presence by gaining about 10kg and using tanning and tone-down makeup.
She didn’t hold back during action scenes. From high-difficulty scenes like jumping off a rooftop to intense physical fights, she performed many of the scenes without a stunt double. In particular, the scene where she is possessed by a ghost and snaps her neck was performed directly with the help of modern dancers, without the use of special effects.
Jeon So-young’s dedication earned her high praise from Director Park Yoon-seo on the final day of filming, who told her, “You were Se-ah herself. I cannot imagine Se-ah as anyone other than Jeon So-young.”
After debuting in KBS2’s ‘Kick Kick Kick Kick’ last year, Jeon So-young steadily built her filmography appearing in JTBC’s ‘My Youth’, ENA’s ‘Honor’, and the TVING series ‘Yumi’s Cells 3’. She has now made a powerful impression in her first lead role in ‘Kirigo’.
She has already confirmed three upcoming projects. She will continue her busy streak in the dramas ‘Becoming a Legendary Cook Soldier’, ‘Retired Agent + Management Team’, and ‘Study Group Season 2’. Having proven her potential at the center of a global hit, all eyes are on what Jeon So-young will do after ‘Kirigo’.
