Actress Park Ji-hyun has drawn attention for her intense dedication to her role in Netflix’s ‘Eun-jung and Sang-yeon’, revealing she undertook a fasting regimen lasting two to three weeks to embody the struggles of a cancer patient. The series, released globally on August 12, traces the friendship and rivalry of two women-Ryu Eun-jung (Kim Go-eun) and Cheon Sang-yeon (Park)-from adolescence into their 40s, exploring themes of envy, resentment, and enduring connection. MK Sports reported that Park’s preparation highlighted the physical lengths she pursued in shaping her performance.
Transforming through decades
Portraying Cheon Sang-yeon across three decades, Park described the emotional continuity as both a challenge and a gift. “Shooting followed the character’s timeline, so expressing emotions matched naturally with each stage,” she noted during promotional interviews. Playing a single role evolving from youthful insecurity to adult disillusionment allowed her to emphasise nuanced changes rather than abrupt shifts.
Weight changes for realism
Park emphasised tailoring her appearance to reflect Sang-yeon’s circumstances. For scenes in her 20s, she slimmed down to portray financial decline, later gaining weight in her 30s to express emotional stability. As she transitioned into the 40s storyline, Park revealed her extreme preparation: “I fasted for 2-3 weeks on water and Americano only. My face swelled yellow, and I felt it captured the frailty of illness.” She also admitted deliberately crying before filming to heighten the character’s vulnerability.
Drama’s global reception
Directed by Jo Young-min (‘Understanding Love’, ‘Do You Like Brahms?’) and written by Song Hye-jin, the Entertainment production has quickly earned worldwide traction. Just one week after its release, ‘Eun-jung and Sang-yeon’ climbed into Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows, ranking fifth for the week of September 15-21. Its steady word-of-mouth momentum underscores strong international interest in the emotional depth of Korean drama storytelling.
