Kim Da-mi pieces together the creative process for Nine Puzzles
Kim Da-mi pieces together the creative process for Nine Puzzles
by solstices
Returning to the small screen three years after she captivated viewers’ hearts in Our Beloved Summer, Kim Da-mi has proven her versatility once again in Nine Puzzles with her memorable eccentricity. In an interview with YTN, Kim shared more about her character interpretation and the team’s creative decisions.
Centered around a decade-old cold case yanked back into the spotlight in the present day, Nine Puzzles stars Kim as Yoon Yi-na, the sole witness of said crime. As serial killings begin anew, Yi-na teams up with Sohn Seok-gu, having grown up into a criminal profiler with an insatiable curiosity and an unwavering determination to uncover the truth.
Rising to the spot of the second-most watched Korean content on Disney+, Nine Puzzles generated much buzz amongst its avid viewers. Reflecting this popularity, Kim found herself fielding questions about the true culprit’s identity over the course of the drama’s run, which doled out its episodes in three suspenseful installments.
Amidst the intriguing mysteries, Yi-na stands out for her unique characteristics. As if frozen in time at the moment she witnessed the traumatizing sight of her beloved uncle’s death, Kim plays Yi-na with a childlike charm, pitching her voice up to match her carefree disposition. As Kim explains, Yi-na’s idiosyncrasies were crafted through careful discussion with Nine Puzzles‘ director. Despite the initial worry that audience immersion might be broken by Yi-na’s chirpy tone clashing too sharply with the calm and composed demeanor of the other characters, they ultimately felt that this core character trait of Yi-na’s served as one of the show’s unique charms.
Add quirky outfits and thick-rimmed glasses to the mix, and it’s easy to see why Kim earned fond comparisons to the well-known and well-loved Detective Conan. In fact, Kim made a conscious effort to portray Yi-na as if she were a comic book character. Not only did Kim convey Yi-na’s endearing oddness through her mannerisms, but she also collaborated with the costumes team to piece together Yi-na’s eclectic wardrobe choices.
Although this is Kim’s first time working with both director Yoon Jong-bin and co-star Sohn Seok-gu, they managed to quickly settle into a satisfying synergy. “I felt that the director had a clear idea of the big picture that he was drawing up,” said Kim. Whenever she found herself having doubts about her acting, PD Yoon assuaged her worries by validating her interpretations, allowing her to put her mind at ease and focus on her acting.
As for Sohn, she describes him as an actor who digs deep into every curiosity he has about his character, no matter how small. “The way he analyzes and approaches his character from various perspectives left a deep impression on me,” remarked Kim. Through observing and learning from Sohn’s distinctive interpretation of the script, Kim felt she grew as an actress.
Compared to her years in the industry, Kim’s filmography may seem relatively short. Rather than stack her resume with back-to-back projects, Kim has come to realize that the grueling half-year filming schedules necessitate a period of sufficient rest in between. That way, she can recharge her energy and pour her all into her next work. “Although I can’t guarantee what direction I may end up taking as I grow older, I feel that this rhythm is best for me right now,” explained Kim.
Above all, Kim hopes that audiences will see her not as the person Kim Da-mi, but as the diverse characters she portrays through her acting. Following Nine Puzzles, Kim is set to appear as an AI researcher in Netflix’s sci-fi movie The Great Flood, and a bus attendant in TVING’s romantic comedy A Hundred Memories.
Via YTN
