'Eye of the Storm' is a thriller that follows Seo-jin, who is losing her sight due to a genetic disorder, as she questions the circumstances surrounding her sister's death and seeks the truth. Shin was drawn to the tension of a character who must find a perpetrator while grappling with her deteriorating vision.
"I found the script really engaging. The emotions of wanting to find the culprit with her own eyes while being pursued were well captured. I thought it could be very interesting and create a sense of pressure if done well, which is why I chose this role," she said.
The film explores obsession and madness disguised as love. Seo-jin lives in fear of Hyun-min, who is obsessed with her, never knowing when he might strike. Shin described the anxiety of experiencing stalking indirectly through her character as "terrifying."
"The director mentioned that the film deals with various forms of love, but I see it as a portrayal of love expressed through obsession and madness. Although I experienced (stalking) indirectly in the film, it was genuinely frightening. Seo-jin wears an emergency call watch. Just thinking about how immense the fear of not knowing when he might come was too horrifying," she explained.
Seo-jin and Seo-in share the same genetic disorder, but their feelings about it differ. Seo-jin, in particular, feels a mix of love, responsibility, jealousy, and guilt towards her sister's talent as an artist.
"Seo-jin's loss of sight comes later, putting her in a position to protect Seo-in. Both are artists, but Seo-in, despite being blind, claims that it helps her work and is a promising new artist. Seo-in is someone Seo-jin must protect, but also a source of self-doubt as a fellow artist. When Seo-in suddenly disappears, Seo-jin feels a deep sense of guilt and is determined to find the culprit," Shin said.
From the beginning, Shin approached the two characters as distinct individuals. Although she had to perform in the same space with different personalities and reactions multiple times, she found it easier to separate their traits and emotions.
"I thought of them as very different characters despite having the same face. So I approached it with the mindset that I would be acting twice in the same film. Of course, there were technical challenges since I had to act in the same location, but thinking of them as separate characters made it simpler," she explained.
It was also important for Shin not to define their relationship simply as sisterly love or jealousy. She aimed to portray Seo-jin's love for her sister while also conveying the burden of caregiving and envy without making it overt.
"I wanted Seo-jin's feelings not to be too obvious, like 'this is so annoying' or 'I'm so jealous of my successful sister.' I wanted to show that while she loves and supports her sister, she can also feel overwhelmed and envious. I thought a lot about the subtle nuances of their relationship," she said.
To express the differing vision of the two characters, Shin adjusted the focus and position of her eyes. Seo-jin, whose sight fluctuates, was portrayed with a sense of unfocused vision, while Seo-in, who can only perceive light, had different eye movements.
"Seo-jin's vision drops suddenly and then comes back repeatedly. During those moments, I acted as if my focus was off. For Seo-in, I decided to change the position of my eyes slightly, as she can only perceive light. Eyes are muscles, and with practice, they can move. While reading the script, I practiced moving one eye at a time," she said.
Ensuring that the portrayal was not exaggerated or uncomfortable for actual visually impaired individuals was also a standard for her performance. The production team and Shin checked how much vision the characters had to adjust the level of expression accordingly.
"We discussed keeping the details moderate, as it might feel excessive to actual visually impaired individuals or those around them. I asked a lot about how much they could see and tried to maintain realism and detail carefully," she said.
Filming scenes where she had to escape while blindfolded and avoid threats was physically challenging. In dangerous scenes, small holes were made in the blindfold, but the feelings of suffocation and fear experienced in a limited visual state were real. There were moments when her body froze while trying to evoke emotions.
"When I filmed the first escape scene, my body stiffened, and I couldn't turn my neck well. I realized that I was genuinely tense while acting tense. I wondered if I could continue in this state, so I thought I needed to step back and adjust. There was also the fear of getting hurt while using my body," she said.
Even in scenes with few lines, the fatigue was significant. The repeated act of escaping while holding her breath required more muscle engagement than usual.
"Honestly, it was really tough. I used all my muscles for that kind of acting. Usually, after shooting a scene with many lines, I feel exhausted from talking a lot, but this time, even with fewer lines, my whole body was tense. There were many scenes of escaping and holding my breath, so my body was really worn out," she said.
'Eye of the Storm' is based on the Spanish film 'Julia's Eyes.' Shin Min-a watched the original film but was cautious about letting its image become a 'correct answer' in her mind.
"We have specific scenes to bring over, but I was worried that if the image of the original protagonist stuck in my head, I might unconsciously think of it as the answer. The locker room scene at the pool was very impactful and memorable, but aside from that, I tried to approach it as much as possible to fit our work," she said.
Shin Min-a also expressed her affection for her husband, Kim Woo-bin, with whom she married after a long relationship. Kim supported her during a busy schedule, attending their first official event together after marriage.
"Both of us suddenly got busy with work before marriage. Kim Woo-bin is filming a drama, and I am shooting 'Wednesday to Friday,' so we met at the theater after a long time. I tend to worry a lot, even after finishing a project and before its release, but he reassured me by saying he enjoyed it and not to worry," she said.
While the changes after marriage are not always immediately noticeable, the stability that comes from supporting each other's work has naturally settled in.
"It doesn’t feel drastically different yet. When we talk about our projects, I sometimes think, 'Oh right, I’m married.' However, since we support and care for each other, I guess you could say there’s a sense of stability. I feel like I can communicate a bit more comfortably within the relationship. It’s not something I’m constantly aware of, but it’s a basic feeling that’s there," she said.
Shin Min-a, who has transitioned from the charming allure of 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha' to the chilling tension of 'Diva' and 'The Unfortunate,' is now focusing on portraying new characters that she has not shown before. She feels that as she ages and her position changes, the expressions of love and character also naturally evolve.
"The romance I could portray in the past and the romance I can express now, and in the future, may differ. In the past, I expressed the image and emotions of first love, but now, romance within relationships of people who have experienced a lot seems to come more naturally. I think I will be able to perform more maturely in thrillers in the future," she said.
Currently, Shin Min-a is filming the drama 'Wednesday to Friday' and is looking forward to the release of the romantic fantasy 'The Remarried Empress.' Finding new emotions that she can express within familiar genres is her next challenge.
"As an actress, I have a desire to continue evolving. I want to show sides of myself that I haven’t revealed before, if possible. I’m grateful that the genres and colors of my recent works are all different, but it also makes me feel the pressure to do well. I hope 'The Remarried Empress' will be loved by many," she concluded.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.