Go Hyun-jung, star of Netflix K-drama Mask Girl, relishes ‘focus on acting’ the role gives her, and the chance to prove herself beyond looks – ‘to not be an empty shell’

By Lee Gyu-lee

Actress Go Hyun-jung says she feels lucky to have got the lead role in the dark crime thriller series Mask Girl, saying the Korean drama allows her to step outside her usual characters and break from her sophisticated, classy image.

“I really enjoy dark genre works … But I usually don’t have many opportunities to show my real self … So I thought I would never have a chance to do such a genre,” she says.

“With Mask Girl, I once again realised that appearance isn’t very important. How lucky am I to have joined this series.”

Netflix’s latest Korean original series, which started streaming on August 18, Mask Girl revolves around the turbulent life of an office worker named Kim Mo-mi – played at different time by Lee Han-byeol, Nana, and Go.

She grows to be insecure about her looks, and fails to realise her dream of becoming a celebrity because of her appearance. While working at an ordinary desk job, she invents a double life, putting on a mask to become an internet personality every night.

Her life takes a horrific turn when a chain of ill-fated events overtakes her.

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The seven-part series, based on a web comic of the same name, is scripted and directed by filmmaker Kim Yong-hoon, who previously led the 2020 crime thriller film Beasts Clawing at Straws.

Go plays the character in the latter part of her life after she gets plastic surgery but ends up in prison for murder. Kim has been living in prison for over a decade, finding her own peace, until she gets a letter that triggers her to escape to save her daughter.

The actress shared that working on this role played by three different actresses has taught her the pleasure of teamwork.

“I have been yearning to take on the project. After a series of incidents, I kept thinking ‘Will I ever meet a piece where I can just focus on acting?’ And that’s when I was offered Mask Girl, which was truly wonderful for me,” she says.

“I liked how the series was structured to work together with various people. Rather than leading the story by myself, I had to join hands with many people to explain and listen to each other.

“I had to fit into this as a piece of puzzle without standing out … I learned the joy of coming together.”

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The series throws in a vague message about deficits and flaws in humans through Kim’s strong insecurity about her appearance.

The actress said she felt the series was trying to portray the personal, deep weaknesses people have.

“I think (Mask Girl) is trying to depict the deep-rooted duplicity of those who can’t open up to others about their flaws, unresolved personal attachments and (issues of) self-esteem and self-identification,” she says.

Asked what appearance means to her, she noted that she has put extra effort into proving herself beyond looks.

“In a way, I made it in (to entertainment) with my appearance. I thought I looked nice. Even when I left and came back to the industry, I thought it was because of my looks because a lot of people praised them.

“But as I hit bumps along the way, I realised appearance is just something that everyone has and it’s not any different for me,” she says.

“I’ve learned that I’ve been very lucky. Appearance helped (me) a lot as an actor. But I’ve also tried really hard to not be an empty shell. Mask Girl made me realise the importance of the effort I’m actually putting in.”