Lim Ji Yeon Ravishing in Skincare Campaign and Shines in First Drama Role in High Society

It’s another Monday and another edition of Koala eats her words. This particular opinion set is for rising actress Lim Ji Yeon, who was an unknown a year ago before she landed the leading lady role in the erotic movie Obsessed opposite Song Seung Heon. She’s since followed up with a leading lady role in yet another erotic movie, this time a Joseon political conspiracy film The Treacherous. She’s not the first leading lady to do a strong of K-erotics, and it doesn’t really pigeon-hole an actress as Jo Yeo Jung does a lot of erotic movies and still has a drama and movie career in other less R-rated roles.

I was really underwhelmed with her performance in Obsessed, or as underwhelmed as one gets when she’s really there as a lust object and partner in sexy times with Song Seung Heon. Her acting came across as a stilted wet blanket, so her transitioning to drama roles starting with currently airing SBS drama High Society did not make me happy or optimistic. I went into the drama watching for Sung Joon and Park Hyung Sik, but am staying now solely for Lim Ji Yeon. I absolutely adore her performance in this drama and she’s the most endearing and relatable character by a landslide. Landing a great character has elements of luck, but dropping a fantastic performance is all Lim Ji Yeon’s talent finally getting the right venue to shine.

I can’t say Lim Ji Yeon is a good actress, even after her fantastic performance so far in High Society, because she really was so blah in Obsessed and a really accomplished actress ought to have the range. With that said, she definitely isn’t a lost cause since she shows now that she can deliver in the right role, namely the plucky sassy girl who speaks her mind. I’m wondering if she’s basically a Shin Se Kyung 2.0, i.e. painful to watch playing emo characters in melos, but delightful as rom-com type heroines with bubbly personalities.


Comments

Lim Ji Yeon Ravishing in Skincare Campaign and Shines in First Drama Role in High Society — 26 Comments

  1. her amazing acting is the reason why she got an offered from Kill Me Heal Me to play the main lead…it simple as that..

    • Exactly as i thought and im was happy when she turned it down this was exactly the character she needed to play to shine…i was all for her when she won new actress award and im glad she chose her projects wisely…good for her. Watching her in high society she’s such a beauty.

  2. She was a totally 180 for me too and I am adoring her in high society. It also feels like phs is totally falling for her too. He did say in an interview that he Will totally date her character in real life. They have so much chemistry.

    could it be that her character in her first role which is erotic movie required her to be so bland and no emotional? There was really no emotional from her eyes.

    She is rocking her character even better then uee.

    You know why does these rising stars remind me mixed look of older stars? Lol
    She reminds me of so song hye kyo and park hyungsik have always looked like jisung to me.

  3. I have never thought she is a lost cause. The girl definitely has some hidden talent that she just needs a right project to show it. After all, one can not get acceptance to Korean Juilliard: K-ARTS without talent.

    • +1, @j2hr!
      The fact that educated artists and celebrities/idols/CFs personas are all mashed up and compared to each other is a disturbing phenomenon to begin with! Besides, isn’t it obvious the really talented ones can adapt and adjust in any project faster?^^

  4. I love her to bits in HS.

    But saying that doesn’t make me ignore the terrible photoshop for the skincare brand.

  5. I think she is wonderful, maybe she’s just improving with experience like most actors!! I love High Society as well! My first time watching UEE and PHS, wow, they are really good actors as well as being gorgeous! Always adore Sung Joon. Oh…that voice.

    • I agree, she has a long way to go. People improve over time so lets not write her off yet. And yes, I am watching High Society for her only.

  6. at first i HATED her voice, but now shes the only reason i watch HS. the main leads in HS are so boring, their story is so boring, the chaebol family story is boring. its already episode 12 and im still wondering where the makjang is, cuz i barely see it anywhere.

      • +1

        mask is eating HS alive. that show is so good!

        dissapointed with HS i thought it will be more interesting and i love more LJY and PHS couple despite i came to watch it for sung joon and uee but they are bland.

  7. There are some actors that suit in certain genre of dramas but lack in other genre. Take examples, lim ji yeon, shin se kyung that shines in romcom but still lacking in melo. Or Yunho and Changmin who are surprisingly good in saeguk but lack in other genre. And it’s too early to say they’re good actors just by doing one or two projects. Take example, I was so into Jung Eun Ji in Reply series but realized she’s not ‘that’ good after watching her in another role. Definitely, good or bad an actor not only depends on their talent but also the character they play and the directing. Even I rarely seen korean actors that much versatile till now. But sure, in High Society series, she’s the one that keep viewers watching. I notice, beside the second lead couple, Yoon Ji Hye also has very good performance. I also watched her in Kundo movie and Que Sera Sera drama. She’s one of very fantastic actress in serious roles but very underrated.

  8. take Lee Yeon Hee and Go Sung Hee for instance.they were praised to the extent of Oscar-worthy in thier previous roles but look at them now,they are so bad,i cant even sit thru. 2mins with them in their new drama.

  9. I love her in HS too! I keep picturing her as the perfect actress for Hong Seol IN CITT because of how she portrayed her character in HS.

  10. Her character is likeable but her acting is bad. I thought this was the general consensus too. Seems like I’m the odd one out here.

  11. It did take a while to warm up to her, I think she was just too bubbly or overacting at the beginning. But now she is wonderful! Maybe it’s her lines, her character is a breath of fresh air. But I love her chemistry with all other characters, even CS’s mom, so it must be her acting too! She is just very natural with everyone. Of course, with PHS they both shine together! I love the way he talks in the drama, never seen him before so not sure that’s his normal speech. But yeah, I started watching HS for UEE and SJ, but now I’m just watching for her and PHS! Too cute together! And so natural! Are they really acting?!!

    • That is definitely not his normal way of talking. I really like PHS in this drama, more than LJY. LJY i like her character more than her acting, but i love PHS’s acting in this.

      He is so different from his characters in his previous drama like Heirs and What happen to my family. I think I am finally seeing the boy I like in Sirius. Even though his acting wasn’t impressive in Sirius, he was really good for a newcomer with no acting background.

      I agree these two has great chemistry.

  12. I am also watching the drama just because of her. I think it’s a good beginning in her acting career. I tried to understand the main’s couple motivation but I just never got what they are looking for. Hope that she gets a leading role to see how she does.

  13. she’s definitely Shin Se Kyung 2.0.. just watched her in The Treacherous aka Kanshin, and she’s so painful to watched when doing a heavy and intense scenes,, she was literally drowned out by other casts..

    hope she wisely choose her next projects which suit her more, just like the adorable and charismatic Lee Ji Yi in High Society 🙂

    • I actually liked her the most in The Treacherous. She is very likable in High Society, and even better in The Treacherous playing a demure and kind of “mysterious” role. Looking forward to her projects!

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