Netflix’s recently released series “The Price of Confession” stars Cannes-winning actor Jeon Do-yeon as An Yun-su, a woman falsely accused of murdering her husband. Yun-su’s fight to prove her innocence came with a price, not just in the story but for the actor herself, Jeon said — a steep one she never expected when accepting the role.

"When I decided to take the role, I hadn’t seen the full script, so I didn’t realize it would be such a demanding project,” she said during a roundtable interview with reporters at a cafe in central Seoul on Friday, adding that the show was one of the most physically demanding projects she has embarked on.


“I thought to myself of how high the price was for Yun-su to get a confession.”

Despite the hardships, she said that it was all worth it when she saw the positive response. The show sat at No. 2 on Netflix's global chart for non-English shows on Wednesday.

"Of course, every project has its challenges, but receiving so much love from the audience felt rewarding in a way,” she said. “It felt like a form of compensation or repayment for my effort."

Released on Dec. 5, the thriller follows Yun-su, who is imprisoned after being falsely accused of murdering her husband. In prison, she meets a mysterious stranger, Mo-eun, who offers her a way out: Yun-su must commit a murder while Mo-eun takes her place.

Throughout the series, Jeon’s character conveys a deep sense of desperation, vividly expressed through her facial expressions. Reflecting on this, she admitted the role required extensive use of her facial muscles.

"It wasn’t like I consciously tried to make such expressions,” she said.

"I think that sense of desperation really came through in my facial expressions,” Jeon added. “It wasn’t something I was consciously aware of, but during filming, the director even asked me, ‘Aren’t you making too serious a face?’ I feel like this might be the project where I used my face the most."

Yun-su displays a rather colorful wardrobe and style, with eye-catching patterns — standing in stark contrast to her grim circumstances. Although the script initially outlined Yun-su’s style concept, Jeon mentioned that she also added her own ideas.

"I wanted the colors to really stand out a bit more, and I also thought Yun-su being a carefree person who others will think of as a free spirit, not concerned with what others think,” she said. “That’s why I imagined a slightly hippie-like vibe for her look."

Jeon added that she often draws inspiration from her characters’ clothing in other projects as well.

"By working on the costume and hair concepts, I feel like I get to know the character more deeply,” she said. “For me, this seems to be the first step [in building a character]."

While the show features various characters, the main narrative is driven by two female leads, Mo-eun, portrayed by Kim Go-eun, and Jeon’s Yun-su. This dynamic was a key factor in Jeon’s decision to join the project.

"What intrigued me most was how the narratives of these two women would shape a thriller,” she said. “But even if it weren’t a thriller, or if it had been another genre, I think I would still have been drawn to it and decided to take the role."

One factor that also affected her decision was Kim. The two had previously met in the film “Memories of the Sword” (2015).

"I was both happy and curious [to meet her],” Jeon said. “When we first met on ‘Memories of the Sword’ 10 years ago, Kim was just starting out as a rookie actor. Over the past decade, through numerous projects, she has grown tremendously and become an impressive performer.”

She added, “Although I’ve seen her a few times privately over the years, meeting her on a project this time, as a fellow actor, I was particularly curious about how our acting chemistry would play out."

She praised Kim for delivering a steady performance while staying focused and not being swept up in emotion.

Jeon has been active in the industry for 35 years, debuting in a commercial for Johnson & Johnson in 1990. She has won numerous awards, including Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007 for “Secret Sunshine.” Despite her accomplishments, she remains eager to explore new roles, which led her to take on a special appearance in Netflix’s black comedy “Good News.”

"I feel that the only way for me to expand the boundaries of what people expect from me as an actor is to show it myself,” she said. “When audiences see something they didn’t expect from me and think, ‘Oh, Jeon Do-yeon can do this too,’ it can open the door to roles different from what I’ve done before. In that sense, ‘Good News’ was part of that effort."

However, after filming “The Price of Confession,” Jeon revealed a growing desire to take on more emotionally “warmer” stories.

"Ever since I started acting, I’ve always been drawn to the emotions of melodrama,” she said.

“No matter what genre I choose, I’ve often said that I’m exploring melodrama in ways people might not notice. These days, though, melodramas are quite rare and hard to find, which makes me feel even more desire to take on a melodrama project."

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]