Interview: Han So-hee on Seon-woo’s Shadow and Grit in 〈The Intern〉, Part 1

In 〈The Intern〉, Han So-hee plays Seon-woo, a fast-rising fashion CEO whose drive masks deep uncertainty. The film, which opens on the 16th, is a character drama about a woman who, amid instability, gradually finds her own steadiness. 〈The Intern〉 begins when Gi-ho, a 37-year veteran silver intern (Choi Min-sik), joins the company of Seon-woo, who, three years after launching, has emerged as a dark horse in the fashion world. Seon-woo has driven the company’s rapid growth with exceptional taste and relentless drive, but the worries she must bear and the weight of her choices have grown, leaving her with a shadow she cannot tell anyone about.

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In this remake of the 2015 film, Seon-woo is written as a more flesh-and-blood character than the original’s Jules (Anne Hathaway). The Seon-woo played by Han So-hee is a woman who fights harder than anyone to protect the tower she painstakingly built. But behind that grit is the uncertainty and darkness of life in her 30s. Sometimes she soothes her loneliness with singing; sometimes she can’t hold back tears at the thought that everything she worked for might collapse; and sometimes she frets over her relationship with her husband.

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Han So-hee and Seon-woo resemble one another. Han, who plays CEO Seon-woo with both shadow and grit, often says she considers herself an unfinished person. Perhaps that unfinished energy is what made Seon-woo feel complete on screen in 〈The Intern〉. On the morning of the 8th, to mark the film’s release, I met actor Han So-hee at an undisclosed location in Seoul’s Jongno District. What follows is the full interview.

Choi Min-sik told me that you repeatedly and actively expressed your desire to do 〈The Intern〉 each week. Why was this a project you absolutely wanted to do?

I first and foremost loved the original 〈The Intern〉. I heard veteran actor Choi Min-sik had already been cast and then met with the director. To be completely honest, the biggest thought I had was, "When in my life will I ever get to share the screen one-on-one with Choi Min-sik?" Also, as you know, the director really has a girlish quality. I was certain she could give much more delicate direction, and I felt our sensibilities matched very well.

You said you chose the project because you felt you and the director would click. In what ways did your sensibilities align with director Kim Do-young?

Most people think I'm an F, but I'm actually a T. But oddly enough, when the director cried, I cried too. That was the point of connection. We responded to the same emotional beats — what hurt, and what moved us. 〈The Intern〉 is a film that expresses the warmth people give each other when they meet. Because the director used to act, her directing is very detailed. She understands an actor's perspective better than anyone, so I learned a lot from her in that regard.

Choi Min-sik said, "No one can beat someone who really wants it," and that you pursued 〈The Intern〉 like your life depended on it. Is that true?

Honestly, I wanted this role so badly that I even cut my hair like Jules in the original and dressed nicely for every meeting. I thought appearance matters. Clothes express attitude, after all. I told the director—I was nervous—but I kept saying, "I really think I can do this well."

A remake based on an existing film must balance familiarity with freshness. What did you consider to make the Korean Seon-woo an independent character?

In Korea, speakers shift between formal and informal registers. Even within the same company, the way you mix polite and casual speech can make someone sound authoritative or, alternatively, a little awkward. Although she built the company in three years, I worked to show differences in how she rallied the staff. Because Yeong-hwan (Kim Jun-han) was a founding member of the brand, I felt more at ease with him, almost as if I were dealing with an older brother. With employees, formal language carries force, but informal speech can have its own bite — a reprimand delivered casually can land harder than one phrased politely. The structure of a company doesn't change much over time, so I tried to preserve those inherent aspects of hierarchy and division of duties.

Choi Min-sik said there are many similarities between you and Seon-woo—strength combined with fragility and instability. Do you agree?

I do see parts of Seon-woo in myself. We’re both perfectionists who are not perfect. For Seon-woo, someone like Gi-ho suddenly appears; until then she had been struggling alone to lead the company. I'm the type to try to solve things on my own rather than seek advice, so during filming I often thought, "I wish I had an adult like Gi-ho." Of course I had benefactors in my life, but when I couldn't find my footing or was faced with a crossroads, I wished there had been someone who could speak from experience and years rather than just tell me what to do. Life is about making choices. When you get stuck at that fork, wouldn't it be nice to have an adult who’s there for you?

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Seon-woo is a successful CEO. As an actor who has already achieved success, did you find yourself identifying with Seon-woo’s doubts about whether she is still doing well?

The pressure to perform well and the anxiety about whether you're doing well get tangled up. I, Han So-hee, think about that every day. Am I doing well? Can I do it well? What will happen next? I worry about the present, the future and the past. I think this isn't just Seon-woo’s feeling but something our generation shares. The world has changed so fast. When I meet friends in their early twenties now, they think in ways I didn't at that age. I wandered a lot back then; these younger people have a strong sense of self and concrete plans. Seeing that change made me realize that, across times and generations, there are still common threads.

From an acting perspective, when do you think Seon-woo opens her heart to Gi-ho?

It's the line, "Sleep is the best medicine." When you're chasing work you often forget the essentials—eating well and sleeping well. That moment awakens the basics. I wondered if anyone had ever told Seon-woo, "You need to sleep first." Always rushing to confirm or release things, did someone ever say to her, "Go to sleep"? I imagine that’s the moment she lets go and walks home feeling relieved.

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You often tell fans to take care of their health. Your remark about not forgetting the essentials echoes Gi-ho’s advice. Do you see a connection?

Honestly, I’m worried about a trend. It bothers me that being "skinny to the bone" has become considered "chic" lately. I used to think being thin would be fine, but as I approached my mid-thirties I realized the most important thing is health. (slamming her fist on the table and speaking passionately) Thin isn’t the only form of beauty. We need to change our gaze. Being healthy is beautiful. Of course there are professions that require thinness, but even then you must be healthy. You need to be healthy to work and earn a living.

Was there a specific moment that convinced you of this?

I almost died a few times trying to lose weight too quickly. Appearance might be pretty, sure. But in the end none of us will be here in a hundred years. (laughs) We’ll probably end up looking at a hospital ceiling when we go. In the old days, passing away in your sleep at home was considered a peaceful blessing, but how we die is something to consider. I hope everyone stays healthy, lives out the life they’ve been given, and then returns to nature. Her remarks prompted laughter in the room.

We have to talk about the viral "Whiplash" dance in the flagship store. How did you prepare for that scene?

At the time I was in the middle of fan meetings, and I knew I had to dance in that scene but the only dance I knew well enough to pull off on the spot was "Whiplash," so I improvised. Write down this one line: sorry to aespa fans. I improvised the "Whiplash" and Han Ji-eun picked it up and danced it back exactly. The music originally planned for the finished cut wasn’t "Whiplash," but after we shot the scene the director actually bought that track and put it in. It just so happened the beat matched Choi Min-sik’s tempo perfectly, so I think the director made a brilliant choice.

Seon-woo’s scene singing "A Goose's Dream" alone in the empty office after everyone leaves also became a talking point. Tell me about that.

Write this one line too: I’m sorry, Ms. Insooni. (laughs) I really sang my heart out. I didn’t expect the scene to last that long in the film, but I got greedy and thought, "I sang well," and they said okay. Seeing it in the movie, though, I couldn’t bear to watch it with my eyes open. (laughs)

The singing and dancing scenes reveal Seon-woo’s human, lovable side that otherwise seemed flawless. Did you make any special effort to make those moments entertaining on screen?

I think I was just myself. I sing a lot at home alone. I found myself wondering whether other countries have anything like karaoke, and it doesn’t seem all that common. So I thought it could become one of Seon-woo’s charming moments and a scene that grounds 〈The Intern〉 in a distinctly Korean sensibility. I sang like I would with friends at karaoke, and during the flagship store shoot I danced fiercely and enjoyed it—like we were at a club.

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※〈The Intern〉 actor Han So-hee interview continues in Part 2.