Doona! Fun Facts: Suzy Screamed While Reading the Script & Yang Se Jong Underwent Laser Hair Removal
From time to time, we get news of a drama with all the makings of being a hit, and Netflix’s Doona! seems like one such show. The ‘Nation’s First Love’ Suzy and ‘Still 17’s Yang Se Jong will be uniting for the drama based on the highly popular webtoon which has been published in eight languages ‘The Girl Downstairs’ which will be directed by ‘Crash Landing on You’s Lee Jung Hyo.
A former member of girl group Miss A, Suzy famously made her acting debut with the highly successful TV series ‘Dream High’ back in 2011 which revolves around the K-pop industry.
However, she will now be taking on the role of Lee Doona, the main vocalist of a popular idol group with a dark past who suddenly retires and moves to a share house in a college town. There, she meets Lee Won Jun, a grounded university student whose life revolves around tangible realities such as his ailing sibling and mother. Despite her unconventional behaviour, Doona’s charms and beauty prove too captivating for Won Jun to resist despite his best efforts.
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We sat in on Doona’s press conference where we picked up some interesting titbits about the autumn romance series so read on!
Also, how cute are they together?
— Love Suzy (@Tine101094) October 18, 2023
1. It marks the anticipated return of Suzy, Yang Se Jong, and Director Lee Jung Hyo.
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Suzy is a household name in South Korea, but she has had limited acting projects in recent years, last appeared in the six-episode web series ‘Anna’ in 2022, and 2020’s ‘Start-Up’ opposite Nam Joo Hyuk prior to that.
Meanwhile, Yang Se Jong has not acted since being discharged from his military service, and this will be his first project in four years. Director Lee Jung Hyo similarly makes a return for the first time since his mega-hit ‘Crash Landing on You starring Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin which ended in February 2020.
2. The shared house appears like a European antique abode
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If you’ve read the webtoon, you’ll know that the shared house in which Doona and Won Jun live is a pivotal setting in the plot. Their chance encounters lead to their romance blossoming, but the share house depicted in the webtoon was ordinary, like any student’s dorms.
There are differences in the drama from the webtoon and in the drama, the shared house is reminiscent of a European antique abode. The meticulously curated set pieces and props are key to the narrative’s depth.
Suzy lauded it as an “exceptionally beautiful space,” capturing its essence as Doona's sanctuary. The overpass leading to the house also holds symbolic significance. “If the house is Doona's 'castle,' Won Jun is its first outsider. And eventually, Doona ventures out from her castle to meet him,” Director Lee elucidated.
Even subtle props are infused with meaning. From the "No Trespassing" sign that metaphorically reflects the characters' hesitancy, to the Little Mermaid doll mirroring Doona's entrapment, and the ice symbolizing their once frosty relationship. The toe socks, seemingly ordinary, represent Doona's longing for normalcy while retaining her uniqueness.
3. Reading the script made Suzy scream out loud occasionally
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When speaking about what drew her to the drama, Suzy said, “I read the original webtoon to know the mood and vibe. I was drawn to the character because it was a character I had never played before. I would sometimes scream when I read the script.”
“The script was robust, and my heart fluttered a lot while reading the script. It was sad to read the missed timing between the two protagonists when they went awry and also the clumsiness in the love felt by the two. I was attracted to the character of Doona with many scars and I was also reminded of my idol days. I thought that maybe I could express those emotions well,” she also said.
4. Yang Se Jong went for laser hair removals for his role
Yang Se Jong may be already 30 years old (31 years old on 23 December), but with his youthful good looks, he takes on the role of Won Jun as a college student in his early 20s.
“When I read the script first of all, I was very excited, my heart was pounding so loudly. This might be the last character I will get to play who is in his early 20s.” He also amusingly detailed his dedication to his role, saying “As for the efforts I put into my looks, I will be honest about it since I had already discussed it during a previous interview. I've had laser hair removal for my mustache. It was painful. I've also taken many lower body bathes and used a lot of sheet masks. I was also 3kg lighter back then (during filming).
5. Suzy smoked for the role
Suzy is known for her feminine and sweet appearance but instead of a cookie cutter K-pop idol, Doona is anything but as she smokes. Suzy shared, “There were a lot of smoking scenes in the original webtoon, so the director was very worried about that part. That's part of it. Cigarettes are also an important device to express the character Doona.”
“When I was selecting the project, I thought that this was a new side of me that I could show people,” she added.
6. They flew in for the KCON 2022 Japan to film a scene
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If you check out the clip at 0:19 from the trailer below, you’ll see Doona performing onstage at the concert as part of the girl group Dream Sweet. Director Lee Jung Hyo revealed that they actually flew to Japan for the music festival to film the scene. “We flew over to Japan to do it. We only had two takes, one was the performance and the other was the acting part.” He also revealed that it wasn’t filmed during the actual stage but the prequel stage.
Watch the official trailer for Doona! here:
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We can feel that our hearts will definitely flutter while watching the drama and we’ll be shipping the characters so hard!
Watch Doona! on Netflix on 20 October.
Image credit: Netflix