Lim Ji Yeon has opened up about how she moved on from her character in My Royal Nemesis, saying she was able to say goodbye with a smile after giving the role everything she had.
The actress recently appeared on the September cover of Cosmopolitan, where she also shared an update on how she has been spending her time since the drama ended.
Lim Ji Yeon said, “I’ve been resting well without doing anything particularly special. I’ve been exercising and meeting a lot of people. I think I was able to send Seori off with a smile.”
She explained that years of acting have helped her learn how to separate herself from a character once filming is over.
“I think I’ve learned my own way of letting a character go in a cool way,” she said. “I also had many chances to meet the My Royal Nemesis team after the drama ended, so we spent time laughing and having fun together.”
Lim Ji Yeon added that putting her full effort into the role made the farewell easier.
“I realized that after working hard enough to have no regrets, I can say goodbye without feeling too sad and move on feeling refreshed.”
The actress also reflected on her first major attempt at comedy, which became one of the most talked-about parts of her performance.
According to Lim Ji Yeon, she never approached the role with the goal of deliberately making herself look ridiculous just to get laughs.
“Just because you make yourself look silly doesn’t automatically make something funny when the situation doesn’t require it,” she explained.
Instead, she focused on fully becoming the character.
“I just work hard toward the character’s goal depending on the situation. When I’m acting, I think I simply have to let go of myself. If I throw away Lim Ji Yeon and enter the character Shin Seori, viewers will see me as Seori in that moment.”
Lim Ji Yeon also shared how she has been learning to better manage the emotional demands of acting.
She said, “I’ve learned more about how to control my emotions, and I’m still studying that. Acting uses up a lot of emotion, so I think it naturally makes you more sensitive.”
During her recent break, she reduced weight training and focused more on slower, calmer exercises. She also began practicing meditation and breathing exercises.
“Focusing on my breathing and carefully observing my body and mind has helped me a lot,” she said, adding that she is now looking for ways to maintain the routine even while filming.
After completing My Royal Nemesis, Lim Ji Yeon appears to be entering her next chapter with a clearer approach to both acting and letting go of the characters she leaves behind.
