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The Netflix show ‘Eun-jung and Sang-yeon’ features Park Ji-hyun, who disclosed she fasted for two to three weeks to play a patient.

Premiering on Netflix on the 12th of last month, ‘Eun-jung and Sang-yeon’ traces the journey of two friends, Ryu Eun-jung (Kim Go-eun) and Cheon Sang-yeon (Park Ji-hyun), as their lives become intertwined from their teenage years into their 40s, characterized by feelings of rivalry, jealousy, bitterness, and occasional bonding moments. The series portrays Ryu Eun-jung as someone who grew up in poverty but was filled with affection, while Cheon Sang-yeon was raised in affluence but faced emotional voids.

Park Ji-hyun talked about portraying her character from her 20s through to her 40s, saying, “Thankfully, the filming process followed each age and timeline. Shooting in a non-sequential order would have made expressing emotions and physicality more challenging, but following the natural flow made acting simpler.” She also mentioned, “Portraying a single character over several decades is a gift for an actor. It was fun, not hard.”

To show aging and health, Park modified her weight. “In my 20s, I wanted to be thinner—there’s a scene with an empty fridge as the family’s wealth decreases,” she said. “In my 30s, I put on weight to represent security. Instead of a particular goal, I added just enough facial fat.”

Regarding her role as a cancer patient in her 40s, she mentioned, “I fasted for two to three weeks using only water and Americano. My body became thinner, but my face turned yellow. I thought, ‘This is it—let’s make the face look puffy.’ I intentionally cried before filming.”

She apologized to co-star Kim Go-eun for her excessive crying. “Sang-yeon in her 40s should remain composed, but holding back tears was painful. Even during scenes without crying, I cried, which made Go-eun feel sorry.”

Published by Kakao Entertainment, ‘Eun-jung and Sang-yeon’ brings together director Jo Young-min (‘Understanding of Love,’ ‘Do You Like Brahms?’) and writer Song Hye-jin. Following its worldwide launch on the 12th, it secured the 5th position in Netflix’s Non-English TV Shows Top 10 (September 15–21, according to Netflix Todom) during its second week, fueled by strong word-of-mouth appeal.