'The Witch,' 'Itaewon Class' star discusses her quirky detective role in 'Nine Puzzles'
When it comes to actors, there are generally two types: those whose names come to mind first, and those whose performances lead you to recall their characters before the actor behind them. Kim Da-mi belongs in the latter category.
Her role in the action-thriller "The Witch" (2018) as a remorseless killer, followed by her turn as a sociopathic genius in "Itaewon Class" (2020), established her as a chameleon-like actor whose characters overshadow her own identity.
Her latest role in "Nine Puzzles", where she plays Yi-na, a quirky genius profiler with memory issues, continues that trend. Once again, Kim vanishes into the part, assuming a character that feels lived-in.
Speaking about her portrayal of Yi-na, whom viewers compared to the popular Japanese anime character Detective Conan, Kim admitted she was initially concerned about how the audience would perceive such a unique character.
“All the other characters are calm and grounded, but Yi-na has a higher-pitched tone and feels childlike, so I had a lot of concerns in the beginning,” she said, during a press roundtable held in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Thursday. She added, “She’s the most cartoonish among the characters, but that’s what makes her unique and charming.”
To heighten that animated quality, Kim was meticulous about the character’s styling.
“I added a tie as a style point, and I changed her nail colors and earrings every day,” she said. “I even tried wearing glasses during profiling scenes. It gave off a comic book character vibe. Both the director and I felt it really captured the detective feel we were going for.”
As for Yi-na’s internal world, Kim offered a more nuanced take. “She loves people more than anyone, but she puts up thorns to protect herself from getting hurt,” she explained. “I don’t think of her as a sociopath.”
Despite frequently playing emotionally complex or even sociopathic roles, Kim described herself as far removed from those personas.
“Personally, I’m actually quite introverted,” she revealed. “When I did 'Itaewon Class' early on, it was really difficult because the character was so different from who I am. I struggled a lot with that. But I wanted to challenge myself, so I thought, ‘Let’s try it. Let’s learn and give it a shot.’”
Kim is also clear about the kind of presence she wants to cultivate in the industry — one where she is remembered for her characters, not for herself.
“To be honest, I’m actually quite introverted and not very good at speaking, but I think there’s something I always keep in mind. I’d rather have the character come through more than myself. Since acting is the one thing I can show properly, I want the audience to see the character, not me. I don’t think there’s really anything I want people to know about me personally. If anything, I hope they don’t focus too much on the human side of me.”
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
