Actress Shin Hye-sun laid it all bare — from the intense prep for her character to raw behind-the-scenes moments — revealing the dedication behind her latest work.
Appearing on the May 6 episode of tvN’s variety show You Quiz on the Block, Shin candidly discussed the struggles she faced while preparing to play Sarah Kim in the Netflix series The Art of Sarah. "At first, I wanted to try it because it was a genre I hadn’t done before, but once I took it on, I agonized over how to portray the character," she began.
She revealed that she focused on changing her voice to capture a con artist who still needed to sound trustworthy. "My natural voice is high-pitched, but I tried a lower tone for a more elegant vibe," Shin said, recalling, "Practice wasn’t easy, and during the script reading my emotions didn’t land well, so the mood felt a bit flat."
She also shared the behind-the-scenes of the interrogation room sequence, considered one of the drama’s most gripping scenes. Shin said she and Lee Jun-hyuk rehearsed separately before filming because they wanted it to be perfect. "On the day, maybe because of the pressure, neither of us felt great. My senior struggled first, and I was affected too, so we both felt unwell," she said.
Shin added that she’s still extremely introverted, which many related to. She unexpectedly bonded with Yoo Jae-suk over not caring much about trends, creating a warm atmosphere on set.
After the broadcast, good news followed. Shin donated the entire KRW 1 million prize she received on You Quiz on the Block to Good Neighbors. The donation will fund healthcare support projects for children and residents in Tanzania.
Shin has a consistent track record of giving. Appointed a Good Neighbors Global Ambassador in 2024, she has steadily taken part in support activities for children in Korea and abroad. In 2022, she donated KRW 100 million to families affected by flooding, continuing her legacy of meaningful sharing.