ARIN is capturing attention as she seamlessly moves between romance and thriller, revealing a completely different side of herself.
Recently, ARIN made a strong impression on audiences by perfectly portraying characters with drastically different emotions and genres in the Wavve original series “S-Line” and the KBS2 Wednesday–Thursday drama “My girlfriend is a man”.
In “S-Line”, whose fifth and final episodes air today (July 25), she makes a bold transformation as “Shin Hyun Heup,” a girl with a supernatural ability to see a red line connecting people who have had sexual relations. Under this unique premise, ARIN subtly conveys the complex inner world of a character who lives disconnected from society, creating a vivid and believable persona that goes far beyond genre clichés.
In the drama, Shin Hyun Heup is a quiet person who doesn’t show her emotions but gradually changes through interactions with others. ARIN adds realism to the role with a short haircut, a nearly makeup-free natural look, a restrained gaze, a dry voice tone, and subtle facial expressions that powerfully express the character’s emotional journey.
As the central figure driving the plot and major events, she leads the story with stability, reaffirming her potential as an actress. Her decision to temporarily set aside her usual bright and lovable image in favor of a deeper, more emotionally authentic performance has been especially well received.
By contrast, in “My girlfriend is a man”, which premiered on July 23, she showcases the complete opposite charm. Based on a popular webtoon of the same name, ARIN plays Kim Ji Eun, a Korean literature student at Yeonhee University, radiating her signature cheerful and lovable energy.
Kim Ji Eun is an ordinary college student who dreams of romantic love but suddenly transforms into a “handsome young man” due to a maternal family trait. Despite the unexpected physical change, she fights to preserve her relationship while navigating the growing pains of youth. ARIN captures this journey with a performance that is both charming and grounded, fully drawing viewers into the story.
While “S-Line” highlights her restrained emotional depth and complete immersion in a thriller setting, “My girlfriend is a man” lets her shine with vibrant, refreshing energy supported by warm sensitivity. In both series, she skillfully portrays characters facing extreme situations, maintaining her presence at the heart of the narrative.
Since her acting debut in the 2020 web drama “The world of my 17″, ARIN has steadily expanded her acting repertoire. In tvN’s “Alchemy of souls” and its sequel “Alchemy of souls: Light and shadow“, she played Jin Cho Yeon, the youngest daughter of the Jin family, blending quirky charm with emotional maturity and leaving a strong impression on viewers.
She then took on a more challenging role in the single-episode drama “Summer, Lovemachine Blues”, acting alongside Go Soo and further broadening her range as an actress.
After a roughly two-year hiatus, she returned with “S-Line”, showcasing powerful emotional acting and immersive presence. She quickly followed it with “My girlfriend is a man”, where she demonstrated her ability to handle contrasting genres.
ARIN continues to refine each of her characters with precision, displaying a versatility that spans romantic comedies to fantasy thrillers. Her future as an actress is increasingly anticipated.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: ATRP
