Actress Kim Tae Ri’s First Sapphic Role Actually Inspired Her Latest

Popular actress Kim Tae Ri has been active in the industry for many years, appearing in recent works like Twenty-Five Twenty-One and Revenant.

Actress Kim Tae Ri | tvN | SBS

The actress’s star power has been proven repeatedly, as she recently gained attention for her transformations, first by cutting her usually long hair into a bob and then deciding to sport a short pixie cut.

Her star power was again proven by the unexpected connection between her first feature role and her latest K-Drama part!

In 2016, Kim Tae Ri appeared alongside Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, and Cho Jin Woong in The Handmaiden, an adaptation of the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.

| CJ Entertainment

Kim Tae Ri starred as a pickpocket turned maid to Kim Min Hee’s character, a Japanese heiress. Kim Tae Ri’s character was tasked with helping a con man convince Kim Min Hee’s character to marry him under false premises.

After a stressful moment, the two have sex with each other, the start of several twists and turns in the film.

Kim Tae Ri and Kim Min Hee (left) | CJ Entertainment | CJ Entertainment

The film has popularity worldwide for its story and the surprising ending, with netizens enjoying the romantic and erotic relationship between the two characters.

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Her performance in this role won her multiple awards and seemingly inspired many to create their own stories. This includes manwha writers Seo Ireh and Namon, authors of 정년이 (also known as Jeong Nyeon). 

Jeong Nyeong is about two women, opposite of each other in almost every way, who desire to act in yeonsong gukgeuk, a type of traditional Korean musical theatre that uses pansori as a primary mode of storytelling.

| Naver Webtoon

The story was highly praised for bringing the art form into the spotlight, winning Manwha Of The Year in 2019. According to one of the authors, Jeong Nyeon was modeled after Kim Tae Ri’s appearance in The Handmaiden.

Jeong Nyeon is set to air sometime this year, with none other than Kim Tae Ri playing the titular role.

| tvN

Same-sex relationships were at the front of the manwha version of Jeong Nyeong, and the show’s PD recently confirmed this would also apply to the live-action production.

| Naver Webtoon

Will you be watching Jeong Nyeon?