"I didn't recognize myself either": "The Atypical Family" Claudia Kim on Her Shocking Transformation

Kim Su Hyun, aka Claudia Kim, shares her experience wearing special makeup for playing a character weighing over 100kg in The Atypical Family. 

On May 2, the press conference of JTBC's new weekend drama, The Atypical Family, was held in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Actors Jang Ki Yong, Chun Woo Hee, Kim Su Hyun, Park So Yi, and director Jo Hyun Taek attended. 

The Atypical Family tells the story of a family of superpowered individuals who have lost their abilities due to chronic diseases common to modern-day people and a woman who becomes involved with them.  

In the K-drama, Kim Su Hyun plays  Bok Dong Hee, who lost her ability to fly after becoming overweight.

At the press conference, Kim Su Hyun explained why she chose the role: "I played a scary villain in my previous drama, and The Atypical Family had a brighter and more human touch to it, which I really liked. Also, I did not want to let the director down who considered me for this role." 

About her shocking transformation, she said, "I didn't recognize myself either," adding, "I really like trying new things. Actually, in the beginning, even my managers asked, 'It won't be pretty, will you be okay?' Nonetheless, I was surprised that they even considered me for this role. Also, if there were any prejudices about me in the past, I thought I could shatter them completely [by playing this character]." 

Director Jo Hyun Taek, listening to Kim Su Hyun, spoke about the efforts she put in for special makeup, saying, "It is really a more intense process than you think." 

He continued, "Before filming, she had to spend almost 7-8 hours each time getting the special makeup done, and after it [filming] ended, she had to get it removed. Doing such special makeup on an actress's skin can be uncomfortable and not good, so I am truly grateful that she made such a big decision." 

Director Jo also shared an interesting account about the staff not recognizing the actress after she had put on special makeup. He said, "Some staff members didn't even know it was Su Hyun and after seeing her said, 'I don't know who she is, but she would look pretty if she lost weight.'" 

Kim Su Hyun gained global recognition through Avengers: Age of Ultron. She was the first Korean actor to star in a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie. Since then, she has starred in multiple Hollywood productions such as The Dark Tower and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. 

Despite having an impressive Hollywood filmography, Su Hyun confessed that she desires recognition in Korea above all, saying, "If there's something I want to gain through this drama, it's recognition, especially in Korea. I chose it [the drama] right away with a desire to work on it as soon as possible."

The Atypical Family will premiere on May 4. The K-drama will be available for streaming on Netflix. 

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