Key takeaways
- Hong Seung Hee portrays two drastically different personas in rom-com Oh! My Guard—a sheltered chaebol heiress who becomes convinced she is a fierce bodyguard after a car accident.
- The actress trained in action choreography to convincingly perform the combat scenes required by her bodyguard character.
- Hong Seung Hee was drawn to the role because of her passion for romantic comedies and the drama's distinctive premise combining romance with action elements.
Hong Seung Hee has taken on what amounts to two separate roles in the upcoming romance series “Oh! My Guard,” premiering October 24 at 10:50 p.m. KST. The drama explores the unlikely intersection between Uhm Tae Bong (played by CNBLUE’s Jung Yong Hwa), a prominent actor who carries a significant personal failing, and Oh Hae Ra, a woman whose sense of self undergoes a radical transformation. What begins as a narrative about a reclusive fan becomes something far more complex when her conviction shifts entirely.
Hong Seung Hee’s Dual Role
The Initial Persona
In her initial presentation, Oh Hae Ra represents a figure of profound isolation. Born into a chaebol family, she has lived a sheltered existence far removed from ordinary social interaction. Television has functioned as her sole companion and window to the outside world. Within this limited scope, she has cultivated an intense admiration for actor Uhm Tae Bong and his performance in the drama series “The Prince’s Bodyguard.” Her attachment to him extends beyond casual viewership; she has constructed a fantasy around his existence that fills the void of her restricted life.
The Accident and Transformation
A collision with a car marks the turning point of the narrative. Upon regaining consciousness, Oh Hae Ra awakens with a fundamentally altered perception of who she is. She becomes absolutely convinced that her true identity is Cha Hong Doo, the lead female character from “The Prince’s Bodyguard.” This is not a matter of confusion or gradual realization but rather a complete conviction that restructures her sense of self. The timid, fearful, confined woman she had been is replaced entirely by someone different in temperament and capability.
Who Cha Hong Doo Is
Cha Hong Doo operates in direct opposition to Oh Hae Ra’s former character. She functions as a bodyguard professional, someone trained in physical combat and tactical defense. She possesses both courage and decisiveness. Where Oh Hae Ra was passive, Cha Hong Doo is proactive. Where Oh Hae Ra waited and watched, Cha Hong Doo acts. Most significantly for the story, Cha Hong Doo’s singular focus becomes the protection of Uhm Tae Bong. Believing herself to be this character with complete certainty, Oh Hae Ra adopts this protective mission as her own purpose, making it her absolute priority to keep Uhm Tae Bong safe from harm.
Romance Built on Collision
The description of their relationship emphasizes its unpredictability. Uhm Tae Bong, for his part, is an A-list actor burdened by what the narrative describes as a fatal flaw. His encounter with Oh Hae Ra, now convinced of her alternate identity and driven by her need to protect him, creates a dynamic that defies conventional romantic comedy structures. The combination of her misguided conviction and her physical capabilities creates both comedy and genuine tension in their developing relationship.
The Performance Challenge
Creating Visual and Vocal Distinction
Performing these two personas required Hong Seung Hee to establish clear demarcation points between them across every dimension of her performance. She utilized her wardrobe and styling choices to signal which version of Oh Hae Ra was present. Her manner of speech underwent modification, with different vocal patterns distinguishing the timid heiress from the confident bodyguard. Facial expressions carried distinct emotional content. One character displayed fear and social anxiety; the other displayed combat readiness and protective determination. These choices prevented the audience from ever losing track of which personality held control of Oh Hae Ra’s body in any given moment.
Physical Training for Combat
The bodyguard aspect of Cha Hong Doo’s character demanded action sequences that required genuine physical capability. Rather than relying solely on cinematography and editing tricks, Hong Seung Hee attended action school to develop the skill set necessary to convincingly portray combat situations. This training allowed her to perform the fight choreography herself, lending authenticity to scenes where Oh Hae Ra, fully inhabiting Cha Hong Doo’s identity, must physically defend Uhm Tae Bong from threats.
Why the Role Appealed to Her
When asked about her decision to accept the part, Hong Seung Hee revealed that she was drawn primarily by the rom-comedy genre itself. She described herself as a significant fan of romantic comedies and expressed genuine excitement at discovering this particular project. The premise, which centers on the collision between fiction and reality through Oh Hae Ra’s conviction that she is a fictional character, struck her as sufficiently distinct to capture her interest. She characterized the story as both entertaining and innovative, and found herself motivated by curiosity about how the narrative would unfold across future episodes. The combination of romantic elements with comedic potential and the action sequences woven through the plot created a role she felt compelled to undertake.
October 24 Premiere
“Oh! My Guard” begins its broadcast run on October 24 at 10:50 p.m. KST, marking Hong Seung Hee’s opportunity to demonstrate the full scope of her dual characterization alongside Jung Yong Hwa’s leading role.
Source: Soompi
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two personalities Hong Seung Hee plays in Oh! My Guard?
She plays Oh Hae Ra, a timid chaebol heiress isolated from the world who is obsessed with actor Uhm Tae Bong and his television drama "The Prince's Bodyguard," and Cha Hong Doo, a combat-skilled bodyguard who she becomes convinced she actually is after getting hit by a car.
How did Hong Seung Hee prepare to portray both personas?
She used different outfits, styling, speech patterns, and facial expressions to differentiate between the two characters, and attended action school to perform the bodyguard's combat scenes authentically.
When does Oh! My Guard premiere?
Oh! My Guard premieres on October 24 at 10:50 p.m. KST on Korean television.
