'Descendants of the Sun' actress: In expressing love, nothing is 'too much'

"I don't think there is 'too much' in expressing true emotion. I hope people could be more expressive in real life," said Kim Ji-won, one of the heroines of the sensationally popular drama "Descendants of the Sun."

"To be honest, I was amazed to realize (through the script) that there could be so many ways to express your love," the 23-year-old said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at a cafe in southern Seoul on Wednesday.

The KBS 2TV series is about a doctor and an Army captain who fall in love as they try to save lives in the fictional war-torn country called Uruk.

Since it was first broadcast on Feb. 24 in both South Korea and China, the 16-episode series has been gaining huge popularity in the two nations as well as other Asian countries.

Yoon Meong-ju, the role she plays in the drama, is a 1st Lt. and an army doctor. An only child of an army commander, she falls in love with her subordinate Seo Dae-young (Jin Goo), only to find that her strict father fiercely opposes Seo, who falls short of her father's expectation.

"They are so much in love. Though Seo runs away from Yoon, he can't hide his love for her," she said.

The couple is as much supported by fans as the main pair, played by Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki. 

"Fans must have felt what I felt while I was reading the script," she said of the support and love the couple has received from fans.

Kim Eun-sook, the scriptwriter of the drama, is reported to rarely reuse cast members from her previous works. But Kim was an exception.

"I was so happy that she contacted me again, but at the same time I felt enormous pressure that I have to pull this off really well."

"'Descendants of the Sun' is the drama of my life and the role is also perfect. For me, it can't get any better, which makes me wonder if I act well enough for this perfect role?"

The most memorable scene from the series, she said, is when Yoon doesn't lose herself and continues treating her patients in a calm manner, even though she is acutely aware of the fact that Seo is buried under the ground in the wake of an earthquake.

"She doesn't desert her responsibility as a doctor to save the lives in front of her," she said.

Starting off as a model for TV commercials, she made her debut as an actress in 2011. Having had a rather dormant career, except for her supporting role in popular SBS TV series "The Heirs" in 2013, "Descendants of the Sun" marked a turning point for her.

"I try to be calm about the attention because I know it is for the character, not me. Nonetheless, I am so happy. I acted a role who had a sad and difficult love, so I want to do something brighter next time. It will be more fun," she said. (Yonhap)