Sooyoung Makes Action Debut Alongside Uhm Jung-hwa in 'OK! MADAM: BON VOYAGE'

Singer and actress Sooyoung is stepping into her first action role after two decades in the entertainment industry. The film pairs her with Uhm Jung-hwa, a longtime senior in the industry she says she has admired for years.

A press screening for "OK! MADAM: BON VOYAGE," directed by Lee Chul-ha, was held on July 13 at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul's Yongsan district. Director Lee joined cast members Uhm Jung-hwa, Park Sung-woong, Lee Sang-yoon, Bae Jung-nam, Park Jin-joo, Ryeoun, and Sooyoung at the event.

"OK! MADAM: BON VOYAGE" is a comic action film about a former legendary agent named Mi-young, played by Uhm Jung-hwa, whose family vacation on a luxury cruise turns dangerous when the ship is hijacked in the middle of the sea. Sooyoung plays Anya, the leader of the criminal group behind the takeover.

The film marks the actress's first action project. "Doing my first action role about 20 years into my career is meaningful in itself," she said. "Getting to do it with Uhm Jung-hwa adds another layer of meaning."

Sooyoung performs demanding action sequences opposite Uhm Jung-hwa throughout the film. She noted that her character Anya is written as someone who looks up to Mi-young. "In real life, I look up to Uhm Jung-hwa too," she said. "It's fun that the movie's setup ends up mirroring reality in a strange way."

Both actresses have music careers as well. Sooyoung is part of the project group HyoRiSoo, while Uhm Jung-hwa belongs to Refund Sisters. The possibility of a duet between the two, who are also senior and junior in the K-pop industry, came up during the event. "That would be nice," Uhm Jung-hwa said, before joking that she might get pushed aside "because of the height difference," drawing laughter from the room.

"OK! MADAM: BON VOYAGE" opens in South Korean theaters on August 12.