Interview: Gong Seung-yeon thought her male disguise 'quite handsome'

Gong makes stage debut as the town's beauty in 'Secret of Flowers'

Gong Seung-yeon (Varo Entertainment)

Actress Gong Seung-yeon shared her thoughts on making her stage debut in the play "The Secret of Flowers" during a recent interview with reporters.

"It feels surreal to finally be on a stage I’ve long dreamed of performing on," she said. "I’ve always admired the theater because it’s a genre I never imagined myself doing. Actors on stage always seemed to shine."

Gong, 32, who began her acting career in 2012, has starred in series such as "The Master of Revenge," "Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency" and "The First Responders," as well as the film "Handsome Guys."

She admitted to feeling anxious before the show opened, having nightmares about forgetting her lines. “But now, I step on stage every day with excitement and fully enjoy each and every performance,” she said.

Gong Seung-yeon plays Monica in the play "The Secret of Flowers." (Park Company)

"The Secret of Flowers" is a comedy written and directed by filmmaker Jang Jin. Set in a small rural town in Italy, it follows four housewives who, after their soccer-obsessed and neglectful husbands suddenly disappear in an accident, devise a bizarre and hilarious scheme to claim their husbands’ life insurance.

Gong plays Monica, the town’s beauty, in a triple cast alongside Lee Yeon-hee and Ahn So-hee. To deceive the townspeople, they disguise themselves as men and Monica’s performance includes several comedic moments.

"It’s my first time playing a character in disguise as a man, and I think I look quite handsome," Gong said with a laugh. "At first, I felt awkward with the wig and everything, and I wondered if it would work. But once I got on stage, it felt just fine.”

Gong Seung-yeon (first from right) plays Monica in the play "The Secret of Flowers." (Park Company)

Gong said she found the script so entertaining that she laughed out loud while reading it at home. She also thanked her younger sister, Jeongyeon of Twice, for helping her practice lines.

"Rather than focusing on trying to be funny, I trust that if I deliver the lines faithfully, the humor will come naturally because the situation itself is already very funny,” she said. “It’s fascinating to see the audience react in real-time, and I feel happiest when they laugh."

"The Secret of Flowers" runs until May 11.

Gong also stars in the crime thriller "Karma," co-starring Park Hae-soo and Shin Min-a, which is set to premiere on Netflix, April 4.