TWICE’s Dahyun recently shared with Dispatch that she had fulfilled her longtime dream and said, "It was a dream I had deep in my heart."

After 11 years as a singer, TWICE’s Dahyun has taken on a new challenge. While fellow members Nayeon, Jihyo, and Tzuyu have ventured into solo music careers, Dahyun became the first in the group to transition into acting. She secured her first role through her own determination and passion.

Her debut starts with a leading role in the Korean remake of the popular Taiwanese film, 'You Are the Apple of My Eye.' Although she felt pressure and concern, her desire to act remained unwavering.

Dahyun said, "While promoting with TWICE, I practiced acting whenever I could. When I was given this opportunity, I immediately accepted it with gratitude. The pressure was immense, but I wanted to approach it with excitement."

This marks her first solo challenge, and for many, her acting debut may come as a surprise. Dahyun had never openly discussed her aspirations for acting before. However, she revealed that acting had been a dream of hers even before becoming a singer.

She explained, "I was cast as a trainee and nurtured my dream of becoming a singer after that. But before that, I had an even stronger desire for acting. When I was in elementary school, I would watch movies in theaters and dream about acting." 

She recalled, "I’ve often found comfort in movies and dramas. There's something special about how energy can be conveyed through the screen. I also want to be an actress who can deliver good energy and comfort to others."

When TWICE’s individual activities began, she immediately approached her company about acting. She admitted, "I wanted to act, but I didn’t know where to start. So the company helped me find a project."

That project turned out to be 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' (directed by Jo Young Myung). Despite being at the peak of her career as a singer, Dahyun had no prior acting experience, making this a bold leap into the unknown.

'You Are the Apple of My Eye' tells the story of a young man's first love, following Jin Woo (played by Jinyoung) as he spends countless days gathering the courage to confess to Seon Ah (played by Dahyun).

According to the production team, they were looking for a fresh new face for the role of Seon Ah. They explained, "We were looking for fresh faces—someone new that audiences hadn’t seen before. When we learned that Dahyun was interested in acting and had already worked on an independent film, we decided to meet with her."

Dahyun, a longtime fan of the original movie, said, "I was excited to explore how I could bring my own color to Seon Ah’s character. I knew how precious this opportunity was, so I was deeply grateful."

Although she was excited to earn the role, taking on a lead role in her very first acting project brought much pressure. Dahyun shared, "The excitement of a first experience was huge, but so were my worries. I had many discussions with the director before filming."

To build a more complete character, she worked with the director to create details about Seon Ah’s backstory that weren’t in the movie, such as her home life, family dynamics, and past experiences.

Dahyun explained her character and said, "Seon Ah is the eldest daughter. She has a much younger brother. Her mother runs a vegetable shop, and her father is a police officer. When she was young, she witnessed her father being beaten by a criminal, which left her with deep trauma."

Dahyun deeply immersed herself in Seon Ah’s struggles, imagining them as her own. One of the film’s most emotional scenes involved Seon Ah making a critical mistake on her college entrance exam, leading to an emotional breakdown.

She explained, "I first tried to put myself in Seon Ah’s shoes. She only cared about studying, yet she made a mistake that ruined her exam. She was so lost that she couldn’t even tell her family and ended up going to Jinwoo instead. It was heartbreaking." Dahyun also added, "I also thought about it from my own perspective. What if I made a single mistake that ruined a performance? What if I got injured and couldn’t go on stage? It would feel like my world was collapsing. For Seon Ah, her world was academics. Imagining that situation made me break down in tears."

Dahyun also expressed immense gratitude toward her co-star Jinyoung, who supported her throughout filming.

She recalled, "There were a lot of scenes where I acted with other actors. But for one scene, I had to film a phone call by myself for the first time." She also said, "The shoot was scheduled for 2 AM, and even though Jinyoung had already finished filming, he stayed to read lines with me. I was balancing filming with concert and album preparations, and I received so much support from everyone."

Dahyun explained that the experience left a lasting impact and said, "I thought to myself, ‘If I ever become a senior to someone in the future, I want to be as supportive as they were to me.’ My first acting set was filled with amazing people. It felt like hanging out with friends from school—it was such a happy experience."

With 11 years of experience as a singer, Dahyun is just beginning her journey as an actress. Her passion and excitement for this new path were evident as she spoke about the project.

She also understood that her starting point was different from other actors, which made her cherish the opportunity even more. There were moments when the pressure was overwhelming. She explained the pressure was so great that she broke down in tears in the director’s arms.

She explained, "I didn’t show it, but I was really anxious. The director noticed and just hugged me without saying a word. I don’t know why, but I started crying. I was so desperate because I knew how precious this chance was."

Beyond 'You Are the Apple of My Eye,' Dahyun is also awaiting the release of her independent film 'Run To You,' and she has already been cast in her first drama, 'Love Me,' where she will play Ji Hyeon, a character navigating the shift from friendship to love.

She revealed, "I'm currently working hard on filming. The pressure is still there, but I want to enjoy the process. Whether it's acting or TWICE activities, my biggest goal is to have fun doing what I love."

Looking ahead, she remains eager for new challenges and said, "I don’t know what kind of projects I’ll take on in the future, but I know I’ll always give my best. There are so many roles I want to try. My goal is to become an actress who can spread positive energy to others!"

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