Yeri from Red Velvet shares her pressures and experiences while acting in "Bitch X Rich," highlighting the show's success and her character's depth.

Yeri from Red Velvet spoke about the pressure she felt from her role in the drama "Bitch X Rich." Recently, she participated in an interview after the broadcast of the drama "Bitch X Rich 2," which was distributed on MBN and major Korean OTT platforms, at the BLITZWAY ENTERTAINMENT building in Gangnam, Seoul. "Bitch X Rich" is a high-teen psychological thriller that combines intense power struggles at Cheongdam International High School with youth romance, where Yeri played the role of Baek Jena. After Season 1 aired in 2023, Season 2 returned with a deeper story after more than two years. After successfully finishing Season 2, she said, "I think Season 2 was produced because many people watched it. I felt a lot of pressure to receive good reviews for Season 2, and I struggled with that. There were times I cried while drinking makgeolli. I act in front as a representative, but many faces of those behind me came to mind." She further expressed, "I started filming with a lot of pressure, but I relied on and trusted the staff, co-stars, and peers my age. Once I started, it was very enjoyable. I think there will be various reactions to the work, but many people view it positively, and I feel a sense of fulfillment." Contrary to Yeri's worries, "Bitch X Rich" not only ranked high on major Korean OTT platforms but also topped the Korean and Chinese drama genre on Japan's ABEMA TV. Additionally, it entered the top 15 based on viewer numbers in the Americas, Europe, and Oceania through Rakuten Viki, and during its first week of broadcast, it ranked in the top 10 in 124 countries, including the USA, France, India, and the UAE, gaining worldwide popularity. Regarding the factors for the show's success, she said, "This time, the number of characters increased, and along with that, the story became richer, making the drama more substantial. There were comments about the high quality of the drama and its solid structure, and I think those aspects were appreciated by viewers." Following Season 1, Season 2 also ended with a conclusion that hinted at the next season. Regarding the possibility of Season 3, Yeri said, "When I saw the script for Season 1, I hoped it would continue to Season 2 after seeing the expected conclusion, but nothing was decided. I haven't heard anything about Season 3 either. In the last scene of Season 2, where I pass a note to Haein (Lee Eun-seum), we filmed several versions. The director said he wanted to use what he thought would fit better during editing. After seeing the version that was ultimately broadcast, I wondered if there was some other intention behind it, but I think only the director knows that. Ending in a meaningful way is part of the charm of this work." She also made efforts to express the character Baek Jena through costumes and props. Yeri said, "For Season 2's styling, I reviewed the original costumes again. I truly apologize, but I think those involved had a hard time. Jena becomes more internally weak than in Season 1, so I wanted her appearance to be more glamorous to hide that." She added, "I showed ideas I found on Pinterest to the director and stylist, and we discussed a lot, even consulting on nail colors. I'm not originally that kind of person, so it was very challenging." She mentioned that she usually likes a street vendor-like atmosphere and is actually the opposite of Baek Jena's character, saying, "When I saw the script for Season 1, I felt like it was a gamble. Since it's a dramatic character, if I perform well, I might receive good reviews, but if not, I would get a lot of criticism." She explained, "I think deeply alone and don't express my true feelings much, but my personality is completely different. My actual personality is like an uncle (laughs). So I was worried. I’m often told I’m ‘Punsu’ (someone who doesn’t read the room but entertains others), but to portray this character well, I thought I had to change my tone and way of speaking, so I was careful." When asked if her worries while drinking makgeolli were somewhat resolved, she replied, "Once the work was finished, it was resolved immediately. I felt like I was fighting alone, but when the drama aired and the reactions came back, it felt like receiving a pleasant response to a letter I wrote a long time ago. The months of filming were incredibly tough, but I think it was naturally resolved after it aired."