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The Korea Times

Actress Kim Da-mi has revealed that she and co-star Son Suk-ku ultimately decided against including a romantic element in their characters’ relationship in the Disney+ original series Nine Puzzles, even though they initially considered it.
In a recent interview, Kim reflected on her role in the mystery thriller, which follows criminal profiler E-na (played by Kim), who reopens a decade-old unsolved case for which she was the only witness, and detective Han-saem (Son), who continues to suspect her. As new puzzle pieces emerge, the two are drawn back into a string of murders.
Kim said she was captivated by the script upon first reading.
“I couldn’t stop. At the time, the cast hadn’t been finalised, so I had even more room to imagine. I had never done a mystery before, and when I heard director Yoon Jong-bin was involved, I couldn’t help but be intrigued,” she said.


Describing her character, Kim said: “E-na is someone you want to comfort. She’s a person who wants to believe in people. It hurt my heart to play her.”
Portraying a character who blends realism with comic-book flair posed challenges.
“Because she’s such a stylised character, it was difficult,” Kim said. “I wanted to show her childlike side, someone who only expresses her own feelings. When she profiles, I wanted her genius side to come through effortlessly, so I paid special attention to the speed of my lines.”
Yoon encouraged Kim to balance realism with a slightly exaggerated, manga-inspired tone. To enhance that, Kim gave E-na a distinctive look.
“I thought maybe I should give her nail art, since she’s into fashion. When she wears glasses while profiling, it helps emphasise her character,” she said.
Some viewers even likened E-na to Detective Conan of the anime Case Closed.

Asked about her chemistry with Son, Kim praised him for his creativity.
“He has a lot of ideas. He sees things from various perspectives, and his interpretations are interesting and refreshing.”
Some viewers expressed disappointment that there was no romance between E-na and Han-saem.
“We considered giving it a romantic nuance,” Kim said. “We tried it, but it didn’t work. It felt awkward. We realised that we needed to keep their dynamic open-ended.”
She added with a laugh that even an attempt at a classic “wall-push” scene did not succeed.

Kim has built a strong filmography with titles including The Witch (2018), and dramas Itaewon Class (2020), Our Beloved Summer (2021) and now Nine Puzzles.
On her career choices, she said: “I believe in doing what I enjoy so I have no regrets. Every time I choose a project, I focus on what genuinely interests me.”
Kim is set to return to screens soon with the drama A Hundred Memories and the film The Great Flood.
“I hope people see that I’m open to different challenges,” she said. “My goal this year is to have fun with promoting my work and enjoy the process.”
With Nine Puzzles behind her, her momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Read the original story at The Korea Times.


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‘We tried it … It felt awkward,’ explains Kim Da-mi of an issue that has disappointed some fans of the K-drama Nine Puzzles on Disney+


‘We tried it … It felt awkward,’ explains Kim Da-mi of an issue that has disappointed some fans of the K-drama Nine Puzzles on Disney+.


Why Disney+ K-drama Nine Puzzles has no romance between Kim Da-mi and Son Suk-ku

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘We tried it … It felt awkward,’ explains Kim Da-mi of an issue that has disappointed some fans of the K-drama Nine Puzzles on Disney+

‘We tried it … It felt awkward,’ explains Kim Da-mi of an issue that has disappointed some fans of the K-drama Nine Puzzles on Disney+