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Kim Da Mi shares character insights following 'Nine Puzzles's successful run on Disney+
Kim Da Mi sits for an interview for her Disney+ K-drama Nine Puzzles.
Nine Puzzles is a mystery thriller that follows Yun Yi Na (Kim Da Mi), a criminal profiler who was the sole witness of an unsolved case from ten years ago, and violent crimes Detective Han Saem (Son Suk Ku), who was the lead investigator at the time and continues to suspect her as the culprit. They delve into the secrets of a serial murder case that begins again with a mysterious puzzle piece.
The K-drama is ranked 2nd in the most-watched Korean content on Disney+, following Moving.
Kim Da Mi expressed, “I’m happy because I can really feel all the love [for the K-drama]. Many people asked me about the culprit’s identity, and about even the smallest details. They also asked about the reason for Yi Na’s nail color and the meaning of each line of dialogue.”
She said, “I tried to express that ambiguous point — whether she’s the culprit or not. Since she’s lost her memory, I didn’t want to show her shock outwardly. I wanted to portray Yi Na as someone who doesn’t quite know how to react. The director and I had many conversations about even things like the direction of her gaze or how much she should act like a suspect.”
Talking about her character, Kim Da Mi continued, “At first, Yi Na felt someone far [from reality] and unrealistic, so I had concerns about that. But I came to think that this was part of her unique characteristics. I believed there would be something special that emerge from that, so rather than finding it difficult, I tried to lower my tone during profiling scenes and aimed to find a middle ground.”
She added, “Actually, I wanted to speak a bit faster, but the director emphasized the importance of clear delivery [of dialogue]. For the initial part, I wanted to bring out more of the character’s personality, but the director said it was more important that viewers understand how the case unfolds. So in the early part, we leaned into that rhythm more. After the audience became immersed, and Yi Na’s character could be understood in that context, we then shifted the focus to the events themselves.”
“First, I tried to give a lot of rhythm and cadence to my lines. I thought Yi Na was a character who couldn’t speak in a natural way. She’s someone who conveys things precisely, and instantly puts out the thoughts that come in her head. I wanted to show Yi Na’s slightly cartoonish side by speaking quickly and with rhythm. Since there was a lot of explanation, I also used a lot of hand gestures.”
Yoon Yi Na showed sociopathic tendencies, such as remaining unfazed even by the death of her uncle. Talking about this characteristic, Kim said, “Honestly, I thought of her as someone who is exceptionally talented in one area — profiling, imagining things in her head, and concentration. But, she looks out for her teammates and wants to be loved, so I didn’t think of her as someone completely lacking in social skills. I did think she was someone who had limited social skills, but in a way, her character is developed like she’s a genius. And when she’s unable to function in that area, she seems to get very anxious. So I didn’t think of her as a sociopath.”
Kim Da Mi also mentioned that she expected the character to be polarizing. “Generally, when a character with a high tone leads the drama, it can feel awkward at certain points. In some ways, although the character is supposed to be at the center of the story, she might come across as distant. But I thought that was actually a distinctive feature of this drama. It could be seen as a challenge, but I also believed the character might be what sets this drama apart.”
She added, “One of the things I was concerned about was that since Yi Na doesn’t express emotions in a typical way, viewers might find it hard to relate to her. That’s why, in the scene where she’s in a consultation with Seung Joo, I added more of Yi Na’s pain. But I also wondered if it was okay for the audience not to fully relate to her. I felt like that might be part of her characteristics, but the director told me that it was important for the audience to relate to her.”
With many viewers speculating about a possible Season 2 after seeing the ending, Kim Da Mi shared, “We haven’t talked about a second season, but after seeing the ending, I did wonder, maybe there’s someone who can copy the crimes, or perhaps there’s an accomplice.” She added, “I’m not too sure about the full scope of the universe, but it felt like something similar was happening again. I think it was an open ending.”