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When Life Gives You Tangerines: Moon So Ri claims turning into Ae Sun made her 'age faster' and how prosthetics took a toll
Moon So Ri opens up about how prosthetic makeup affected her while playing elderly Ae Sun in When Life Gives You Tangerines, revealing it took a toll on her skin and made her feel like she aged fast.
In the Netflix series When Life Gives You Tangerines, Moon So Ri portrays the older version of Ae-sun, a role that required intense prosthetic makeup and emotional depth. However, in a recent interview with Hankook Ilbo, Moon So Ri shared a surprising side effect of playing the elderly character—she aged faster than she anticipated.
The actress, known for her raw and heartfelt performances, revealed that the process of transforming into an older woman took a toll on her skin. "The older you get, the longer special effects makeup takes," Moon So Ri explained. The 50-year-old actress shares an interesting detail about her skincare routine: “One day they asked me what skincare I used because my face was too moisturized—the prosthetics wouldn’t stick." Moon So Ri, who has naturally dry skin, would typically apply a generous amount of cream each morning to keep her face hydrated. But as filming for When Life Gives You Tangerines progressed, she stopped moisturizing to help the makeup adhere better.
That decision, however, led to unexpected consequences. "I really started aging fast. I realized I need to take better care of myself," she admitted. The intense makeup and the sudden shift in her skincare habits made Moon So Ri more aware of how crucial self-care is as she gets older.
In addition to the makeup process, Moon So Ri also found herself connecting with her character on a deeper level. As a mother in real life, she was able to relate to Oh Ae Sun’s domestic routines. "I didn’t say, ‘I’m going to film tomorrow,’ I’d say, ‘I need to go do housework,’" she recalled, noting that her personal experience shaped her portrayal of Oh Ae Sun’s everyday tasks.
This role not only brought out Moon So Ri’s acting talents but also led her to reflect on the importance of self-care and how quickly time can pass when we aren’t paying attention.
For those who haven't yet watched When Life Gives You Tangerines, the Netflix series explores the transformative power of family and love. IU and Park Bo Gum portray the younger versions of Oh Ae Sun and Ywen Gwan Sik, respectively, while Moon So Ri and Park Hae Joon take on the roles of their older, middle-aged counterparts.
